Play and Trauma: Theme and Variation
Play is the language of young children. It is their spontaneous and powerful, but often coded, medium of expression. Adverse childhood experiences hold the potential to derail development in course and quality, including play. In this two-part presentation, we will examine typical play and the manner in which early childhood trauma exposure may impact play. In the first webinar we will explore the fundamentals of play in typical development including: the definition and functions of play, the expectable developmental pathway of play, the attributes and distinct significance of symbolic play, and the role of play in promoting sensory and emotion regulation. We will additionally explore the variations that emerge in posttraumatic play in juxtaposition to the expectable features of play in sequence, theme, constriction, and defense.