Course

EMDR With Children & Adolescents: Play Therapy Techniques to Increase Engagement with EMDR Phases 1-4

Format

Recorded Asynchronous Course

Duration

1.75 hours

Presenter

DeLyn Griffin, MA

Prices

$65

General Price

$32.50

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HAP Faculty Volunteers click here to apply your faculty discount

About

Course Description

Looking for resources to implement EMDR with children and adolescents? This presentation will use video case presentations demonstrating play therapy techniques for EMDR phases 1-4. DeLyn will review developmentally appropriate ways to increase client engagement while maintaining fidelity to the protocol.

EMDR is an effective treatment for PTSD and traumatic stress symptoms for adults and with modification, for children and adolescents. However, engaging children and teens in the early phases of the EMDR protocol can be challenging. Youth can struggle with emotional regulation for state change, have difficulty maintaining the dual focus for processing, and avoid approaching their previous traumatic experiences directly.

Play therapy is an evidence-based form of therapy that provides a framework for the modifications needed to use EMDR with children/adolescents. This presentation for EMDR-trained clinicians will provide tools for bringing together EMDR & play therapy techniques to engage young clients. Participants will explore the signs of traumatic stress for each age group, learn to recognize avoidance, where children/teens get “stuck” during therapy, and explore three ways play therapy can help engage clients: 1) make it playful (developmentally appropriate titration), 2) externalize further, and 3) develop needed resources.

*Disclaimer: Please note this video contains difficult subject matters related to children and trauma.   

Course was originally recorded on August 24, 2024. Updates to the course were made on October 12, 2026.

Intended Audience

Mental Health Clinicians and anyone currently practicing EMDR therapy (psychologists, counselors, social workers, etc.). This course is appropriate for post-doctoral graduates and clinicians with advanced knowledge of various therapeutic treatment modalities and theoretical orientations. This presentation is for EMDR-trained clinicians and will provide tools for bringing together EMDR & play therapy techniques to engage young clients.

Skill Level of Audience

Beginner/Intermediate. Only EMDR trained clinicians can obtain EMDRIA Credits.  

EMDRIA and CE credits

1.5 EMDRIA Credits (Included in course price). CEs are not offered. Please navigate to the FAQ section with the dropdown titled "How to obtain your credits/certificates" for more details about CEs. 

Course Outline

Minutes 0-30
Minutes 31-60
Minutes 61-90
Participants will identify signs of traumatic stress for each age group: preschoolers, elementary, and middle/high school. Introduction to Learning objective #2. 
Participants will be able to recognize types of avoidance youth display during EMDR and 3 ways play therapy can help engage clients. Introduction to Phase 2 preparation. Client videos will be used to demonstrate different arousal levels. 
Participants will be able to identify 2 play therapy techniques to increase engagement for each EMDR phase (1-4). Case introductions that will demonstrate ways to engage kids in phases 2-4. 

Learning Objectives

Identify signs of traumatic stress for each age group: preschoolers, elementary, and middle/high school. 
Recognize types of avoidance youth display during EMDR and 3 ways play therapy can help engage clients. 
Identify 2 play therapy techniques to increase engagement for each EMDR phase (1-4). 
DeLyn Griffin MA, Marriage & Family Therapist Associate
Meet the instructor

DeLyn Griffin, MA

DeLyn Griffin (MA, Marriage & Family Therapist Associate) is the co-founder of Sage Counseling Collective in Portland, Oregon and works with children, teens, and families using EMDR, play therapy, sand tray, and expressive arts. From her former career, DeLyn brings over 30 years of experience as a teacher of piano and early childhood music & movement, as well as being the director, teacher trainer, and curriculum designer of a performing arts academy and arts-based preschool. DeLyn is currently working towards EMDRIA certification, and becoming a Registered Play Therapist under the supervision of Daniel Sweeney, PhD, LMFT, LPC, RPT-S. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Cancelations

There are no cancelations/refunds for any distance learning courses.

