Janet Courtney – Touch and Boundary Setting in Child Counseling & Classrooms

We, the practitioners and Teachers are constantly challenged with ethical questions and clinical/ educational dilemmas related to touch from a child’s request for a hug, to a child inappropriately touching, to physical acts of aggression.

 Janet Courtney – Touch and Boundary Setting in Child Counseling & Classrooms

Breaking down Touch Controversy

• Why the problem with touch & children?
• Touch With children vs. with adults
• “No touch” policies—More harm than good?
• Touch and Your code of ethics
• Male vs female practitioner liability
• Examining the “slippery slope” Argument
• Current research

Neurobiology Touch

• Oxytocin—the “calming & connectivity” hormone
• Cortisol & hurtful or stressful touch
• Parasympathetic nervous System (PNS).
• C-tactile fibers—Emotional touch
• Sensory mirror neurons – Develop empathy and Interconnectivity
• Psychoeducation

Assessing Mediating factors of Touch

• Types of touch: practitioner initiated, child initiated, task-oriented, referential…
• Child’s age, gender, diagnosis
• Theoretical approach
• Cultural, religion, and more…

Case Examples/Ethical Dilemmas – Respond, Intervene & Set Safe Boundaries in Clinics/Classrooms

• Recommendations for working with physically & sexually abused children—attunement/ proximity/cues
• Alternatives to physical restraint – Interventions for physically aggressive children/teens
• Skills for working with children diagnosed with autism, reactive attachment disorder, ADHD (attunement/proximity/cues)
• Child Restraint—informed consent sample
• How to manage inappropriate touching by the child
• Developmental differences: infants, children, teens

Play Therapy & Assessments – Touch Intervention

• Developmental play therapy—touch and attachment disorders
• DIR/floortime and Autism in children
• FirstPlay®–facilitating corrective (and Infants can have preventive (or therapeutic) touch experiences between them and Parents
• Touch in Animal assisted therapy
• Peer-To-peer massage in schools
• Touch in groups: dance & movement/bereavement/play therapy
• Exemples of Cases

Lab Experiential—Growing Professional Self-Awareness

• Knowing your own proximity space boundaries & comfort
• Side hugs & acceptable touch alternatives
• Establish appropriate boundaries with your children
• Small group discussion with professionals for touch survey
• Practice boundary setting interventions—through mock demonstrations

Be a guru “Touch Educator” Creative Play-Based Interventions

• “Captain May I”
• ‘Red Light, Green Light’
• Personal Space for Hula Hoop
• “My No Touch Square!” chant activity
• Creating safe boundaries in the sandtray & clay
• Examples of case studies to be used in practice

Growing ethical competence in Touch

• Aristotle’s “Practical Wisdom”
• 5 core competencies in touch
• Clinical & ethical touch guidelines
• Liability risk management— informed consent

Would you like a gift?  Janet Courtney – Touch and Boundary Setting in Child Counseling & Classrooms ?

Description:

• Skills for working with autism, attachment, aggression, ADHD, physical & sexual abuse
• Play therapy techniques are used to help kids establish healthy boundaries
• Professional and Legal boundaries for safe physical contact in Therapy
• Touch best-Practice guidelines

Touch in Therapy with children is a taboo subject for many years. and It is a hotbed for controversy!

We, the practitioners and Teachers are constantly challenged with ethical questions and clinical/ educational dilemmas related to touch from a child’s request for a hug, to a child inappropriately touching, to physical acts of aggression.

Join Janet Courtney, PhD. LCSW. RPT. and Leading expert in The field of touch in This ground-breaking workshop. The current research in neurobiology of touch will be presented to you. and attachment, plus the varied mediating factors that impact child initiated verses practitioner/educator initiated touch.

Explore a variety of touch-Informed play therapy is an ethical intervention that addresses child problems and Diagnoses related to trauma, sexual and Domestic violence, physical abuse, ADHD, anxiety and attachment.

You’ll walk away with new interventions to successfully manage in-The-Play therapy and momentary touch behaviors that are challenging-Helping children with their learning difficulties and Teens set healthy boundaries for touch. Your professional awareness should be increased and Competence through laboratory activities and Clinical and To immediately reduce liability concerns, follow these guidelines.