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If the only tool you have is a hammer,
you tend to see every problem as a nail.
Abraham Maslow referred to this over-reliance on one tool as the "law of instrument"
When I first started learning how to work with children, the only tool I had was Child-Centered Play Therapy. Luckily, this is a pretty awesome tool to have. Some child-centered purists might argue that it is the only tool you really need.
For me, it worked really well for a really long time. Honestly, it's still where my head and heart go first.
But, as I got more interested in play therapy, I started to learn that there were other "tools" that were also effective and useful ways to help children.
That's one of the main reasons why I developed the first Play Therapy Summit in 2017. Once I noticed just how many tools there were, I wanted to learn how to use them all.
And that's why I started talking to everyone: I learned about Synergetic Play Therapy from Lisa Dion, and FirstPlay Therapy from Dr. Janet Courtney, and AutPlay from Dr. Robert Jason Grant. I learned about the Nurtured Heart Approach from Tammi Van Hollander, Digital Play Therapy from Dr. Jessica Stone, TraumaPlay from Paris Goodyear-Brown, and using EMDR and play therapy from Jackie Flynn.
Over a period of years, my play therapy toolbox was overflowing with theories and models and techniques and interventions.
But for a while, I think I was actually LESS effective with all of these tools than I was when I only had the one - Child Centered Play Therapy.
WHY?
Because the way I was choosing the tools was too haphazard.
If I felt stuck, if Child Centered Play Therapy didn't seem to be working or if I was bored, I might try a new tool.
I learned this intervention from someone and they said it worked, so I tried it.
And sometimes it worked. :)
But sometimes, it didn't. :(
I see now that it was because pulling a "tool" out of a toolbox without considering WHY you need that particular tool is ineffective (and also, just not a good practice).
And that's what I love about this new Play Therapy Retreat that Dr. Jessica Stone, Clair Mellenthin and Dr. Robert Jason Grant are planning in Park City, Utah.
Between the three of them, they probably have over a thousand play therapy tools in their respective toolboxes.
They've written about them in books and articles and talked about them in podcasts and summits.
But they also each understand the many play therapy theories at a very deep level.
They know WHY they are choosing one tool over another.
And that's what they're planning to teach you for 2.5 glorious days in the mountains of Park City, Utah August 3-5.
If you are new to play therapy, this is the training that I wish I had when I was first starting out. If you've been around for a while but you're feeling a little burned out - this is the training that will re-ignite your love of this work.
And if you're not a play therapist, you can still think about Maslow's "law of instrument" in this way:
What are you doing because it's the only way you've been taught? Or because it's the easiest way?
Where can you stretch, expand, or push the limits to see if there are other tools that might be helpful?
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Do you have a favorite tool?
Is there something that you use all the time out of habit?
Write a thank you note to this useful tool.
Let this tool know that you are going exploring for a little while but that you will be back for it.
Now, consider what else is out there. If you're not sure, take a tip from Jane McGonigal, author of an amazing book called Imaginable and google
"the future of______"
What new tools are out there that you haven't considered?
Imagine what it would be like to add this new tool or skill to your toolbox?
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