What is Play Therapy?: An Interview with Ofra Obejas, LCSW

What is Play Therapy?: An Interview with Ofra Obejas, LCSW
Curt and Katie interview Ofra Obejas, LCSW, RPT-S, about working with children in therapy. We look at what therapists often get wrong, important factors to understand, specialized training required (including play therapy), and what you actually do in therapy session with children. 
Transcripts for this episode will be available at mtsgpodcast.com!
An Interview with Ofra Obejas, LCSW, Registered Play Therapist - Supervisor
Ofra Obejas, Registered Play Therapist - Supervisor level, is a professional player. She works with elementary- to middle-school aged children. She’s been called by some of her clients a “kid grownup.” (That’s her rapper name.) She’s taught at the University of San Diego Play Therapy program and presents webinars and courses on clinical topics related to children’s issues.
In this podcast episode, we talk about Play Therapy
We reached out to our friend, Ofra Obejas to talk with us about how to work with kiddos and what additional training is needed to work effectively with children.
What do therapists get wrong when working with children?

Treating children like mini-adults

Not understanding the skill involved in play therapy

What are important factors for therapists to understand when working with children?

Children have a different culture (i.e., the tooth fairy is real)

The therapist’s role as translator for what children are saying

Children will make you feel what they feel (e.g., powerlessness, never getting anything right)

The importance of showing feelings to children as a therapist (versus remaining a blank slate)

What do you do with children in therapy sessions?

Psychodrama and re-enacting situations

Therapists can use any theoretical orientation

Ways to interact with the child

Paying attention to transference and countertransference

Case conceptualization, including family therapy and work with parents

What specialized training is most effective for working with children?

There are specialized protocols for working with children with many different orientations

Identifying which orientation suits you

How to understand what is being reenacted and how to respond: Notice it, sit with it, make meaning of it; Observe it, name it, model how to cope with it

What boundaries should therapists set when working with children and families?

Unit of treatment (family, individual, who was showing up to the session?)

Treatment goals (what are we working on?)

What children are allowed to do in the session

Interactions with caregivers and the responsibilities caregivers have during sessions

What does online therapy look like with children?

The challenges with working with children online

Online sand tray, online dollhouse, online puppet theater

Creating a virtual play room

New trainings for VR therapy for children

Watching children play video games online

How has the pandemic impacted children?

This was dependent on how well parents were able to self-regulate and stay within the window of tolerance (was there someone who could help the child to regulate)

Lack of socialization and difficulty in having conversations


Resources for Modern Therapists mentioned in this Podcast Episode:
We’ve pulled together resources mentioned in this episode and put together some handy-dandy links. Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, so if you purchase after clicking below, we may get a little bit of cash in our pockets. We thank you in advance! Ofra Obejas’ website: redondovillagecounseling.com
Ofra on YouTube
UCSD - Play Therapy Program