ART IN PLAY THERAPY

ART IN PLAY THERAPY with present KATE HOFER

Art is a powerful tool in your repertoire of play therapy skills.  The arts can be used by a client to describe trauma in symbols or imagery in ways that words cannot.  It provides a safe medium in which to explore trauma with metaphors, or tell secret stories non-verbally. Artwork can serve as a concrete external expression of a client’s inner story and in the process reduce the client’s tension.  Creativity releases us all into our deepest places and our highest potential, facilitating connection with emotions in the present tense: the here and now. 

The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies noted that, ”Creative arts therapies address important dimensions of PTSD and may often be effective during impasses that other techniques fail to affect . . . Better  efficacy on PTSD symptoms may be achieved once a breakthrough is attained via creative arts therapies.”

ON:  APRIL 29, 2011                  FROM:  8:30 am to 4:30 pm

At:  Sanderson Community Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

5709 South 1500 West  in Taylorsville

Cost for this excellent training opportunity is $25.00 for students, $35.00 for UAPT members, $65.00 for nonmember professionals.  Please pre-register online at http://www.utahplaytherapy.org/web/ or with Collette Dawson-Loveless, by February 20 at collette@greenhousecenter.org,or by calling (801)785-1169. 6.5 CEUs will be provided.  Registration will begin at 8:00 am.  Refreshments provided.

Kate Hofer received her M.S. in Recreation Therapy from the Uof U and has worked as a recreation therapist at Benchmark Psychiatric Hospital in Woods Cross, at the University of Utah Neuropsychiatric Institute,  The Center for Change in Orem, and Remuda Ranch in Arizona. While in Arizona she received her MA in Professional Counseling from Ottowa University with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Expressive Arts Therapy. She did her practicum in play therapy at an elementary school for homeless children in Phoenix. Her internship was with Free Arts of Arizona, using art therapy with the homeless children at an elementary school in Tempe. She moved back to Utah in 2006 and worked at Family Support and Treatment Center in Orem using play therapy with child clients and art/sandtray therapy with clients of all ages. She recently started working at the Green House Center, specializing in art/play/sandtray therapy. Kate loves working with children of all ages, using experiential therapy for healing trauma and building family cohesion.  Kate lives in  Lindon, Utah with her husband. They have a blended family of 10 children and 8 grandchildren. Her passions are playing with her grandchildren, art, hiking and reading.