Freedom through Psychotherapy, LLC - Puppet Therapy Institute

"The experience of puppet therapy with adults has successfully provided a means to disarm client's resistance in a quick and easy fashion. There seems to be regression in the service of the ego, which facilitates adult play. The experience of puppet therapy with children flows naturally from the ability of the child to play and to transfer his/her own world onto the puppet, providing deep insight and meaning to the healing work. The client's healing is literally at the counselor's fingertips."

-- Dr. Joanne Vizzini

Puppet Therapy Institute

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Client, Clinicians, & School Children Reactions: Puppets

Discarding Defenses

Yoga Therapeutics Presentation

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View the Being Mean isn't Cool Puppet Session at Elmer Wolfe Elementary

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Puppet Therapy Institute

In 2007, Dr. Vizzini began the Puppet Therapy Institute where she offers training workshops; a three hour "Tools for Healing the Heart that Hurts" and a longer, nine hour "More Tools for Healing the Heart that Hurts: Intensive" for professionals and students whose focus is on counseling. Dr Vizzini currently is approved to offer CE's through Maryland Board of Social Work (2007 to present). She has offered other CE's in the past and will research your discipline and particular need upon request for future workshops.

Dr. Vizzini formerly provided puppet therapy for 10 years at the Cathedral House Re-Entry Program in Baltimore, MD and she provided monthly puppet therapy at Breakthrough Healthy Living Workshops, a 5-day residential program. Over the past eight years, her workshops involving puppets and puppet therapy include presentations at the American Counseling Association International Conference 2000 and 2001; the American Psychological Association's 2003 and 2006 Division 36 Conference; the 2006 Counseling Across Culture's Conference "Drugs In Our Culture," Hartford County, and the upcoming Separated, Widowed and Divorced Conference, 2008, Columbia, MD.Presentations for children and their families include, an evening session regarding bullying at Pretty Boy Elementary School, 2006; and, "Courage Kids," an introductory session for children and their families who have experienced grief and loss due to divorce, death or separation, Eldersburg, MD, 2008, 2010. Her more current weekend retreats using puppets include the Woman's Serenity Retreat at the Trinitarian Retreat Center, in Baltimore, MD, in the spring of 2006 and 2007, as well as serving as retreat leader at the 32nd Annual AA /Al-Anon Women's Spiritual Retreat, January 4-6, 2008 at the Washington Retreat House in DC, and being the opening speaker for New Windsor Twelve Step retreat, January 12, 2008. She has presented puppet therapy in churches, such as St. John Alpha and Omega Church, Baltimore, MD, 2005; as well as Called and Chosen Ministries, Baltimore, MD, 2006, 2007, Gospel Tabernacle Baptist Church, 2008, 2009.