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Mid-Atlantic Play Therapy Training Virtual Institute: 2021
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  • Abstracts, times, faculty profiles, and CE credit information for all sessions can be found in the descriptions below.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS

  • Most sessions are eligible for NASW, NBCC and/or ATCB credits. Most of the Play Therapy sessions also qualify for APT credits. To be certain, always refer to the list of "eligible credits" located below each session description in the daily schedule.

    For details regarding Continuing Education Credits and Clock Hours CLICK HERE



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    • Thursday, 06/03/21
    •  

      Thursday Morning Plenary

      Plenary Presentations: The Art & Heart of Play Therapy
      June 3, 10am - 1pm
      The Art of the Clinical Relationship in Play Therapy: Touching What is Untouchable in a Child

      Garry L. Landreth, EdD, RPT-S

      Trained play therapists meet their young clients with an attitude of expectancy and openness to hear what the child is experiencing. During the play therapy process, children come to trust the play therapist, which leads to them sharing themselves more fully over time. The seasoned play therapist bears witness to what children fear may not be seen or understood. They also hear what children may not be able to articulate verbally or through action. The play therapist welcomes the exploratory process without anxiety about not knowing, without needing to know, and accepting that the child’s potential already exists and is being activated in the context of this therapeutic relationship. In this keynote presentation, Dr. Landreth will share his insights into the process of being with child clients and therapeutic qualities of the play therapist that make a critical difference in play therapy.
       

      The Heart and Wisdom of Play Therapy

      Garry Landreth, EdD, LPC, RPT-S
      John Lilly, MS, LCSW, RPT-S
      David Crenshaw, PhD, ABPP, RPT-S
      Eliana Gil, PhD, ATR, RPT-S

      This 90-minute plenary panel is comprised of four senior play therapists who will discuss salient topics relevant to the daily practice of play therapy. In particular, each panel member will speak to the relational aspect of play therapy, curative factors, as well as Person-of-the-Therapist issues that face all play therapists. One unique aspect of this presentation is that play therapists and other audience members will be able to hear the panel members—all of whom have practiced play therapy for decades—discuss these critical issues among themselves following each other's presentation. Featured twice previously at the annual Association for Play Therapy conference, this panel has been recognized as valuable, and described as inspirational, by both novice and experienced play therapy practitioners alike.

      Eligible for 3 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**

      **Please Note: This plenary session is eligible for APT NON-CONTACT hours only**

      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Thursday Afternoon Supervision

      Play Therapy Group Supervision with Eliana Gil
      June 3, 3pm - 5pm
      Eliana Gil, PhD, ATR, RPT-S, LMFT

      This 2-hour afternoon session will provide play therapists with contact hours in group supervision that can be applied towards an RPT credential. To structure our time, we invite interested pre-registrants to apply for the opportunity to present a case that features a consultation question specific to the application of play therapy with child or family clients. (Note: Presenting a case is not required. This opportunity is completely voluntary.) Case presenters may present a videotaped session if they wish (signed consent forms required) or artwork, images of sand trays, or other play therapy work on a flash drive. After they present a concise consultation question, the group supervisor and session participants will engage in focused discussion and feedback designed to advance treatment goals. Countertransference issues will be highlighted and participants will be encouraged to “think play.”

      If you are interested in presenting, please contact Dr. Gil at elianagil@me.com as soon as you register.

      Eligible for 2.0 Credit/Clock Hours: APA, MFT; SWNYS, NY-LMHC
      Eligible for 2.0 group supervision hours for RPT candidates
      This session not eligible for NBCC credits. Also not eligible for APT continuing education credits.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Thursday Afternoon Workshops

      Adlerian Play Therapy with African American Children: Disrupting the Preschool to Prison Pipeline
      June 3, 3pm - 5pm
      April D. Duncan, MSW, LCSW, RPT

      Research has shown that African American children are subjected to harsher discipline in schools that are also connected to the “School to Prison Pipeline.” This 2-hour afternoon session provides solutions to people of all levels including school officials, mental health professionals, researchers, and even family members on ways they can use play therapy to help disrupt the Preschool to Prison Pipeline. Mental health professionals are given techniques to engage African American clients and their families in play therapy to help empower them to advocate for themselves while also healing from any traumas, including familial and community violence. Techniques such as meditation rooms, dance parties and other play-based interventions will be explored in their use with this population. Attendees will learn how to engage African American children and their families in play therapy, as a way to address and reduce suspension and expulsion rates in this community.

