Brain Development Is Topic of U of A Summer Play Therapy Conference

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Richard Gaskill

The University of Arkansas Office of Play Therapy Research and Training will present Richard Gaskill, former chair of the board of directors of the national Association for Play Therapy, at its fourth annual summer conference June 22 and 23 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fayetteville.

Gaskill is executive director of Sumner Mental Health Center in Wellington, Kansas, and an adjunct faculty lecturer at Wichita State University.

Professionals can earn 12 continuing education units for attending. Registration may be done online. The cost is $165 for students and $250 for professionals.

Gaskill's presentation is titled "Early Brain Development, Trauma and Solutions." He is a licensed clinical psychotherapist, licensed clinical professional counselor, registered play therapist-supervisor and an infant mental health clinical mentor. He co-founded the Approved Play Therapy Center at Wichita State University in 2010 and has designed, operated, consulted and lectured on children's therapy, therapeutic preschools and integration of school-based mental health services throughout the United States, Canada and Australia over the past 20 years.

Over the two-day conference, participants will:

• Learn key neurobiological concepts vital to growth and development
• Identify important developmental activities that impact specific brain regions
• Integrate developmentally appropriate activities into daily activities and intervention design
• List functional neurobiological indicators of children suffering from social-emotional maltreatment
• Assess the functional disorganization in traumatized children
• Create play and play therapy intervention techniques that are appropriate for specific functional social-emotional issues

Kristi Perryman, assistant professor of counselor education and a registered play therapist-supervisor, created and directs the Office of Play Therapy Research and Training. The national Association for Play Therapy granted designation to the U of A office as an approved center in March of 2015.

The U of A offers both master's and doctoral degrees in counseling. The Master of Science degree offers specialties in clinical mental health counseling and school counseling. Both degree programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.