Dr. Judith D. Bertoia, Registered Psychologist, Registered Play Therapist - Supervisor

Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Grief
Today's children are often exposed to death in a dramatic manner through community events.
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Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Grief
Today's children are often exposed to death in a dramatic manner through community events. Eventually all children experience more typical losses within the family setting, frequently beginning with the death of a pet.

This lecture:

• explores issues related to childhood grief
• describes how children understand and react to death differently at different ages
• explains the many factors that influence these reactions
• suggests interventions for helping your child process this difficult challenge
• identifies some important personal tasks for the caring adult

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Arousal Mountain: Imagery for Managing Anger and Anxiety
The arousal cycle, experienced as anxiety (fear) and aggression (anger) are founded in the fight-or-flight response, a primitive pattern that was essential in helping the human species survive.
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Arousal Mountain: Imagery for Managing Anger and Anxiety
The arousal cycle, experienced as anxiety (fear) and aggression (anger) are founded in the fight-or-flight response, a primitive pattern that was essential in helping the human species survive. In our modern culture this cycle tends to be more chronic, often experienced as stress and frustration, and we no longer have built-in opportunities for easing the intensity of the feelings. This lecture explores how children's temperament and modern culture influence the dynamics of the arousal cycle. Techniques and strategies for helping your child cope with the emotional reactions are described.
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Telling Your Child About Separation and Divorce
Children have powerful reactions to the separation and divorce of their parents.
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Telling Your Child About Separation and Divorce
Children have powerful reactions to the separation and divorce of their parents. The details of how they learn about the divorce and the emotional impact of the news is often a vivid memory even years later. Although they are often masters at hiding their distress, children do experience a range of emotional and cognitive responses. Often they contain them internally until a more settled time in the family, or until they enter their own love relationships. This lecture offers suggestions for the most effective way to tell children about the change in family structure. Typical emotional and behavioral reactions, and common perceptions and concerns, are explained and strategies for helping your child deal with them are presented. (This lecture can also be offered as a single interactive session for one family.)
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Effective Co-Parenting
Following a separation and divorce, the best outcome for children occurs when the parents are able to maintain a cordial relationship.
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Effective Co-Parenting
Following a separation and divorce, the best outcome for children occurs when the parents are able to maintain a cordial relationship. Parents will always be parents and although it is not an easy task, there are guidelines for effective co-parenting when the family structure has changed. (This lecture can also be offered as a single interactive session for one family.)
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Introduction to Jungian Concepts
These two lecture series are designed to introduce Jungian psychology to interested people.
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Introduction to Jungian Concepts
These two lecture series are designed to introduce Jungian psychology to interested people. Jung's work covers a vast area of the social sciences as well as psychology, yet the content is often quite challenging to integrate. By the end of these two lecture series you will have a good working knowledge of the core concepts of Jungian psychology and theory and be able to experience your own symbolic life in a richer and more meaningful way.

Series I:

• Lecture 1: Structure of the Psyche
• Lecture 2: The Collective Unconscious and Archetypes
• Lecture 3: The Personal Unconscious and Complexes
• Lecture 4: Image, Symbol, and Synchronicity
• Lecture 5: PsycheSoma Continuum
• Lecture 6: Individuation

Series II

• Lecture 1: Anima and Animus
• Lecture 2: Wounded Healer, Transference, and Countertransference
• Lecture 3: Projection and Reclamation
• Lecture 4: Interpretation of Fairytales and Myth
• Lecture 5: Interpretation of Dreams, Drawings and Sandplay Images
• Lecture 6: Introduction to Alchemy

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Images of Healing and Spirituality (3 hour)
In recent centuries Western culture has come to perceive mind and body as separate domains and "healing" has come to mean primarily the recovery of the physical body.
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Images of Healing and Spirituality (3 hour)
In recent centuries Western culture has come to perceive mind and body as separate domains and "healing" has come to mean primarily the recovery of the physical body. The new health paradigm, however, recognizes the interrelationship of psyche and soma. We are a bodymind living in and mutually interconnected with a broader culture and environment. Healing both unifies and transcends psyche and soma. In its natural tendency towards healing, soul offers us relevant images. Through working with and coming to understand meaning within the image, we often experience these symbols as numinous gifts of ultimate healing.

