Category: Diversity / Social & Cultural Competence, Cross Cultural Category: Diversity / Social & Cultural Competence, Cross Cultural (show less) Other: Virginia Other: Virginia (show less)

“Guess Who’s Coming to the Playroom” is a discussion exploring cross-racial dyads, more specifically, how the therapist’s own cultural beliefs and personal biases impact his/her conceptualization of the child’s symptomology, diagnoses, and identification of play therapy themes. Ecosystemic theory will serve as a theoretical lens to engage play therapist in self-reflection; increasing one’s awareness of their worldview and how it obscures his/her view of the child. Ecosystemic theory commands therapists to consider the child’s race and culture and how it informs how the child can interact with various systems and most importantly, how outside systems shape the child’s worldview. In effort to protect the sanctity of Play Therapy, we [therapist] have a responsibility to engage in the emotional labor of discussing race, participate in lifelong learning, and be intentional in practicing cultural humility.

Objectives:
•    Become familiar with Ecosystemic Theory, develop a basic understanding of the five levels of external influences on development.
•    Examine their own cultural beliefs and experiences and identify three personal stereotypes of race/culture/ethnicity and examination of “color blindness” approach to facilitate increased awareness in the playroom.
•    Examine how personal bias impacts conceptualization of symptomology and identification of play themes with consideration of child and family’s culture to improve healing in the playroom.