      Eligible for 2 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Countertransference in Play Therapy: It's Not You, It's We
      June 3, 3pm - 5pm
      Lisa Larrabee, LCSW, RPT-S

      Countertransference, or the therapist's emotional responses to the client, can be particularly powerful in play therapy with children. This 2-hour afternoon workshop will explore the factors inherent in play therapy with children that can elicit strong countertransference reactions in our daily clinical work. Participants will discuss practical tools and techniques to identify and process these reactions to enhance our work as clinicians. The workshop will consist of a review of research, interactive discussion, and an expressive arts activity. Please come with specific clients in mind: we will complete and process an experiential activity to raise insight about our clients. This session will be especially useful to new and intermediate-level practitioners who work with children.

      Eligible for 2 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Targeting ADHD in the Playroom
      June 3, 3pm - 5pm
      Carmen Jimenez-Pride, LCSW, RCYT, RYT, RPTS

      Children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often present with challenges in home, school, community, and therapy settings. This 2-hour afternoon workshop offers strategies for play therapists and other counselors to target inattentive or hyperactive symptoms with creative play therapy interventions. It offers didactic and experiential elements to focus on enhancing our work as play therapists. Participants will explore diagnoses of ADHD, trauma, and multicultural concerns in diagnosing children, as well as increasing their play therapy toolbox with specific play interventions for use with child clients diagnosed with ADHD or displaying ADHD symptoms. Generalists and specialists alike will leave with a deeper understanding of ADHD and how the key therapeutic powers of play have a prominent role in treatment of these clients who typically do not respond to traditional approaches.

      Eligible for 2 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Thursday Evening Supervision

      Advanced Group Supervision on Sand Therapy Integrated with Play Therapy
      June 3, 6pm - 9pm
      Eliana Gil, PhD, ATR, RPT-S
      Roz Heiko, PhD, RPT-S, ISST

      More and more play therapists have integrated the practice of sand therapy into their work with child clients and their families. This 3-hour evening supervision is designed for those play therapists and sand therapists already using sand therapy in their practices who wish to have specific clinical questions addressed by two experienced play and sand therapy professionals. Two participants will be chosen to present cases on a first-come, first-serve basis. Play therapists and other participants are requested to bring sand therapy slides to be addressed during the session. The speakers will address specific questions and include comments on the integrative aspect of using sand and play therapies in parallel fashion.

      Eligible for 3.0 Credit/Clock Hours: APA, MFT; SWNYS, NY-LMHC
      Eligible for 3.0 group supervision hours for RPT candidates
      This session not eligible for NBCC credits. Also not eligible for APT credits.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Thursday Evening Workshops

      Clinical Stressbusting: Using Your Pen With Your Brain In Mind
      June 3, 7pm - 9pm
      Deborah Ross, LPC, CJT

      Experiencing modern life anxieties? Let's pause, take a breath, and bust some stress! In this 2-hour evening workshop, play therapists and other mental health professionals will be given a template for a one-hour journal group on "stressbusting" through writing. They will be expertly guided through the experience of creating a new relationship with stress through short, structured, sequenced "writes," informed by research that comes from the neuroscience world. We'll talk about ways you can use this ready-made template with child and adolescent clients and groups in play therapy as well as other forms of counseling and treatment. You'll leave the workshop with a simple yet powerful tool to share with your clients, students, or group members. And you'll have a valuable new method for your own stress busting!

      Eligible for 2 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Construction Play & Storytelling for Children in Play Therapy
      June 3, 7pm - 9pm
      Leslie Baker, MFT, NCC, RPT-S

      When a shoebox can be a hero and a cardboard tube can be a periscope, the therapeutic potential of random recyclable household materials in a play therapy session is almost endless. This 2-hour evening workshop will introduce play therapists and others to the concept of construction play, and explore why it’s an important (and thrifty) approach for enhancing clinical work. Incorporating storytelling with this process can heighten therapeutic efficacy with kids in play therapy sessions both in the office as well as in virtual sessions. Parents love it, too! Construction play with storytelling can be integrated into just about any model of treatment, but is especially effective with the expressive arts and play therapies. Play therapists and their colleagues will learn through theory and hands-on participation how to facilitate interventions with recycled household materials. They will discover how to help their young clients to grow through play, and transform their pandemic worries—and all manner of related anxieties and challenges—in the process. All are welcome.

