Eligible for APT and NBCC credit only.

This workshop offers play therapy practices to address challenges associated with decreased levels of empathy and connectedness demonstrated by children. Using recent brain-based research, presenters will demonstrate methods to increase levels of empathy and self-regulation in children during the play therapy process.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the role of brain circuitry in level of empathy and self-regulation.
• List at least two methods to increase empathy in the playroom.
• List at least two methods to increase self-regulation in the playroom.
• List at least one method to assess children’s level of empathy.

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Skills and Methods
• Special Topics

Eligible for APT and NBCC credit only.

This workshop will cover many innovative techniques that the play therapist can utilize immediately. The therapeutic use of electronic media, social networking, creative art, music, and other experiential activities will be demonstrated. Special attention will be given to play therapy with the resistant adolescent.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify three phases in the development of communication
• Identify a primary need of adolescents
• Identify at least 10 play therapy techniques to use with adolescents
• Identify rationale for using process-based play therapy interventions
• Identify 3 methods to engage resistant adolescents in the play therapy setting

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics

Eligible for APT and NBCC credit only.

This workshop is for the play therapist that is new at using sandtray. The session will cover the six-step protocol including: materials; setting-up the room; session protocol and documentation. You will be introduced to several play therapy therapeutic uses of sandtray materials.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how to set-up the materials for a clinical space
• Describe the purpose of categories of miniatures and discuss issues regarding selection
• Identify two reasons to use sandtray with a client
• Discuss how to begin processing the sandtray creation with the client

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics

Eligible for APT and NBCC credit only.

Learn about the definition and practice of animal assisted play therapy, the selection, training and care of a play therapy animal, and how to incorporate a play therapy animal into work with play therapy clients in varied settings.

Learning Objectives:

• Define animal assisted play therapy
• Identify the characteristics of an animal suitable for play therapy work
• Identify at 3 least three animal assisted play therapy techniques to use with clients

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics

Eligible for APT and NBCC credit only.

This workshop explores play therapy interventions for treatment with sexual abuse victims who are undergoing family reunification. Clinical considerations for family reunification will be discussed and play therapy interventions for salient treatment and family system issues will be covered.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe 8 play therapy techniques for use with victims of sexual abuse who are preparing for & experiencing family reunification
• Identify three clinical considerations when working with families who are reunifying following childhood sexual abuse
• Discuss the importance of integrating best practice guidelines for treatment of childhood sexual abuse, standards of care for family reunification, & play therapy principles when working on sexual abuse cases involving family reunification.

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics

Eligible for APT and NBCC credit only.

This presentation will discuss how structured play therapy techniques can be used with teenagers who engage in self-mutilation. The participants will gain an understanding of the purpose of self-injurious behavior, as well as ways to address challenging family dynamics.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify 3 warning signs that a teenager may be engaging in self-mutilation
• Implement 3 structured play techniques that can be useful in establishing rapport with a resistant teenage client
• Identify and discuss 4 goals for self-mutilating acts
• Implement 1 play activity that can be used in family therapy to improve communication

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics

Eligible for APT and NBCC credit only.

Learn inventive play therapy techniques for struggling students. Explore engaging strategies to approach behavioral, social-emotional referrals and teacher / student tensions. Transform play therapy techniques to address individual, small groups and classroom needs from elementary to middle school.

Learning Objectives:

• Name specific play therapy techniques to address common behavioral concerns in a school setting including impulsivity, peer relationships and self-concept
• Identify challenges specific utilizing play therapy in the school setting and ways to address stakeholder concerns
• Promote and provide information on “why” to use play therapy in schools
• Gain experiential play therapy techniques for individuals & classrooms that address specific academic and behavioral concerns.

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics

Eligible for APT and NBCC credit only.

To maximize the effectiveness of play therapy clinicians need to be and feel competent at parental consultation. The focus will be an integration of family therapy, developmental psychology, and play therapy approaches when working collaboratively with caregivers in play therapy.

Learning Objectives:

• List three fundamental skills to master that support play therapy treatment
• Describe at least three key components of developmental psychology and family therapy that support play therapy practice and the recommendations we make to parents to support play therapy treatment goals
• Use at least three playfully oriented parenting strategies that are consistent with various play therapy approaches

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Skills and Methods
• Special Topics

Eligible for APT and NBCC credit only.

While Autism Spectrum Disorders are rising and usually diagnosed by early childhood, some young adults or even older adults are later identified with ASD. This workshop will address typical family experiences with ASD based on clinical interviews and play observations within the play therapy session.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify typical reactions of families when their loved ones first get diagnosed with ASD
• Confront the myth that adolescents or young adults outgrow their special challenges across multiple social environments
• List several typical challenges that families face with regard to their future family planning (education, jobs/career, independent living, financial.
• Identify play-based interventions that ASD families can and do engage in

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Special Topics

Eligible for APT and NBCC credit only.

This workshop will provide an integrated approach to the treatment of bullying through the lens of integrating play therapy theory and play therapy techniques. The use of computer-mediated therapy will be addressed as additional play therapy technique.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify at least 3 types of bullying experienced by children and teens
• Identify 3 assessment techniques that are play therapy based for Identifying bullying in teens and children
• Identify and utilize at least 3 multimodal play therapy interventions to address bullying in children and teens
• Recite three computer resources to utilize in computer mediated play therapy available to help empower children and teens against bullying

Play Therapy Primary Areas:

• Skills and Methods
• Special Topics