Katrina Zeljak

Children (and adults) can easily have their nervous system activated by various happenings, and then become reactive to smaller triggers that constantly set off a false alarm in their brain and body. Play has been shown scientifically to re-wire and re-regulate this over-sensitized system that is characterized by neuroplasticity. As children re-enact various events through play, in the presence of safety and connection, they are able to experience the benefits of neuroplasticity, re-wiring neurons and allowing them to integrate into the brain structure rather than remain hypervigilant. As a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor and member of the Association for Play Therapy, I provide play based counseling interventions. Incorporating playful techniques that have been adapted from multiple psychological theories (including CBT, ACT, EMDR) provide children with a sense of trust, safety, and control. This sense of security in counseling allows children to explore what coping skills work for them in order to handle strong emotions and regulate themselves. I provide support to caregivers as well, which can include family counseling sessions or parental coaching. Please feel free to email me for more information on how play therapy helps children communicate their feelings, modify their behavior, develop problem solving skills, along with empathy for others and improved social skills. You can also learn more about play therapy by visiting: https://www.a4pt.org/page/ParentsCornerHomePag https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/21/parenting/play-therapy.html For FAQ's re: play therapy, visit: https://www.a4pt.org/page/PTMakesADifference I am EMDR Certified. For more information on EMDR, visit https://www.emdria.org/ or EMDR with kids, visit https://www.anagomez.org/what-emdr-kids/ I am a Registered Sandplay Practitioner. Learn more about Sandplay at https://www.sandplay.org/about-sandplay/what-is-sandplay/ I serve as a trainer for the City of Carlsbad GUIDE Program, advising counseling associates on play based techniques to use in working with school based services. I also guest lecture at Cal State University San Marcos on "Therapy with Kids" for Survey of Clinical Psychology (Psych 340) and "Developmental Psychopathology (Psych 328). Videos I recommend: - Andrew's Day: https://youtu.be/D8meTxxXeEw - The Other Letter: https://youtu.be/3dAQ6_gXQy4 - Securely Attached Family with Teens: https://youtu.be/Xiu59tUfnvw - Who Would You Like to Have Dinner With: https://youtu.be/7deoniKHyjI - Play Therapy Innovations w Ed Begley Jr.: https://youtu.be/uB1i-3uaxaI - Sand Tray Explainer: https://youtu.be/kbuDKNGu1x8 Books I recommend for understanding children's regulation and how to best respond: "Raising Good Humans," by Hunter Clarke-Fields By Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson: "The Whole Brain Child" "The Yes Brain" "No Drama Discipline" On Helping Your Child Regulate: "Self Reg" "The Power of Validation" On Further Connecting With Your Child: "Parenting with Theraplay" "I Love You Rituals" Books discussing parenting philosophy: "Transforming the Difficult Child" "How to Raise an Adult" "Counterintuitive" by Tyler Durman "The Collapse of Parenting"