      Eligible for 2 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Integrating Music, Movement & Reflective Practice into Play Therapy
      June 3, 7pm - 9pm
      Susan Taylor, CMA, LCSW-C, RPT-S
      Carole Norris-Shortle, RPT-S, LCSW-C, LCMFT
      Kimberly Cosgrove, LCSW-C

      This highly interactive 2-hour evening session will offer play therapists and other mental health professionals opportunities to study, experience, and create mindful musical and movement play in clinical work. These forms of play therapy are used in promoting self-regulation, co-regulation, and engagement for use with individuals and groups of all ages in treatment. Based on the presenters’ more than 20 years of experience creating an attachment-based, trauma-informed play therapy model serving homeless babies and their parents, participants will investigate multiple uses of music and movement as stand-alone play therapy sessions and as infused into any therapeutic encounter. Reflective practice is an essential aspect of this intervention approach. Mindful body awareness promotes the curiosity and self-awareness that facilitates reflective process and enhances clinical growth. Please join us in this joyful and reflective exploration of self-awareness and learning for our clients and ourselves!

      Eligible for 2 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
    • Friday, 06/04/21
    •  

      Friday & Saturday Intensive

      Integrating EMDR & Play Therapy: Intensive Training - Day 1
      June 4, 9am - 1pm
      Ann Beckley-Forest, LCSW, RPT-S
      Annie Monaco, LCSW-R, RPT

      Play therapists sometimes find it challenging to integrate EMDR into their current work and are often looking for ways to deliver the 8 Phase EMDR protocol in a developmentally sensitive way. Children of all ages need to process their experiences of trauma and adversity to maximize their healing. Therefore, this two-day intensive workshop offers both generalist and specialist clinicians methods of merging EMDR into the play therapy setting for young children and introduces playful approaches for older children and adolescents. Day 1 of this training will help clinicians integrate EMDR into the play therapy setting for young children and understand how to provide a play therapy environment which includes all the phases of EMDR — including how to allow for the emergence of post-traumatic play, using both a trauma-informed approach to Child Centered Play Therapy as well as prescriptive play activities that help the child to regulate, soothe, and increase their internal resources. We will explore examples of how to bridge between the metaphor of the child's play and our assessment of attachment wounds and traumatic memory targets for EMDR. Play therapists and other participants will be able to explore the use of full body play to accomplish therapeutic goals and view video clips of play therapy sessions that include the integration of EMDR elements with the core therapeutic powers of play. Prior completion of basic EMDR training, and enrollment in both days of this two-day intensive, are required.

      Eligible for 4 EMDRIA CE Hours

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Friday Master Class

      Beat the Odds®: Social-Emotional Skill Building Through Drumming in Play Therapy
      June 4, 11am - 6pm
      Ping Ho, MA, MPH

      Beat the Odds® is a trauma-informed program that integrates the power of contemporary drum circles with play therapy and group counseling to build core strengths such as focusing and listening, team building, positive risk taking, self-esteem, awareness of others, leadership, expressing feelings, managing anger/stress, empathy and gratitude. UCLA research has shown that drumming within the context of play therapy and mental health counseling can reduce a spectrum of behavior problems in children, such as those related to withdrawn/depression, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, attention deficit/hyperactivity, oppositional defiance, and sluggish cognitive tempo (all common presenting problems in play therapy). In addition to play therapy and counseling, this program has been shown to be particularly effective with children in special education classrooms. Beat the Odds® emphasizes process and not performance. It includes familiar therapeutic strategies such as positive affirmations, emotional coping strategies, and guided interaction with rhythmic activities serving as a metaphor for life, followed by reflection and dialogue—without the stigma of of being in counseling or therapy. The scripted curriculum, well suited to the skill sets of play therapists, enables sustainable delivery and does not require musical experience on the part of facilitators or children. This inclusive and culturally relevant program accommodates diverse abilities as well as family participation. The training will also offer guidelines on adapting the curriculum to both younger and older groups of children in play therapy settings.