Grievances

Grievances can be sent in writing by email to registration@emdrhap.org and will be handled within 10 business days.

Trauma Recovery, EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs (Trauma Recovery/HAP) 
is fully committed to conducting all activities in strict conformance with all our public facing and internal and accreditation grievance policies. Trauma Recovery/HAP will comply with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in promotional activities, program content, and in the treatment of program participants. 

The monitoring and assessment of compliance with these standards will be the responsibility of the Education Chair/Continuing Education Director in consultation with the member of the continuing education committee (Trauma Recovery/HAP Training Operations Team), the Trauma Recovery/HAP's Ethics Chairperson and the Convention/Conference Chairperson.

While Trauma Recovery/HAP goes to great lengths to assure fair treatment for all participant and attempts to anticipate problems, there will be occasional issues which come to the attention of the convention staff or an officer of Trauma Recovery/HAP. This procedural description serves as a guideline for handling such grievances.

When a participant, either orally or in written format, files a grievance or expects action on the complaint, the following actions will be taken. If the grievance concerns a speaker, the content presented by the speaker, or the style of presentation, the individual filing the grievance will be asked to express their comments in written format. The Educational Chair/Continuing Education Director will then pass on the comment to the speaker, assuring the confidentiality of the aggrieved individual.
If the grievance concerns a workshop offering, its content, level of presentation, or the facilities in which the workshop was offered, the Convention/Conference Chairperson will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the participant requests action, the Convention/Conference Chairperson will:
2a) attempt to move the participant to another workshop.
2b) provide a credit for a future workshop or on-demand course equally valued;
2c) or provide a partial or full refund of the workshop fee.
**Actions 2b and 2c require written notes documenting the grievance for record keeping purposes. Either note need not be signed by the aggrieved individual.

If the grievance concerns Trauma Recovery/HAP CE program in a specific regard, the CE Educational Chair/Continuing Education Director will attempt to arbitrate and will engage the Clinical Consultant team and when necessary, the executive Director. When the grievance is filed by a social worker, the Social Worker Consultant will be involved in the investigation and resolution of all grievance. If further escalation is necessary, the grievance will be sent directly to the Board President.


Contact: Anna Riedel, CE Director
Email: registration@emdrhap.org
Telephone number: (203) 288 4450
Address: 80 Garden Center, Suite 200, Broomfield, CO 80020

Trademark Restrictions Purchasing / Showing content to others

** Please note** Trauma Recovery, EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs, INC. (Trauma Recovery/HAP) was given ownership of this distance learning course from the presenter,DeLyn Griffin, to Trauma Recovery/HAP and it cannot be used for resale and only should be viewed by the purchaser.

** HIPAA Regulations: Please note that this course may contain protected health information (PHI). Any unauthorized use or disclosure of this PHI is strictly prohibited, this includes recording and/or reproducing any part of this training video. This video presentation contains videos of clients and case discussions. The presenter has received permission to use the videos to assist in the education and training of clinical professionals who must comply with confidentiality standards.  

ADA assistance

Facilities used by Trauma Recovery/HAP for in-person training events are ADA compliant. Should you need any special accommodations (ADA) for an in-person training event, please contact Trauma Recovery/HAP staff at info@emdrhap.org at least 10 business days prior to the start of the training event. On-demand courses with videos offer closed captioning. If you encounter any inaccuracies or synchronization issues with the closed captioning, please contact associate@emdrhap.org.

How to obtain your credits/certificates

CE and EMDRIA CEU Info for Trauma Recovery: EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs (Trauma Recovery/HAP) LearnWorlds Courses Certificates are awarded online after completion of the workshop. To receive your Continuing Education (CEs) and EMDRIA CEUs, complete the entire course, the post-test, and evaluation.
***Only one recipient per course purchase will be given CEs and EMDRIA CEUs. Multiple CEs and EMDRIA CEUs will not be given to groups who purchase one-course viewing.


Please contact info@emdrhap.org or (203)-288-4450 with questions about this course.