This lecture will explore the healing effects of creating and appreciating the images offered to us. The ancient Greeks recognized the healing power of images received by patients during dream incubation rituals. 800 years ago, Christian mystic Hildegard of Bingen was frequently confined to her sickbed until she began to share her sacred illuminations, an action which brought renewed energy and literally got her out of bed. C.G. Jung described the pivotal role of archetypes, specifically their related emotions, in illness and healing. For Jung it is the Self – the ultimate archetype connecting us to a source greater than ourselves – that activates these meaningful images through the transcendent function. Candace Pert, a psychoneuroimmunologist, describes the mechanism of emotion – the neuropeptides and their receptors – in illness and healing. Different eras, different fields; yet the impact of emotions on health and the power of imaginal expression in healing has been long recognized.

This presentation traces the historical evolution of images in healing as well as the pattern of bodymind unity, separation, and the new paradigm which reunites psyche and soma. It will explore the impact of emotions on health and the power of imaginal expression on healing. The profound significance of spirituality and meaning-making is woven throughout this historical view and paradigm shift. Through lecture and slides, we will explore personal, collective, and spiritual significance and meaning of images and their role in restoring balance, health, and wholeness.

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The Healing Power of Image (1.5 hour)
In this lecture I explore the healing effects of creating and describing images offered to us by psyche.
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The Healing Power of Image (1.5 hour)
In this lecture I explore the healing effects of creating and describing images offered to us by psyche. The ancient Greeks recognized the healing power of images received by patients during dream incubation rituals. 800 years ago, Christian mystic Hildegard of Bingen related how often she was confined to her sickbed until she began to share her illuminations, an action which brought renewed energy and literally got her out of bed. C.G. Jung described the role of archetypes, specifically their related emotions, in illness and healing and Candace Pert, a neuroimmunologist, describes the mechanism of emotion - the neuropeptides and their receptors — in illness and healing. This lecture traces the role of imagery in health and emotional well-being.
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Five+ Favourite Play Therapy Techniques
This lecture explores techniques for managing challenging behavior, for stimulating fantasy play, and for terminating therapy.
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Five+ Favourite Play Therapy Techniques
This lecture explores techniques for managing challenging behavior, for stimulating fantasy play, and for terminating therapy. Some of the topics include the following:

• Hand-ling Problems — Playing with terms such as "getting a grip" on the problem, and deciding how the child can "hand-le the situation" a specific problem is discussed and a strategy for action is decided.
• Storyboard Problem Solving — With this simple technique, children use the cartoon storyboard format to envision the sequence of events needed to achieve the desired goal in a problematic situation.
• Woven Worlds — Lengths of fabric can become an amazing range of environments, creatures, topographical features, heavenly bodies, natural and man-made objects, and even people. They can transform a child into a king, dinosaur, diva, or even Big Bird.
• Arousal Mountain — The arousal cycle, activated as anxiety or anger, is explained in age-appropriate language, along with the inverse relationship between strong emotion and logical cognition. The child's unique version of this cycle is created in concrete, visual form, and then skills such as relaxation and stress management strategies are taught to assist the child with "going around the mountain."
• Saying Good-bye: A Recipe for Stone Soup and other rituals for concluding therapy