      Eligible for 6 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Friday Morning Master Classes

      Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) with Toddlers
      June 4, 9am - 1pm
      Maggie Parker, LPC
      Courtney Glickman, MA, LPC

      Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) is an evidence-based treatment model using parents as the therapeutic agent for change. In CPRT, parents are taught specific skills grounded in the principles and procedures of CCPT that focus on establishing or enhancing a secure attachment with their child, thus helping them become more attuned and responsive to their child's underlying needs. Parents also learn to communicate more effectively with their children and set limits on their child's behaviors, while demonstrating empathy and respect. Originally, CPRT was developed for children ages 3- 8, but it has since been adapted for use with toddlers. This 4-hour master class will explore the theoretical underpinnings and neurological support for the adaption of CPRT for parents of toddlers. This session will contain an overview of the toddler-specific adaptation to the CPRT protocol, identification of potential clients, and multicultural contexts of CPRT. Particularly appropriate for play therapists and counselors working with families with children under 3 years old, this didactic and experiential session will include case material, discussion, and ample time to practice skills. Play therapists and other participants will do best to have a prior understanding of Child Parent Relationship Therapy for this session to be most impactful, as the presenters will not provide a detailed overview of the original treatment format.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      How Play Therapy Enhances Resilience in Grieving & Traumatized Children
      June 4, 9am - 1pm
      Jodie Mullen, PhD, LMHC, RPT-S

       Verbal-based treatment approaches often limit the expressive and healing potential of therapeutic work with young survivors of trauma. Using play and play therapy techniques can build upon the capacity for resiliency that already exists within these clients, often untapped. In this 4-hour master class, we'll discuss how to recognize the various indicators of post-traumatic play and how play therapists and other professional helpers can establish a more effective therapeutic connection with these hurting and often difficult-to-reach clients. We'll review the typical challenges faced by play therapists, child therapists, and others when working with this population, and engage in experiential activities to illustrate and demonstrate creative ways to incorporate play therapy and the expressive arts to help support and encourage healing and resiliency. When these approaches are thoughtfully incorporated in the clinical work of any competent helping professional, traumatized children can evolve from survivors into thrivers. Some of the approaches we'll engage in include using narrative and sand tray approaches for working on issues of self-acceptance and grieving. Participants will be invited to recall particularly challenging child clients to consider how these play-based approaches might have shifted the dynamics of treatment in those cases.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Theraplay® for Enhanced Attunement and Co-Regulation: Treatment Planning & Sensory Needs
      June 4, 9am - 1pm
      Mandy Jones, LCSW, RPT, JD

      In this master class, we take a focused look at the process of planning Theraplay® treatment. This 4-hour session begins by translating the presenting problems gleaned from the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) play therapy assessment into treatment goals relative to the four dimensions of Theraplay. Participants will learn how to connect behaviors to sensory needs for application in play therapy sessions. Special attention will be given to examining the eight senses and the role they play in a child’s regulation needs. We’ll then consider a child’s unique sensory and regulation profile in creating a series of play therapy sessions for a demonstration case. It is important for play therapists and other working with Theraplay to understand the phases of treatment and how to work through resistance using play therapy interactions. Participants completing this master class will understand the theory and practice of how to work through a Theraplay play therapy case from beginning to end and apply it to their daily clinical work.


      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Toward a Growth Mindset: Integrating Play with Action Methods and Writing for Kids & Teens
      June 4, 9am - 1pm
      Nancy Scherlong, LCSW, PTR, M/S

      Play therapists can benefit from learning some creative approaches that encourage children and teens to change unproductive thought patterns. Learning how to teach young clients in play therapy to embrace a growth mindset—a concept pioneered by psychologist Carol Dweck—can be very effective, especially when integrated with approaches from the expressive arts therapies. Positive psychology and neuroscience allow play therapists and other clinicians to view challenges as opportunities; practice and perseverance become pathways to creative decision making and new outcomes. In this way, the clinical focus remains on process rather than product, effort more than results, and failure becomes an aspect of success—all with a playful attitude toward trying new things! Play therapists and other participants in this highly engaging 4-hour master class will experience how poetry, metaphor, and story can be integrated with play therapy approaches to transform a fixed mindset. They will also discover how doubling, mirroring, and "sculpture in action" (psychodramatic strategies) can enhance resilience in both the play therapy environment and the classroom. No prior experience with expressive writing or psychodrama is necessary.

