The Therapeutic Potential of Anime in Play Therapy

About this Event

Animated media has long ruled the landscape of childhood, providing powerful models of strength and resiliency that have inspired generations of children. Anime, in particular, presents stories and characters that uniquely capture much of the struggle that bring children and families to play therapy. In this training, we will explore the therapeutic potential of anime, its stories, characters, and themes for use in play therapy and provide therapists with anime-inspired interventions they can bring back to the playroom today.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to define Play Therapy and identify the 10 seminal play therapy theories and historically relevant approaches that guide play therapy practice

2. Participants will differentiate between Play Therapy and Play-Based approaches in therapy.

3. Participants will define Anime and identify its relevance to the current play therapy landscape.

4. Participants will identify play therapy interventions that combine characters, themes, and/or narratives present in Anime that harness the therapeutic power of play for supporting the mental health and well-being of children, adolescents, adults, and/or families.

Course Instructor:

Rebecca O’Neill is a licensed clinical social worker/developmental therapist in private practice in Leesburg and Reston, Virginia. Rebecca is a passionate advocate for neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-based approaches to therapy with individuals, groups, and families. As a DIR/Floortime, certified Autplay Play Therapist, and certified therapeutic game master and geek therapist, Rebecca provides neurodivergent children and their families with effective, holistic, and accessible intervention that supports development while honoring individual differences, passions, and needs.

Rebecca holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Simmons University in Boston, Ma, and a Certificate in Early Intervention From Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. In addition to her clinical work, Rebecca provides extensive training to parents and professionals in autism and disability inclusion in education, developmental approaches to parenting and teaching, mindfulness, and child development. In her spare time, you can find Rebecca gaming, playing D&D with her family, reading, painting, or enjoying time with her kids and husband.

Disability Accommodations

It is the responsibility of the Individual to contact Geek Therapeutics to request disability accommodations at Hello@geektherapeutics.com.   

Geek Therapeutics is committed to helping each student reach his/her academic potential and to providing every student equal opportunity to participate in and engage with the course.  In keeping with this commitment, effort has been made to develop accessible learning materials that provide equal access.  Please contact Geek Therapeutics immediately if access to course materials is restricted due to a disability so the issue(s) can be resolved in a timely manner.

Continuing Education Credits:

Psychologists: Geek Therapeutics is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Geek Therapeutics maintains responsibility for this program and its content

Counselors: Geek Therapeutics has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7042. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Geek Therapeutics is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Social Workers: Geek Therapeutics, #1769, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Geek Therapeutics maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 05/19/2022 – 05/19/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 1 continuing education credits.

Play Therapists:  Geek Therapeutics has been approved by APT as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, No. 21-649. Programs that do not qualify for APT credit are clearly identified. Geek Therapeutics is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Other Professions: This activity qualifies for the specified number of hours of instructional content as required by many licensing boards and professional organizations. Save your course outline and certificate of completion, and contact your board or organization for specific requirements. Completion of the course(s) with a post-test score of 80% or better is required to receive continuing education credit; there is no partial credit.