On a Quest for Resilience
Utilizing the Metaphorical Elements of Nature within Child and Family Sessions
- Speaker:
- Janet Courtney, PhD, LCSW, RPT-S™
- Duration:
- 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Copyright:
-
Apr 22, 2026
- Product Code:
- POS065728
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar
Description
Nature elements are rich in multi-sensory experiences that can be utilized to enhance nature connection, support regulation, and lower traumatic stress. This training will explore several ways that nature’s metaphorical elements such as clay, stones, flowers, feathers, and others can be utilized to address traumatic histories and enhance inner resilience within indoor, outdoor, and virtual settings and within individual child and family sessions. Participants will engage in an experiential activity called, “I know My Yeses and Noes” and will be able to demonstrate the 4-steps of intervention. A brief case study video will be reviewed to demonstrate the implementation of a Nature-based Sandtray. A Sample Nature-based Consent form will be reviewed.
Credit
Speaker
Janet Courtney, PhD, LCSW, RPT-S™ Related seminars and products
Janet A Courtney, PhD, LCSW, RPT-S™, is founder of FirstPlay Therapy®. She is a Registered Play Therapy-Supervisor, TEDx Speaker and past Chair of the Association for Play Therapy Ethics and Practice Committee and past President of the Florida Association for Play Therapy, FirstPlay Therapy was awarded third place overall in the Best Practices Showcase for FirstPlay Therapy at the First 1000 Days Infant Mental Health Summit (2018) along with the Children’s Healing Institute. She is author and editor of the following books: Infant Play Therapy: Foundations, Programs, Models and Practice, and Healing Child and Family Trauma through Expressive and Play Therapies: Art, Nature, Storytelling, Body & Mindfulness and Nature-based Play & Expressive Therapies: Interventions for Children, Teens and Families, and Touch in Child Counseling and Play Therapy: An Ethical and Clinical Guide. Her research in practitioner experiences of training in touch and Developmental Play Therapy is published in the American Journal of Art Therapy and the International Journal of Play Therapy. She is a contributing author in several books including Play-based Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders and the book Environmental Expressive Therapies (2017), and Play Therapy Supervision (2023). She is also published in the Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture. She offers a certification in FirstPlay Therapy® and provides training to professionals in the Ethical and Clinical Competencies of Touch, FirstPlay® Therapy, Ericksonian-based StoryPlay®, Expressive Therapies, and Nature-based Play Therapy. She has been invited to speak nationally and internationally including Bali, Indonesia, the Cayman Islands, England, Ireland, Morocco, Russia and the Ukraine. She is a provider through the Florida state boards of Mental Health and Massage Therapy, and an approved provider through the Association for Play Therapy. She specializes in infant mental health and infant play therapy, attachment, and Trauma related issues. Dr. Courtney’s new form of Kinesthetic Storytelling® can be found in her children’s book, The Magic Rainbow. Website: www.firstplaytherapy.com
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Janet Courtney is founder of FirstPlay™ Therapy. She is in private practice and has employment relationships with Barry University and Ellen Whiteside McDonnell School of Social Work. Dr. Courtney receives royalties as a published author and receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Janet Courtney is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, World Association for Infant Mental Health, and the International Association for the Study of Affective Touch.
Additional Info
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Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)
Access never expires for this product.
For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com.
Objectives
- Identify at least three (3) healing benefits of nature for children and families as supported by recent nature-based research.
- Participate in at least one (1) nature-based experiential activity and articulate the 4 steps of implementation within therapy sessions with children and families.
- Evaluate ethical considerations and potential limitations when integrating nature-based interventions, including use of consent forms and adapting strategies across settings.
Outline
Why Nature Heals
- Explore research-based benefits of nature for regulation and resilience
- Learn how natural elements reduce stress and foster connection
- Practical applications for indoor, outdoor, and even virtual settings
Build Your Nature-Based Toolkit
- Stones, clay, flowers, feathers, and more as therapeutic metaphors
- Adaptable tools for trauma-informed child and family sessions
- Creative pathways for addressing histories of stress and trauma
Experiential Activities in Action
- Engage in “I Know My Yeses and Noes” and learn the 4-step process
- Case study video: Nature-based Sandtray in practice
- Sample consent forms for safe and ethical integration
Transformative Outcomes
- Support children and families in building inner resilience
- Enhance self-awareness and boundary recognition through nature metaphors
- Integrate simple, powerful strategies into everyday practice
Target Audience
- Counselors
- Educators
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Occupational Therapist assistants
- Physicians
- Psychologists
- Physical Therapists
- Speech-language Pathologist
- Social Workers
Reviews
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