      Note: This session does not constitute formal training in either of the featured expressive arts disciplines.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Working with Challenging Youth & Families in Play Therapy
      June 4, 9am - 1pm
      Althea Simpson, LCSW, RPT-S

      Play therapy can prove difficult when the client is resistant to the treatment process or is just not ready for change, thereby creating a substantial challenge to therapeutic engagement. And if a play therapist initiates interventions without the client’s input, it can negatively impact the clinical relationship. This is especially true for interactions between the play therapist working with "challenging" young people and their families. This 4-hour master class focuses on the play therapist's professional readiness to create a shared understanding of the needs of the young client or family member in order to enhance effective healing in treatment. Play therapists and other participants will have the opportunity to hone play therapy skills that can help young clients and their family members express pressing issues so that they can be worked through in the play therapy environment. Additionally, they will learn to integrate play therapy and art-based activities that can enhance clinical flexibility in assessing and engaging these clients. Guidelines for establishing effective, nonthreatening, collaborative client-therapist relationships will be discussed and demonstrated.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Friday Afternoon Master Classes

      Creative Clinical Integration: How Play Therapists Can Select & Implement Effective Treatments
      June 4, 2pm - 6pm
      Eliana Gil, PhD, ATR, RPT-S

      As more and more play therapy approaches emerge, and the popularity of integrative and multimodal activities increases, play therapists now have a an ever-expanding treasure trove of techniques to draw from. However, the selection of approaches and activities must be carefully approached and purposefully chosen in order to result in effective treatment. In this 4-hour master class, we will articulate the foundational tenets that should precede and guide the selection and implementation process. Play therapists and other participants will look at several specific dimensions that they can use to identify and prioritize treatment goals, and then explore the best ways to promote those goals by: identifying the stage of treatment; evaluating the therapeutic powers of play; noting the client’s learning style; assessing the relevant relational issues, as well as the level of ambivalence or hesitancy in the play or family play therapy clients. Several clinical case studies will be offered and discussed so that participants can practice making the most appropriate choices based on the information presented.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Play Therapy 101: Basic Principles, Theories & Application
      June 4, 2pm - 6pm
      Quinn Smelser, MA, LPC, RPT

      This 4-hour master class is designed to provide a basic understanding of the historical development of play therapy as an evidence-based therapeutic approach, describing the seminal theories of play therapy, and Virginia Axline’s foundational principles of child-centered play therapy. Participants will learn how directive and nondirective approaches in play therapy can be used separately or in unison, and will have opportunities for hands-on practice of several play therapy principles and approaches. In addition, information will be provided on how play therapy strategies can be used to promote and advance therapeutic goals when working with a range of behavioral problems and concerns.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Puppets in Play Therapy: Feelings at Our Fingertips
      June 4, 2pm - 6pm
      Jamie Lynn Langley, LCSW, RPT-S

      Puppets are part of the magic of childhood. In play therapy, puppets can be used by the child as a safe, projective way to explore feelings and issues, thereby reducing symptoms and enacting various ways so solve problems. In this 4-hour master class, participants will review the history of puppets in play therapy, learn ways to select puppets for specific play therapy activities, and explore interventions to facilitate the therapeutic powers of play. Participants will also get to make puppets for use in therapeutic contexts, and practice experiential play therapy activities using their puppets. Useful for play therapists and all counselors, therapy with puppets is particularly effective for those working with young or traumatized children who may not respond to traditional approaches.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      The Heroine’s Journey: A Clinical Approach to Assessing Play Themes in Sandplay
      June 4, 2pm - 6pm
      Roz Heiko, PhD, RPT-S, ISSD

      The Sandplay Journey Map offers a model for play therapists and other clinicians to uncover treatment themes in sandplay—such as the Heroine's Journey—and a method to integrate these themes into play and expressive arts therapies. In this 4-hour master class, play therapists and other participants will have the opportunity to explore and deepen their understanding of and skills in using this therapeutic approach and its healing potential in treatment with clients of all ages and abilities. We will apply the Sandplay Journey Map to specific case material, and highlight the inherent play therapy themes to more fully understand the process of a sandplay journey from the client’s perspective. Participants will be exposed to didactic and experiential interventions, including video presentation, guided imagery, individual case presentation, experiential and symbol exercises, reflective discussion, and didactic presentation of relevant topics to enhance their clinical work as play therapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and arts therapists.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Friday Evening Panel

      Effective & Innovative Play Therapy Techniques: A Panel Presentation
      June 4, 7pm - 9pm
      Heather McTaggart Bryan, RPT, LPC
      Mary DeRaedt, PhD, LPC, NCC
      Quinn K. Smelser, MA, NCC, LPC, RPT

      This 2-hour evening workshop, taught by a panel of play therapy colleagues, will engage participants in an array of play therapy techniques designed to promote therapy goals when working with children and families. Most importantly, this session will allow participants to “think play,” “listen for metaphors,” and find ways to elicit a deeper level of client cooperation by going around whatever natural hesitancies or distrust might exist. Our goal is to provide play therapists and other child therapists with a number of easy and fun play therapy techniques while also encouraging them to trust their own professional creativity and clinical intuition so they they can feel more capable of innovating with purpose. Participants will not only leave this session with a variety of new play therapy techniques, but they will also feel more confident that their creative—even innovative—clinical work is solidly grounded in theory and will help their clients.

