Playing with Pain

Living with chronic illness and pain causes a child to interact with his world differently. Often, these children’s underlying assumptions about ability and relationships are based in struggle and disempowerment. If a family affected by chronic illness also belongs to a marginalized community, then their lived experiences become even more complicated. Play therapists can benefit from understanding what the professional literature offers around the needs of children affected by illness and pain, allowing play therapy to become more specifically tailored to the experiences these clients will bring to the playroom. This three-hour webinar addresses these topics and provides experiential activities for reflection.30