August 21st, 2020
Presenter Bio
Eliana Gil, PhD, ATR, RPT-S, LMFT, is a Founding Partner of Gil Institute for Trauma Recovery & Education, LLC, a group private practice in Fairfax, Va, where she currently works as a Senior Clinical and Research Consultant. She is an Approved MFT Supervisor as well as a Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor and a Registered Art Therapist. She is also a Circle of Security Certified Parent Educator, a Level II Theraplay provider, and participated and completed a two-year Individual Certification process with Dr. Bruce Perry. Dr. Gil is also Director of Starbright Training Institute for Child and Family Play Therapy where she and Gil Institute colleagues provide specialized trainings on an array of topics involving trauma, attachment, and treatment options, with an integration of expressive therapies (art, sand, play). In the last two decades, Eliana has directed two child sexual abuse treatment programs in Northern Virginia and continues her work in the field of child abuse prevention and treatment. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who received her doctorate in family therapy from the California Graduate School of Family Psychology in San Rafael, California. She has served on the Board of Directors of the American Professional Society on the Abused of Children and the National Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse. She is also a former President of the Association for Play Therapy and received APT’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
Dr. Gil has written numerous chapters, journal articles, and books on child abuse and related topics and has participated in educational videotapes that feature her work through Guilford Press, as well as a self-published DVD on Family Play Therapy. Her most recent books include Post-Traumatic Play: What Clinicians Should Know and the second edition of Play in Family Therapy. She also co-authored a book with Dr. David Crenshaw on Termination Challenges in Psychotherapy. Her classic book Outgrowing the Pain, has been translated into many languages. Dr. Gil is a well-known international lecturer, author, and clinician. She is bilingual and bicultural with Ecuadorian parents. Since 2014, she has been semi-retired and continues to supervise, consult and teach. Dr. Gil conducts specialized, unique trainings in Fairfax, VA and provides trainings across the country on a regular basis, although greatly reduced from previous years. She also sponsors the Mid-Atlantic Play Therapy Institute in Northern Virginia on an annual basis.
Eliana has dreamed of being a grandmother since she was a young child and cherished her relationship to her own grandmothers, Emilia and Teresa. She now has four grandchildren under the age of 12 and looks forward to being closer to them geographically and continuing to be a part of their lives. She loves watching her children as they have grown into loving, smart, patient, and creative parents.
Program Description
This lecture will provide an overview of a unique form of play that children employ after enduring traumatic experiences. We will discuss the special characteristics of post-traumatic play as well as learn the differences between toxic and dynamic post-trauma play. The question of how and when to intervene in toxic play will be highlighted. A case example will illustrate the three phases of post-traumatic play and the valuable presence of a clinical witness. Participants will have ample opportunities to become adept at understanding the underlying intent of this play and the importance of clinical witnessing.
Specifically, this program will:
- Define post-traumatic play therapy;
- Discuss unique characteristics of this play;
- Describe the positive intent of post-trauma play;
- Differentiate between dynamic and toxic post-trauma play;;
- Offer specific ways of intervening in toxic post-trauma play;
By the end of the course participants will be able to:
- Define post-traumatic play;
- List three unique characteristics of post-trauma play;
- Define the difference between dynamic and toxic post trauma play;
- List two ways to intervene in toxic post-traumatic play;
- List two benefits of post-traumatic play;
- Discuss two ways to involve the family in post-traumatic play therapy.
The didactic presentation will be one hour. Afterwards participants will have the opportunity to do experiential work that they can offer to their clients.
This workshop will be three hours and include a formal lecture followed by opportunities for experiential work.
- Date: August 21st, 2020
- Location: Live Webinar Via Zoom
- Time: The training will run from 1:00 PM EST until 4:15 PM EST
- Cost: $50.00
- Cancellation Policy can be viewed here.
- Continuing Education:
- 3 Non-Direct Play Therapy Training Contact Hours (Approved Provider # 20-599)
- Continuing Education Hours Pending from all Kentucky Boards