Date: February 20th, 2026
Time: 8:30am-11:30pm
Presenter : Molly Rush
Time: 3 Hours
Location: 1310 Papin Street, St. Louis MO 63103
Description:
The lives of children and their families is typically complex, even more so when a child, their family, and their community are in crisis. Playful pursuits are often deprioritized, leaving children and their families without that tool for resilience and capacity-building. In this workshop, mental health professionals will learn to examine crises, and their impacts, through the lens of children and their families. We’ll analyze the impact of play and play-based interventions as a protective and capacity-building tool for children and families in crisis. Participants will also learn and use a trauma-informed, decision-making process when identifying playful interventions.
Objectives
Examine and apply the term “crisis” as it relates to children & families in their biopsychosocial context
Identify the unique barriers to play that children and families in crisis experience
Analyze the impact of play and play-based interventions on children and adolescents in crisis
Demonstrate trauma-informed decision-making process when identifying
play-based interventions to use with children and families in crisis
Schedule
8:30-8:35 Introduction and Housekeeping
8:35-9:00 Explore and examine crisis and crises faced by children and families (lecture)
9:00-9:30 Identify barriers to play unique to children and families in crisis (small group collaboration)
9:30-9:45 Discussion on importance of basic need meeting on success of crisis intervention (large group discussion)
9:45-10:00 Analyze impacts of play and play-based interventions and apply to children and families in crisis (lecture/large group collaboration)
10:00-10:30 Exploration of play-based modalities and interventions for children and families in crisis solution-focused interventions
person/child-centered interventions (including filial play therapy) CBT interventions
10:30-10:40 Break
10:40-11:00 Synthesize rationale for play in crises for use with stakeholders and caregivers (lecture/small group)
11:00-11:30 Learn and then demonstrate trauma-informed decision-making process in treatment planning (lecture/small group/large group collaboration)
Date: February 20th, 2026
Time: 8:30am-11:30pm
Presenter : Molly Rush
Time: 3 Hours
Location: 1310 Papin Street, St. Louis MO 63103
Description:
The lives of children and their families is typically complex, even more so when a child, their family, and their community are in crisis. Playful pursuits are often deprioritized, leaving children and their families without that tool for resilience and capacity-building. In this workshop, mental health professionals will learn to examine crises, and their impacts, through the lens of children and their families. We’ll analyze the impact of play and play-based interventions as a protective and capacity-building tool for children and families in crisis. Participants will also learn and use a trauma-informed, decision-making process when identifying playful interventions.
Objectives
Examine and apply the term “crisis” as it relates to children & families in their biopsychosocial context
Identify the unique barriers to play that children and families in crisis experience
Analyze the impact of play and play-based interventions on children and adolescents in crisis
Demonstrate trauma-informed decision-making process when identifying
play-based interventions to use with children and families in crisis
Schedule
8:30-8:35 Introduction and Housekeeping
8:35-9:00 Explore and examine crisis and crises faced by children and families (lecture)
9:00-9:30 Identify barriers to play unique to children and families in crisis (small group collaboration)
9:30-9:45 Discussion on importance of basic need meeting on success of crisis intervention (large group discussion)
9:45-10:00 Analyze impacts of play and play-based interventions and apply to children and families in crisis (lecture/large group collaboration)
10:00-10:30 Exploration of play-based modalities and interventions for children and families in crisis solution-focused interventions
person/child-centered interventions (including filial play therapy) CBT interventions
10:30-10:40 Break
10:40-11:00 Synthesize rationale for play in crises for use with stakeholders and caregivers (lecture/small group)
11:00-11:30 Learn and then demonstrate trauma-informed decision-making process in treatment planning (lecture/small group/large group collaboration)