      Eligible for 2 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Friday Evening Workshops

      Digital and Virtual Play Therapy: Theory & Application
      June 4, 7pm - 9pm
      Rachel Altvater, PsyD, RPT-S
      Jessica Stone, PhD, RPT-S

      Contemporary culture and play habits have transmuted play therapy practice. The modern, digital era and the coronavirus pandemic contributed to a monumentally heightened reliance on technology, impacting how play therapy is being practiced. Digital Play Therapy grew in popularity to meet the needs of digital natives, as this method of treatment provides culturally relevant methods to meet modern children where they are and to speak their language. Virtual Play Therapy rapidly became the play therapy service delivery method of choice to provide continuity of care to accommodate lockdown periods as well as social distancing needs. This 2-hour evening workshop will provide a review of the core theoretical underpinnings of these play therapy methods, experiential application of innovative digital and virtual interventions, and discussion to expand participants’ play therapy practice.

      Eligible for 2 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Gifted Children in the Play Therapy Environment: Unique Challenges & Creative Solutions
      June 4, 7pm - 9pm
      Mandi Melendez, LMFT, LPC, RPT

      Intellectually gifted children represent a small percentage of the general population, yet can be found in virtually every clinical setting, and are far more likely to struggle with existential concerns and social-emotional issues. This 2-hour evening workshop addresses the tendency for asynchronous development (cognitive leaps at odds with social skills or emotional regulation) in gifted children, as well as common reasons that families of these children seek play therapy support. Play therapists and other participants will explore the isolation and struggles to meet intellectual stimulation that can result in misdiagnosis and/or co-occuring diagnoses in these clients. Appropriate for counselors and play therapists working specifically with gifted children, as well as generalists from any clinical setting, the workshop will examine the unique needs of these children and their families. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in therapeutic play, sandtray, and expressive arts activities that they will be able to use in their daily practice to enhance the efficacy of treatment with gifted clients.

      Eligible for 2 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Healing Childhood Wounds for Black Women & Their Children Using Play Therapy
      June 4, 7pm - 9pm
      Y. Mimi Ryans, LCSW-C, RPT-S, CCTP

      As mental health treatment becomes increasingly accepted in communities of color, especially among black women, it is essential that practitioners become more aware of this shift, gain heightened awareness of its implications and opportunities, and learn techniques to overcome potential obstacles to successful treatment. The purpose of this 2-hour evening workshop is to assist play therapists and other mental health professionals with defining and identifying interpersonal and intergenerational trauma, and the effects of trauma on black women in the therapeutic setting. Play therapists and other participants in this workshop will learn about the historical and contemporary impact of interpersonal and intergenerational trauma on African Americans in the United States. Relevant for all counselors and play therapists working in virtually any clinical setting, this workshop offers a variety of strategies and interventions that can be used to promote play therapy with black women, to not only heal themselves, but also their children.

      Eligible for 2 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Play Therapy Supervision in Spanish: Increasing Awareness & Skills
      June 4, 7pm - 9pm
      Myriam Goldin, LCSW, RPT-S

      This 2-hour evening group supervision session, which will be conducted entirely in Spanish, will provide continuing education contact hours that can be used towards RPT credentialing. To structure our time, two pre-registrants will be selected to present a case that features a supervision question specific to the play therapy process. Participants are encouraged to present a videotaped play therapy session (with required signed consent forms) and/or expressive work produced by play therapy clients. The selected participants must submit a concise question that will guide the clinical focus, feedback, and discussion designed to advance treatment goals using a specific play therapy theory and approach. Countertransference issues will be highlighted. Please submit a summary of your case presentation and consultation question to me at mgoldin@gilinstitute.com as soon as you register. First come, first served.

