The Language of Monsters in Play & Therapy

Monsters appear across the lifespan as powerful symbolic representations of fear, shame, trauma, grief, anger, vulnerability, and the unknown. Whether they emerge in sand trays, expressive play, storytelling, art, or symbolic dialogue, these figures often communicate experiences that are difficult to express through words alone. Rather than viewing monsters as something to eliminate, play therapists can understand them as meaningful symbols of protection, survival, conflict, and transformation. This training explores how monster imagery can deepen assessment, strengthen the therapeutic relationship, and facilitate emotional processing through developmentally responsive play therapy interventions with children, adolescents, and adults.

Drawing from attachment theory, interpersonal neurobiology, trauma-informed care, developmental psychology, Jungian concepts, and play therapy principles, participants will learn to recognize recurring monster themes, respond ethically to symbolic material, and utilize experiential interventions that foster emotional regulation, resilience, self-awareness, and narrative integration across the lifespan.

Learning Objectives

• Identify common symbolic meanings of monsters in play therapy and explain how these figures may represent emotional experiences, attachment patterns, trauma responses, and identity across the lifespan.
• Explain how attachment, neurodevelopment, trauma, culture, and life experiences influence the emergence of monster symbolism in play therapy with children, adolescents, and adults.
• Demonstrate at least three play therapy interventions that utilize monster symbolism to facilitate emotional expression, symbolic exploration, resilience, and therapeutic integration.
• Apply developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive play therapy techniques to ethically explore monster symbolism while supporting emotional regulation, self-awareness, meaning-making, and healing with clients across the lifespan.

My Crossing Paths Training Center has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7253. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. My Crossing Paths Counseling Center is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
My Crossing Paths Training Center is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling. Provider # 50-37274.

My Crossing Paths Training Center, has been approved as an Association of Social Work Boards Approved Continuing Education (ACE) Provider. ACE provider approval number is 1877. Training that are ACE approved with be identified on the training material with correct CE credit and type.

My Crossing Paths Training Center has been approved by the Association for Play therapy, APT No. 23-705. Programs that do not qualify for APT credit are clearly identified.