Understanding and Treating Anxious Children using Play Therapy

Overview:

Anxiety is the most frequently occurring mental illness among children and adolescents. It includes Generalized Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Separation Anxiety, Selective Mutism and Specific Phobias. This workshop will describe the most common anxiety disorders and how to assess for them. As they have both biological and behavioural components, the importance of working with primary care physicians and psychiatrists will be addressed. This workshop will outline Cognitive Behaviour Play Therapy interventions that are adaptations of evidence-based CBT principles such as psycho-education, skill development, exposure and relapse prevention. Methods of evaluating progress and outcomes in therapy will be explored.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Understand Generalized Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Separation Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Specific Phobias.
2. Identify Key principles of Cognitive Behavioural Play Therapy including the theory and mechanics of exposure for decreasing anxiety and fear.
3. Provide key interventions for Anxiety.
4. Teach parents specific strategies for managing anxiety symptoms at home and advocating for their anxious children in school.