      Eligible for 2.0 Credit/Clock Hours: APA, MFT; SWNYS, NY-LMHC
      Eligible for 2.0 group supervision hours for RPT candidates
      This session not eligible for NBCC credits. Also not eligible for APT continuing education credits.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Working with Adoption & Foster Care Issues Using Play and Expressive Therapies
      June 4, 7pm - 9pm
      Jennifer Hannett, MSW, LCSW

      Adoptive and foster families face a number of challenges that differ from those of biological families. These can include: lack of an extended family with birth parents; emotions related to abandonment and adoption; infertility issues; difficulties with self-acceptance; and, the stress involved in the transition into adoption. Research shows that adopted children exhibit greater emotional, behavioral, and social struggles than non-adopted children. There is an increasing need for mental health services to address these issues facing adopted and fostered children and their families. Additionally, there is a parallel need for enhanced competency among mental health professionals who work with these children and their families. This 2-hour evening workshop will introduce clinical considerations for integrating play therapy with expressive arts in treatment with adopted (and fostered) children and their families. Play therapists and other participants will learn how these approaches can be used to create personal narratives of the child’s current and pre-placement experiences to help the child build a sense of self and fill in the gaps in their history. Play therapists and their colleagues will learn how these techniques can be used to further cohesion within the adopted or foster family. This workshop will be valuable to play therapists and all other mental health professionals who work with adults, children, and family systems dealing with adoption and fostering issues.

      Eligible for 2 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
    • Saturday, 06/05/21
    •  

      Friday & Saturday Intensive

      Integrating EMDR & Play Therapy: Intensive Training - Day 2
      June 5, 9am - 1pm
      Ann Beckley-Forest, LCSW, RPT-S
      Annie Monaco, LCSW-R, RPT

      Play therapists sometimes find it challenging to integrate EMDR into their current work and are often looking for ways to deliver the 8 Phase EMDR protocol in a developmentally sensitive way. Children of all ages need to process their experiences of trauma and adversity to maximize their healing. Therefore, this 2-day intensive workshop offers both generalist and specialist clinicians methods of merging EMDR into the play therapy setting for young children and introduces playful approaches for older children and adolescents. In Day 2 of this 2-part intensive training, we examine the idea of active play as the preferred avenue to access and reprocess through EMDR the implicit memories seen so often in children who have experienced complex trauma. We will use attachment theory and polyvagal theory to understand how to use grounding and attachment repair in sensory play therapy activities to promote the interoception of safety for the child. Finally, play therapists and other participants will learn to apply dissociation theory through the use of Gestalt play therapy approaches and expressive therapy interventions with dolls and sand tray to prepare and support highly dissociative children in EMDR reprocessing. Prior completion of basic EMDR training and enrollment in both parts of this 2-day intensive are required.

      Eligible for 4 EMDRIA CE Hours

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Saturday & Sunday Intensive

      Assessing Parent-Child Relationships Using the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) - Day 1
      June 5, 2pm - 6pm
      Myriam Goldin, LCSW, RPT-S
      Quinn Smelser, MA, LPC, RPT

      The Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) helps play therapists assess parent-child relationships by observing the parent-child dyad engage in specific, structured play therapy tasks. This 2-day skill building workshop (8 total CE contact hours) allows play therapists and other clinicians to learn the four dimensions highlighted in Theraplay as indicators of secure attachment, and offers a method for play therapists and other clinicians to identify strengths and challenges in the caregiver-child dyad. Participants will watch clinical videotapes and learn how to observe parent-child dynamics and give useful feedback to parents. In addition, play therapists will learn how to apply Anne Stewart’s Behavioral Rating Scale, developed specifically for the MIM (MIMBRS). Play therapists and others will leave the training with the skills to assess families using the MIM, and be able to demonstrate at least two different ways of documenting, observing, and providing feedback to the parents, using the MIM to inform and guide their treatment plan.
      Note: Participants must register for both days of this training.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Saturday Morning Master Classes

      A Neurosequential Art Approach for Working with Kids
      June 5, 9am - 1pm
      Peggy Kolodny, MA, ATR-BC, LCPAT

