Behind the Behavior: Using Creativity, Symbol & Role-Play to Unlock Emotional Regulation and Resilience

Presented by Diana Feldman, MA, LCAT, BCT | May 11, 2027 7PM EST

1 HOUR | LIVE ONLINE via ZOOM | INTERACTIVE | INTRODUCTORY LEVEL

Challenging behavior often communicates an underlying emotional need that has not yet found words. This experiential workshop introduces the ENACT Method, a trauma-informed, drama-based approach developed through more than three decades of clinical and educational practice. Participants will explore how early brain development and the effects of stress and trauma can influence emotional regulation, behavior, and learning, and how rhythm, music, movement, creativity, symbol, and metaphor can provide powerful pathways for engagement, expression, connection, and learning. Through the ENACT Method, participants will experience the use of symbol and metaphor, role-play, modeling, and rehearsal to safely explore difficult emotions and experiences, uncover what may lie behind behavior, and practice new and more adaptive responses.

Teachers, therapists, social workers, and other early childhood professionals working with young children will benefit from this webinar.

Objectives

1. Describe how early brain development and stress can influence emotional regulation, behavior, and learning.

2. Explain how rhythm, music, movement, play, and creativity can support engagement, regulation, connection, and learning.

3. Explain how symbol and metaphor can provide a safe, indirect pathway for exploring difficult emotions and experiences.

4. Identify emotional needs and patterns that may underlie challenging or dysregulation behavior.

5. Identify role-play, modeling, and rehearsal strategies to help participants explore alternative responses and practice more adaptive emotional and behavioral skills.

How to Obtain Your Certificate:

You MUST attend the webinar from start to finish
You MUST submit the evaluation form after the webinar (will be sent via email)

You will receive your certificate/credits within 48 hours after fulfilling the above requirements via email.

This Workshop Offers The Following CE Certificate/Credits

You will select your Certificate or Credit Type after the webinar (included on the Evaluation Form).

1.0 CTLE CONTACT HOURS

New York State Education Department, Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE)

Provider Code #23394

Approval Period: 3/29/22 - 3/29/2027

Young Child Learning is recognized by the New York State Education Department's Office of Teaching Initiatives as an approved sponsor of CTLE for Professional Classroom Teachers, School Leaders and Level III Teaching Assistants.

1.0 NYSED SW CONTACT HOURS

New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work (NYSED SW)

Provider Code #0365

Approval Period: 8/31/25 - 8/31/28

Young Child Learning is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers. Young Child Learning maintains responsibility for the program. Social work professionals should contact their regulatory board to confirm course approval for continuing education credits.

If none of these CE Certificates apply to you, no worries! You can register as a FREE Attendee, and get a FREE Certificate of Attendance upon attending the whole webinar, and completion of the evaluation form (sent after webinar)

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel within 30 days before the event, the registration fee is not refundable. However, you will receive a credit for the registration fee which can be applied to another Young Child Learning event within the following 12 months. The processing fee is non-refundable.

If Young Child Learning cancels an event for any reason, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee and any processing fees paid. Alternatively, registrants may choose to receive a credit for the full amount paid, which may be applied toward another Young Child Learning event within the following 12 months.

Speakers' Biography

Diana Feldman, MA, LCAT, BCT, is a licensed creative arts therapist, board-certified trainer, drama therapist, psychotherapist, educator, and creator of the ENACT Method. She founded ENACT, an award-winning nonprofit organization that brought trauma-informed, drama-based social and emotional learning programs to approximately 250,000 students, educators, and parents in New York City schools. Her work received support from the Ford Foundation and recognition from the American Group Psychotherapy Association. Feldman has more than 30 years of experience integrating drama therapy, psychotherapy, and experiential learning with children, adolescents, adults, clinicians, and educators. She is the author of Stuck in a Role: Releasing Trauma in Teens Through the ENACT Drama Therapy Method (Routledge, 2024). Through Dramasol LLC, she currently provides professional training, continuing education, consultation, and psychotherapy.

Host's Biography

Dr. Scott Mesh is the Director of Young Child Learning and the CEO and Co-Founder of Los Niños Services which serves 2,000 young children with special needs each year through homecare and center services. He is a Clinical Psychologist with over 25 years of experience working with young children and their families and is an expert on assessing young children for developmental disabilities and autism. He has helped thousands of parents over the years make the transition to gaining help for their children through early childhood special education services. He is a leader in early childhood development and working effectively with parents.

System Requirements

You can access this webinar from various devices and platforms, on both PC and Mac desktops/laptops, as well as Android and iOS mobile devices. Our system requirements for these follow below.

Minimum system requirements

Browser: The latest Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, or Opera for desktop/laptop
A broadband connection with a minimum speed of 5 Mbps

PC specific requirements

Platform: Windows 8.1 or higher with the latest updates installed
RAM: 4GB or more
Video: Graphics output capability
Sound: Sound output capability

Mac specific requirement

Platform: Mac OS X 10.12 or higher with the latest updates installed
RAM: 4GB or more
Video: Graphics output capability
Sound: Sound output capability

Mobile specific requirements

iOS 15.0 and above
Android 7.0 and above

Grievance Policy & Procedure

Young Child Learning will comply with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in promotional activities, program content and in the treatment of program participants.

The monitoring and assessment of compliance with these standards will be the responsibility of Young Child Learning. All grievances must be submitted in writing (via e-mail or mail) within 7 days after purchase of the webinar. Any supporting documents must be included with the submitted complaint.

For all grievances, contact information (name, phone number, and email) must be provided in the case that the Young Child Learning team may need clarification.

Submit complaints in writing to Young Child Learning, 505 8th Avenue, Floor 12A Room 02, New York, NY 10018 or via email at [email protected].

Special Accommodations or Requests

Individuals in need of special accommodations should contact the Admin, Cari Laroza at (212) 787-9700 ext. 3330 to make a request. Include name, contact info, webinar details, and accommodation needs. Our team will review requests and respond within 7-12 business days. Confidentiality is maintained. Compliance with ADA is assured.

Requests for special accommodations must be made prior to purchasing the webinar.

Individuals will be informed if the request can be accommodated. Once the individual confirms, the special accommodations will be secured. If the individual finds that they no longer need of the accommodations, they must inform the Admin.