Play is a motivational force that drives healthy neurodevelopment and the dynamic interplay of sensorimotor, cognitive and social-emotional processing. Recent research associates a lack of differentiation between sensorimotor and memory brain networks with traumatic re-experiencing. This contributes to a growing body of evidence suggesting that sensorimotor or 'body-based' play therapy may be an effective approach for helping children process trauma.

Sensorimotor input directly influences a child’s arousal level and perceptual experience which are foundational for felt-safety, bodily awareness, and agency. While play therapy has long been a trauma-specific intervention for children, it often overlooks the contributions of sensorimotor engagement to the child's sense of safety, which may impede their capacity to stay present and connected. Sensorimotor interventions are garnering research support and clinical traction in working with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma. However, guidance on how to engage in clinical reasoning and reflection when implementing sensorimotor play-based approaches remains limited. 

In addition to the guided use of sensorimotor interventions, it is essential that clinicians are mindful of their own role in the therapeutic process when implementing individualized trauma-focused interventions. Attunement to their own physical, physiological and social-emotional responses allows clinicians to be present and connected, reducing the risk of retraumatization. This ability to reflect on one’s role in the therapeutic dyad is key in increasing a therapist’s confidence in the use of sensorimotor play-based interventions. 

This presentation focuses on PROOF (Professional reasoning and Reflection on Observation: an Organizational Framework) a framework that guides sensorimotor play-based interventions and clinicians’ embodied reflection. Through video-based case studies, participants will be guided through an in-depth reasoning process which considers the child’s individual differences and preferences across play, praxis (sensorimotor planning), posture, and social-emotional development. Additionally, it will guide clinicians in their own bodily self-reflection, facilitating full participation in co-regulated, co-created play-based interventions.