Therapeutic Use of Play, Creative Media and Expressive Arts

Who Should Apply

This programme will be of interest to those working in a supportive capacity with children and adolescents, including counsellors, psychotherapists, social workers, social care workers, key workers, mental health nurses, guidance counsellors, special needs assistants (SNAs) and teachers.



This 10-credit programme allows graduates to integrate therapeutic play and the use of creative media and expressive arts into their professional context. It is a validated certificate; however, it does not have sufficient credit volume to meet the threshold for professional body recognition. It is ideal for those working in the helping professions who want to bring fresh knowledge and skills for using play and creativity in a therapeutic and supportive manner with children and adolescents to their current work. If you are seeking professional training in counselling and psychotherapy, please contact us.



Course Benefits

This programme develops practical skills in creative and expressive therapeutic approaches that enhance client engagement and deepen clinical effectiveness. It supports practitioners in expanding their professional toolkit, strengthening therapeutic relationships, and promoting meaningful outcomes across diverse client groups and practice settings.



Overview

In this programme, learners will engage in formal didactic lectures, skills practice, group discussion, reflective exercises and experiential exercises related to the following:



The theoretical underpinnings to play, creative media and expressive arts in therapy

Creative counselling and therapeutic play skills

Therapeutic use of sensory and embodiment activities and tools

Projection, use of metaphor and bibliotherapy

Use of role-play

Sand in therapy

Art in therapy

Development considerations

Creative mediums and development

Developmental art stages and play development

Stages in therapeutic play and the creative process

Developmental considerations in the sand tray

Therapeutic process

Lusebrink’s Expressive Arts Continuum

Norton and Norton’s Stages of Developmental Play

Jennings’ Embodiment – Projection – Role (EPR) Developmental Play Paradigm

Play and creative themes

Learner Benefits and Support

We hold that it is not enough to simply teach about play, creative media and expressive arts in theory. Learners are given the space to learn, practise and be supported as they integrate their skills into their professional practice in their particular context.



Work-Based Learning

Before starting the programme, learners must be working or volunteering in a setting where they are actively supporting children and/or adolescents. We require evidence of at least 20 hours of practice where play, creative media and expressive arts are integrated into their professional practice. This must be supervised at a ratio of 1:5, meaning one supervision session for every 5 hours of practice.



Validation and Accreditation

This certificate is awarded as a minor award at Level 9 on the NFQ and is validated by QQI.

Module Descriptor



Malchiodi (2005, p. 8) argues that expressive and creative methods add a unique dimension to therapy, offering qualities not typically found in verbal approaches. When working with children and adolescents, clients may not have the same emotional vocabulary as adults seeking therapy. Engaging through play, creative media and expressive arts allows therapeutic work to occur through a medium that is comfortable for younger clients. In this programme, learners will engage in teaching and learning related to theoretical underpinnings of play, creative media and expressive arts in therapy. Projection and the use of metaphor and creative methods, including art, sand-tray work, and sensory and embodiment activities, will be used.

Applicants must:



Be in a work setting or role that will provide them with opportunities to implement their learning from this programme, such as paid or voluntary work with children in the helping professions, counselling support services, psychological settings, social care settings and/or project, youth or community work

Demonstrate relevant experience working with people in a responsible and caring role

Hold a minimum Level 8 qualification in counselling and/or psychotherapy or a minimum of a Level 8 degree in a cognate discipline or equivalent

Minimum Technological Requirements

You will need:



Adequate broadband for uploading and downloading

A desktop computer or laptop capable of using Zoom

A webcam and microphone

A web browser

Word processing package

Next Intake(s): Oct. 10 in person

Oct. 24 online

Nov. 7 online

Nov. 21 & 22 in person