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IPP: Integrative Play Psychotherapy

Introduction

The Integrative Play Psychotherapy program offers a holistic perspective in working with children, adolescents, caregivers, and the wider community. The main focus of the program is to impart knowledge and skills for the application of expressive methods of work (such as symbols, metaphors, art, puppets, sand, and others), utilizing a broad range of theories aimed at understanding the individual, family, and contextual dynamics, as well as further conceptualizing each case. Specifically, the program is based on theories from transactional analysis, play therapy, developmental psychology, neuroscience, attachment, change, psychopathology, developmental assessment, diagnosis and intervention, life script, transference and countertransference, and systems theory.

The program includes fundamental guidelines for good clinical practice when working with children, adolescents, parents, and other professionals involved in the process (e.g., how to set goals, plan treatment, understand play and themes in play, and how to work interdisciplinarily). It provides specific knowledge and skills for addressing various mental health issues in children and adolescents, such as aggressive behavior, anxiety, trauma, and specific developmental needs. Additionally, the program encompasses the application of therapeutic competencies in individual work, dyadic work, and group settings.

Active participation in personal therapy and supervision is required during participation in this program when starting to work with clients. It is founded on adherence to highly ethical practices.

The Integrative Play Psychotherapy education program is in line with the Law on Psychotherapeutic Activity and the Regulations on Special Additional Education for Working with Children, the standards of the European Interdisciplinary Organization for Therapeutic Services for Children and Youth (EIATSCYP), and accordingly the standards of the European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP).

The Integrative Play Psychotherapy program is approved by the Croatian Chamber of Psychotherapists. The program will be in Croatian and English.

Workshop topics within the Integrative Play Psychotherapy program
  • Introduction and Acquaintance: Initial Phase of Psychotherapy Data Gathering, Risk Assessment, Diagnostics, and Working with Parents Observation of Family Play and Understanding the Family Role in the Development of Problems
  • Establishing a Working Alliance
  • Child-Centered Play Therapy – Non-Directive Play Therapy Skills
  • Boundary Testing Phase
  • Recognition and Monitoring of Themes in Play Therapy
  • Working with a Child Exhibiting Aggressive Behavior
  • Clay as a Therapeutic Modality of Expression
  • Dependence and Decontamination Phase
  • Working with an Anxious Child
  • Drawing as a Therapeutic Modality of Expression
  • Growth Phase
  • Deconfusion
  • Working with Traumatized Children
  • Sand as a Therapeutic Modality of Expression
  • Working with Adolescents
  • Associative Cards as a Therapeutic Modality of Expression
  • Working with Parents
  • Ending Phase
  • Termination of Therapy and Premature Treatment Interruptions
  • Working with Parent-Child Dyads
  • Filial Play Therapy and Theraplay
  • Group Work (Children, Adolescents)
  • Trauma Work with Adolescents
  • Contact and Breaks in Contact
  • Recognizing Progress/Changes in the Psychotherapeutic Process
  • Puppets and Therapeutic Stories as Therapeutic Modalities of Expression
  • Review of Acquired Knowledge and Skills; Evaluation and Reflection
An overview of your training course
1st part 2nd part 3rd part
Theory and skills
Workshops 132 64 196
Webinars 34 12 46
Supervision
Supervision in a training group 30 24 54
Total   196 100 296

Additional requirements: 

  

Additional Supervision 

 Individual or in a group up to 3 members 30
Personal psychotherapy experience   35

Client hours 

 200
Total 561

Important:

The requirements for the application and selection procedure

  • Completed education as a psychotherapist or counseling therapist, or for participants in the final year of education for a psychotherapist/counseling therapist, the education must be completed no later than the end of this program
  • Attendance at an introductory workshop on Integrative Play Therapy
  • Ability to work with children and adolescents and apply the knowledge acquired during the program
  • Knowledge of the English language to follow workshops led by foreign educators and to study the literature
  • A completed and emailed application form (along with the application, it is necessary to attach a copy/scan of the certificate/permit from HKPT or a log of hours of previous education)
  • In case of a large number of interested applicants, a selection interview will be organized (an online 15-minute conversation with the primary educator of the program)

Length: 296 school hours (including: 13 workshops, 11 webinar, 9 supervision sessions)

Times: Fri – Sat 9.30 – 17.00; Fri 16:30 – 20:00 & Sat 9.30 – 17:00; ending workshop Friday-Sunday 9.30 – 17.00

Mode: Face-to-Face in Zagreb and online (webinars and supervision)

Costs: 4290 €  – 32.321,04 kn

More Information? Contact us.

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Meet your course leaders

Tatjana Gjurković

Croatia

Psychologist, registered play therapist-supervisor (RPT-S), certified transactional analyst-psychotherapist (CTA-P), and teaching and supervising transactional analyst (TSTA-P) with the EATA and ITAA. She gained her initial work experience in a kindergarten, where she recognized the importance and necessity of working with children and parents. This led her to specialize further in play therapy in addition to her education in transactional analysis.

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Tea Knežević

Croatia

Psychologist, play therapist (RPT), and transactional analysis trainee. She is the co-founder and director of Centar Proventus d.o.o., where she conducts psychotherapy with children and adults and leads numerous educational programs for professionals.