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Introduction to Play Therapy
This lecture provides an introduction to basic play therapy, both directive and nondirective.
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Introduction to Play Therapy
This lecture provides an introduction to basic play therapy, both directive and nondirective. It explores essential elements of the play room, the phases and stages of the play, the relationship between the therapist and client, and the essential therapist qualities. In the afternoon we compare and contrast a Jungian orientation to play therapy with client focused play therapy. Experiential activities help integrate the theory.
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The Heroic Journey in Psychotherapy, Play Therapy, and Sandplay
Used as a metaphor for difficult experiences in the client's life, the Heroic Journey becomes a map for the unfolding situation.
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The Heroic Journey in Psychotherapy, Play Therapy, and Sandplay
Used as a metaphor for difficult experiences in the client's life, the Heroic Journey becomes a map for the unfolding situation. It can be used as a model for adults and adolescents so they have a visual aide to conceptualizing their situation, progress and goals. The journey concept is also seen consistently in the play and sandplay of children and youth. When related to their situation, they are often quite enthralled to envision themselves as a hero on a journey, kindred to heroic figures in their favourite fairy tales or stories.
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Return to Wholeness: Psyche's Offerings to Heal the Mind-Body Split
Western culture has separated mind and body, and "healing" has come to mean primarily the recovery of the physical body.
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Return to Wholeness: Psyche's Offerings to Heal the Mind-Body Split
The new health paradigm recognizes the interrelationship of psyche and soma. We are a bodymind living and mutually interconnected with a broader culture and environment. Healing unifies and transcends psyche and soma. In its natural tendency to healing, soul offers an image and this become a visible symbol of ultimate healing. This experiential workshop examines the new paradigm of healing and the bodymind. Through lecture and creative activities, participants will explore the personal and collective significance of images and their role in restoring balance, health, and wholeness.
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Series I: Reading the Image
These workshops are intended to enrich the therapeutic skills of practitioners.
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Series I: Reading the Image
These workshops are intended to enrich the therapeutic skills of practitioners. Many of us incorporate work with drawings and other symbolic material into our play therapy or psychotherapy. This series of six 2.5 day workshops explores universal human experiences as they are expressed through images. Lecture and experiential activities demonstrate the symbolic content within drawings, dreams, writing, sandplay, and other expressive activities, as well as the less commonly recognized symbolic significance of physical symptoms in physiological and psychological illness. These workshops examine the importance of personal, idiosyncratic meanings for symbol and image, the traditional symbolic meaning and mythical significance of images, and the psyche/soma and conscious/unconscious relationships that inhabit our inner world. Being able to grasp these deeper implications increases our understanding of the emotions, behaviors, symptoms, and thoughts that psyche presents to us. Through this series we work to deepen our understanding of personal images and begin to integrate their significance into our lives.

Based on the depth psychological principles of Jung, Hillman, Woodman, Fordham, Campbell and others, this series of workshops explores the theoretical foundations of expressive therapies. Recent developments in neuroscience and attachment theory are woven into this depth psychological content. Each workshop will build upon and deepen participants’ understanding of previously presented material. Reading the Image I, the introductory workshop, is a prerequisite for the remaining five workshops, but may also be taken as an independent workshop.

• Introduction to Working with Symbolic Content
• House-Tree-Person and other Drawings
• Inner Landscape, External Reality: Sandplay, Guided Imagery, and Writing
• The Imaginal Spectrum
• Symbols of Loss, Reparation, and Healing
• Fairy Tale and Myth or Personal Narrative

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Series II: The Power of Myth for Everyday Living
Each title is an individual topic that can be adapted from an hour lecture to a full day workshop. They can be provided individually or as a series.
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Series II: The Power of Myth for Everyday Living

Each title is an individual topic that can be adapted from an hour lecture to a full day workshop. They can be provided individually or as a series. The work of Joseph Campbell whose was left to Pacifica Graduate Institute library, informs these workshops.

Each workshop focuses on a myth and or story which then becomes a vehicle for self-reflection and discussion. In addition to personal learning through individual work, group discussion and activities apply the material to family, community, or work teams.

• Introduction to Myth and Story for Daily Living
• Adventures on the Hero's Journey
• The Heroine's Tasks: Power and Relationship
• Mentoring and Sacrifice
• Medicine and Spirituality
• The Journey Inward
• Reaching for the Stars
• Relationships and Individuation
• Rejection, Perfection, and our Creative Fires
• Defiance, Punishment, Temptation and Hope
• Love, Loss, Retribution, Innocence, and Feminine Empowerment
• Following Your Destiny
• Following Your Own Destiny — Even When It Makes You Different from Your Peers
• Dipping in the Well: Encounters with the authentic Feminine

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