Evil's Insight: Leveraging Villainous Narratives in Play Therapy

Credit

Handouts/Brochure

Speaker

Maria Laquerre-Diego, LMFT, RPT-S™ Related seminars and products

A New Hope Therapy Center

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A self-described geek, Maria Laquerre-Diego is a CEO and owner who is committed to increasing access to mental health services and breaking down the stigma surrounding therapy services. As a therapist turned CEO, Maria has developed a unique perspective when it comes to mental health and the barriers surrounding mental health treatment. Influenced by her time at New Mexico State University in the Family and Consumer Science department, and University of New Hampshire’s Marriage and Family department, Maria has turned her dedication to giving back and supporting future generations of therapists. In addition to supporting mental health providers, Maria takes an active role in addressing the continued stigma of mental health services through the use of pop culture – everything from movies and television shows to superheroes and Disney characters. Maria has spoken about mental health at several local events, has served as an officer on professional boards and has provided training to clinicians all over the country while maintaining her and her family’s roots as Aggies! Outside of the office, Maria can be found spending time with her family and loved ones, exploring the world through travel, and creating cosplays for herself, her husband and their two little ones. Maria is always happy to talk about Star Wars, Marvel and mental health and can be contacted through her website www.anewhopetc.org.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Maria Laquerre-Diego is the founder of A New Hope Academy and is the owner of A New Hope Therapy Center. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Maria Laquerre-Diego has no relevant non-financial relationships.

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Objectives

1. Identify three ways to use villains and "bad guys" with teens and adults to increase rapport and connection in play therapy.
2. Name two play therapy interventions utilizing villains and "bad guys" to facilitate communication and connection with teens and adults in play therapy.
3. Explain 2 common reasons that villains are of interest with teens and adults in play therapy and how to reframe them into positive connections. 

Outline

Unmasking Villainous Narratives in Play Therapy

• Explore the psychology behind villain origin stories 
• Understand the traumas, motivations, and inner conflicts of villains 
• Clinical Take-Aways: 
  • Identify how clients relate to villainous characters in play therapy 
  • Utilize narrative techniques to uncover the deeper layers of client experiences 
  • Foster empathy and understanding towards clients' darker narratives 

Transformative Play Therapy Interventions 

• Learn play therapy techniques to engage with villainous themes 
• Discover how to use play therapy to explore complex emotions and conflicts 
• Clinical Take-Aways: 
  • Implement creative play therapy interventions to address client challenges 
  • Facilitate therapeutic conversations through symbolic play with villainous characters 
  • Enhance client resilience and coping skills through playful exploration 

Embracing the Darkside in Practice 

• Integrate villainous narratives into clinical practice effectively 
• Develop personalized treatment plans using insights from villainous storytelling 
• Clinical Take-Aways: 
  • Design tailored play therapy interventions based on client interests in villains 
  • Strengthen therapeutic rapport by incorporating clients' interests into treatment 
  • Empower clients to navigate their own narratives and find strength in their darker experiences 

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Marriage and family therapists
• Nurses
• Physicians 
• Play therapists 
• Psychologists
• Social workers