Developmental Underpinnings of the Expressive Therapies Continuum: Implications for Working with Children
January 12, 2025 / 9:15-10:15 AM Pacific Standard Time
Can children benefit from intellectually focused interventions in therapy?
Discover how the development of symbol relations impacts child clients
Learn how the structure of the Expressive Therapies Continuum supports intellectual information processing and how you can maximize this with clients who are too young to create a strong verbal self-narrative
Working with children sometimes makes you wonder about what you’re doing…
You work with children and wonder if this limits you to interventions that might be looked upon by other therapists as “unsophisticated”. Your use of words in sessions sometimes eclipses clients’ ability to comprehend what you mean, and this makes you wonder if being an adult serves as a barrier to their treatment.
You need a way to help child clients find meaning in their experiences
You know lots of therapists who don’t want to work with kids—they prefer loftier conversations with clients who engage in abstract thought, and they seldom inquire about your knowledge base and skill set. Between this lack of regard and the fact that the clients you serve don’t talk about the way they conceptualize their experiences, you’re often uncertain that what you’re doing is as effective as it could be. You’ve heard of the Expressive Therapies Continuum and wonder if the structure of this framework holds the key to supporting child clients as they make meaning of their lives.
I can help you understand how children engage in sophisticated mental activity and why nurturing this can be beneficial in therapy
I’m Megan, and I was trained by the co-creators of the Expressive Therapies Continuum—and I’ve worked with children in behavioral health, medical, and educational settings! I am happy to help you understand how the development of symbol relations, a large category of intellectual operations that are critical for comprehending and connecting ideas, fits into your work with child clients.
Far from the domain of “adults only”, intellectual activity can be fostered for therapeutic reasons in clients who are too young to develop a strong verbal self-narrative. Learning how to do this in conjunction with children’s physical and emotional strengths can help them make sense of their experiences.
You can support children in developing symbol relations and the ability to make sense of their lives!
Are you ready to re-examine prevailing assumptions about children and their intellectual limitations in therapy? Join me for a one-hour webinar that will leave you with confidence in your ability to help the young clients you serve and ideas for strengthening the good work you’re already doing.
Investment: $20.00 USD
Learning Objectives: Attendees will be able to
name two cognitive theorists and two developmental theorists whose ideas informed the structure of the Expressive Therapies Continuum.
define symbol relations and their role in helping clients comprehend and connect concepts.
describe the role of the Cognitive/Symbolic level of the Expressive Therapies Continuum in developmentally integrative treatment for children.
CECs/CEUs: 1.0 hour (Note: at this time continuing education credits for presentations offered through Megan VanMeter PLLC are only available for individuals who hold a marriage & family therapy, professional counseling, or social work license through the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. Please see the “Continuing Education” section below for more information.)
Do you find yourself wondering how to help child clients make meaning out of their experiences?
Hope to see you there!
More information about the webinar
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Megan VanMeter
LPC (AZ), LMHC (IN), LPC-AT/S (TX), ATR-BCMegan is licensed by the counseling boards in the U.S. states of Arizona, Indiana, and Texas, and she also holds board-certification status through the Art Therapy Credentials Board. She has worked as an art therapist in behavioral health, correctional, educational, medical, and social services settings and now draws upon these experiences in her online private practice. Megan earned her master’s degree in art therapy with a specialization in grief and medical counseling from the University of Louisville, where she studied under Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) co-creators, Drs. Vija Lusebrink and Sandra (Kagin) Graves-Alcorn. These art therapy pioneers trained her in their ahead-of-its-time, nervous system-oriented, outcome-informed framework as a basis for assessment, treatment planning, intervention, progress monitoring, and case conceptualization.
She has served on professional boards and committees at local, regional, and national levels within the U.S. A scholar at heart, Megan enjoys doing research, giving presentations, and writing about the Expressive Therapies Continuum. She is hopeful that a new generation of art and expressive therapists will have the opportunity to learn the ETC via methods similar to the ones her professors used. Megan is cultivating a community of ETC enthusiasts and provides ETC supervision and webinars to help others develop appreciation for both the basics and the nuances of this important framework. See https://www.meganvanmeter.com/for-expressive-therapists for more information.
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Cancelation requests must be made in writing and sent to admin@meganvanmeter.com. The date stamp on the message will be used for determining the date the cancelation was requested.
A full refund (100%) will be made for cancellation requests received at least 10 days in advance of an event.
A partial refund (50%) will be made for cancelations requests received 5-9 days in advance of an event.
Sorry, no refund (0%) will be made for cancellation requests received 0-4 days before an event.
Cancelation requests received:
10+ days in advance = 100% refund
5-9 days in advance = 50% refund
0-4 days in advance = 0% refund
Technology-related refunds: please see the Terms & Conditions.
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At this time continuing education credits for presentations offered through Megan VanMeter PLLC are only available for individuals who hold a marriage & family therapy, professional counseling, or social work license through the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. An application will be made for continuing ed provider status through a national (U.S.) entity, and this entails the submission of materials from previously run educational sessions to prove that Megan VanMeter PLLC is familiar with the organization's requirements.
The current webinar being offered will serve this purpose. In the meantime it is hoped that you will see the value in these Expressive Therapies Continuum educational sessions.
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It is your responsibility to ensure that you are using the technology and equipment that best facilitate your online learning experience. Megan VanMeter PLLC does not assume liability for lagging technology/equipment used by any attendee. Refunds will only be made available if technology and equipment failures on Megan VanMeter PLLC’s end contribute to difficulties with the presentation.
Please note that Megan VanMeter PLLC does not assume liability for misapplication or misuse of the content and information covered in this presentation. This presentation is being provided for informational purposes only; your attendance does not constitute a formal agreement or arrangement for treatment, training, or any other purpose.
References for the presentation will be provided. Per good professional boundaries, do not photograph, capture screenshots of, video record, audio record, livestream, or publish online this presentation or any portion of it. This presentation is under copyright protection. Your attendance does not constitute the right to take copyrighted material and store, modify, or distribute it in any way.