Dr. Joyce Mills provides children, adolescents, and families who have experienced abuse, adversity and trauma with the therapeutic steppingstones for rediscovering joy, empowerment, and the inspiration to soar.

StoryPlay® Training

Philosophies and Essential Elements
Play – The language of children
Brain development and Play
Stories – The connectors of human experience
Play as therapy
Ericksonian Play Therapy
StoryPlay® a new indirective model

Therapeutic Metaphors for Children and the Child Within: Play is the language of children, and creativity is the language of play. Weaving her own creative approaches to healing with the principals of Ericksonian Hypnotherapy, Play Therapy, Native American, Hawaiian, and other transcultural teaching, Dr. Mills teaches participants to create and utilize Storytelling, Artistic, StoryCrafts, and Living Metaphors to effect transformational change for children, adolescents, families and communities with whom they work.

Relaxation and Meditation Exercises: The Magic Happy Breath:; the Mini-mind Vacation; Hawaiian Breathing Chant; Heartsong Meditation.

Hypnotherapeutic Approaches using visualization, artistic metaphors, and music that will help children and adolescents dissociate from physical or emotional trauma, fear, or pain with the intention of reconnecting them to their inner resources, abilities, and sense of self-appreciation.

Natural Ecology: How to recognize and utilize the elements of our seasons, rocks, shells, trees, leaves, etc. as co-therapists and co-teachers in the quest for positive change and healing.

Two Paradigms for Transformational Healing – 1) The Braiding Process 2) Therapeutic Metamorphosis: a four-stage transformational model of healing, empowerment, and change.

Therapeutic Rituals: How to help children and families create their own for a variety of purposes; i.e.,rites of passage, healing from loss, pain, abuse, as well as celebrate positive accomplishments.

StoryCrafts – Natural Healing Activities: specific interactive approaches for helping children, families, and communities heal from trauma, depression and enhance self esteem.

Case consultation, mentoring, and supervision will focus on the application of play therapy, metaphors, and hypnosis in a variety of settings to include: playroom, private practice, groups, classroom, hospital, home.

Workshop fee includes all materials as well as a complementary training manual.