She is the author of more then 20 picture books containing therapeutic stories for children.

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Maja Sedmak Cvelbar

Slovenia

Psychologist, psychotherapist, and provisional teaching and supervising transactional analyst (PTSTA-P). She studied psychotherapy at Institute IPSA (Institute for Integrative Psychotherapy), where she now collaborates as a teacher and supervisor. She previously worked in a school providing advisory and psychological support to students. For nearly ten years, Maja has been working in private practice with adults and children, with a passion for working with adolescents. She has extensive experience in dealing with anxiety disorders and trauma. Maja is also the president of the Slovenian TA Association (Slovenia).

Website: www.osebna-terapija.com

Fabiola Santicchio

Italy

Clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, and provisional teacher and supervisor of transactional analysis (PTSTA-P). She works in Southern Italy (Potenza) in her private practice, employing individual and group settings. She leads supervisory groups (online and in-person) with psychotherapists from other approaches and transactional analysts from different countries. She is particularly interested in the psychodynamic approach of TA, psychoanalysis, ethics-related themes, and learning processes through supervision. She is pursuing an additional academic degree in philosophy and ethics. She enjoys communicating with colleagues from other countries and cultures and organizes international TA training and supervision.

Alessandra Pierini

Italy

Psychologist, psychotherapist, teacher, and supervising transactional analyst (TSTA-P, O) with the EATA and ITAA. For over twenty years, she has worked with children in clinical and educational contexts. Alessandra is the founder and co-director of Physis (a center providing psychotherapy, counseling, and education in TA in Rome), where she practices privately with children, adults, and groups and leads a Master – TA psychotherapy course for working with children.

Website: www.physis.org

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Alina Comendant

Netherlands

Psychotherapist, provisional teacher, supervisor of transactional analysis (PTSTA-P), and a Gestalt play therapist. She works with children, adolescents, and adults in private practice in Hilversum, Netherlands. With her experience in pedagogy, Alina enjoys developing and implementing international education of this type.

Giles Barrow

UK

A teacher and supervisor of educational transactional analysis. He has written numerous articles and books on education, including relational aspects of teaching and learning, school culture and leadership, adolescence, scripting, and theories and philosophies of learning. Additionally, in conjunction with his professional educational work, Giles also runs a small farm in rural Suffolk where he teaches and educates children, young adults, and adults.

Website: gilesbarrow.com

Asja Dubravčić

Croatia

Master of Speech Therapy and Educational Rehabilitation, a Registered Play Therapist (RPT), a practitioner of Expressive Art Therapy (CEAT), and a practitioner of Integrative Body-Oriented Psychotherapy (CIR), as well as a Floortime therapist.
Graduating in 2011, Asja worked at Karlovac kindergarten and pursued speech therapy, earning her second master’s degree in 2014. From 2014 to 2018, she worked at the Center for Rehabilitation, University of Zagreb. Certified in Greenspan Floortime Approach since 2012, she expanded into Integrative Play Therapy and Clinical Expressive Art Therapy. Enrolled in a four-year integrative body-oriented psychotherapy program in 2017, she established Centar Tira Les in 2018, specializing in integrative therapeutic work.

Website: tirales.com

Andreea Neagu

Romania

A child and family psychotherapist specializing in clinical assessment and therapeutic interventions for children, adolescents, families, and adults. Her professional titles include clinical psychologist, integrative psychotherapist, play therapist, drama therapist, trainer, and supervisor in all the abovementioned specializations. She works in her private practice but has worked in school and kindergarten environments, collaborated with non-governmental organizations, and worked with abandoned children. She is actively involved in introducing internationally evidenced-based therapy models in Romania, in her clinical work, and in various training and supervision programs she offers to mental health professionals at the beginning of their journey. She is also an author of books and psychoeducational materials with themes related to child development and psychotherapy.

Website: psihologandreeaneagu.com

What makes our courses unique

For us, each participant is distinct, and we strive to understand and embrace this individuality. Our goal is to support and foster the growth of your innate potential. When we interact during our educational sessions, we recognize that every participant comes with their own life experiences, accumulated knowledge, and skills from diverse educational backgrounds. We deeply respect and value this, which is why, when imparting knowledge and skills, we always consider the unique experiences and insights of each individual. We view this as their foundation and seamlessly integrate it into the collective needs of the group and the overarching goals of education. Simply put, our ethos in all our endeavors is a person-centered approach.

This philosophy underpins our educational sessions, making them both experiential and transformative. We aim to inspire each participant to uncover facets of themselves they may still need to be aware of or capabilities they have yet to realize. We urge you to merge your prior knowledge and experiences with our insights, allowing holistic integration into your professional practice. Time and again, our methods have proven effective in ensuring that new knowledge and skills are learned and deeply ingrained.

Our diverse programs, from lectures and exercises to discussions and demonstrations, are crafted with your needs in mind. We endeavor to address prevalent needs we've identified, either through our experiences or from interactions with professionals like yourself. Our content is tailored to satisfy various requirements, be it acquiring fresh knowledge, seeking emotional support, mastering new skills, or other pertinent demands.

Feedback from countless evaluations has consistently highlighted how participants feel seen, acknowledged, and cherished in our programs, a testament to why so many choose to return.