      Developmental trauma affects children impacted by chronic and complex traumatic events. This didactic and art/play 4-hour master class will describe and demonstrate how neurodevelopmental approaches to trauma such as Perry’s Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) can be integrated into stages of art development leading to appropriate art and play therapy interventions for each stage. A brief overview of how trauma impacts neurodevelopment and results in trauma responses in children will be presented. The Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) and the benefits of bilateral drawing will be considered. Art/play therapy experientials will highlight the Neurosequential Model to deepen understanding and provide art and play therapists with effective and creative therapeutic interventions in trauma–informed treatment for clients of all ages. Participants will be engaged in joint neurosequential art activities from bilateral scribbling leading to The Squiggle Story and the Clay Squiggle techniques. These highly playful creative directives that can be used in play therapy, art therapy, and counseling settings, promote the organization of chaotic trauma experiences by offering structured meaning, attunement, containment, and affect regulation, while following the tenets of the Neurosequential Model.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Exploring a Child's Inner Community with Play, Sand & Art
      June 5, 9am - 1pm
      Robyn Gobbel, LCSW, LMSW, RPT-S
      Marshall Lyles, LMFT-S, LPC-S, RPT-S

      Many approaches to therapy include helping clients understand and develop a relationship with their different parts-of-self, thereby promoting self-compassion, integration, and, ultimately, symptom reduction. Even young children can begin to understand their internal family system as an inner community. Play therapy, with its emphasis on metaphor, experiential, expressive, and nonverbal ways of processing therapeutic content, is an ideal approach for helping clients explore their different parts-of-self in virtually any clinical setting. Using interpersonal neurobiology and relational neuroscience to first understand the neurobiological underpinnings of different parts-of-self, play therapists and other participants will engage in play, art, and sand interventions to encourage client connection to typically shamed, judged, or criticized members of their inner community. This 4-hour master class, grounded in the writings of Bonnie Badenoch, is appropriate for generalists and specialists alike who work with multiple symptoms and diagnoses, including trauma, attachment, anxiety, depression, and behavior disorders. This master class will be particularly useful to play therapists who have clients who seem resistant to treatment or make very slow progress.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Interpreting Children's Play: A Jungian Analytical Play Therapy Perspective
      June 5, 9am - 1pm
      John "JP" Lilly, MS, LCSW, RPT-S

      Children typically introduce significant material in play therapy sessions through metaphors and images that are rich with symbolic content, and it's a play therapist’s responsibility to understand it in a way that makes sense regarding the child’s symptoms and behaviors. Sometimes play therapists recognize that something significant is happening in the session, but are not be able to articulate what the symbolic activity or imagery signifies. This 4-hour master class will focus on helping play therapists to better understand symbolic expression in the play therapy room by looking at the development of the psyche in children, and exploring how they develop complexes, as described by Carl Jung. Symptoms will be viewed as “roadmaps” to the more deeply seated complexes that develop in children, and, thereby, lead to a structured method for treatment. The dynamics of play therapy sessions will be examined using Jungian concepts to more fully comprehend what is being communicated by child clients through their play and creative expression. The session will conclude by having participants use a Session Review Sheet that summarizes the material discussed, followed by a taped session illustrating the usefulness of the form in interpreting children's play.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Nurtured Heart Approach® & Play Therapy: Harnessing Intensity for Resilience & Healing
      June 5, 9am - 1pm

      Tammi Van Hollander, LCSW, RPT-S

      The Nurtured Heart Approach® is a powerful method that is effective with even the most challenging children in play therapy, and focuses on transforming the way clients perceive themselves, their caregivers, and the world around them. When working in this approach, children learn that they will receive energy, recognition, and “juicy time-in” when things are going well. Energetic alignment comes with connection and does not come from energizing what is going wrong (or what is wrong with the child).       This supports them in building a positive portfolio of themselves, which is referred to as “Inner Wealth®.” Integrating this approach into play therapy practice can greatly impact the lives of clients. Indeed, their families will be transformed. In this 4-hour master class, play therapists and other participants will learn about The 3 Stands™ and recognition techniques of this highly successful approach. We will also be doing hands-on creative exercises to facilitate resilience and connection in our play therapy clients. These play therapy interventions, such as greatness sticks™, can be used by clinicians with any age group and in virtually any setting. Concepts from Theraplay®, mindfulness, creative arts, bibliotherapy, and sandtray techniques will also be briefly discussed.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.

      Faculty Bio(s):
      Sand Therapy: Integrating Narrative and Metaphor with Children & Teens
      June 5, 9am - 1pm
      Dee Preston-Dillon, MA, PhD

      Along life's journey, children and play therapists alike develop many stories, big and small, nestled deep in the heart. Narrative Sand Therapy©, developed by the presenter, encourages clients of all ages to use symbols to represent their experiences and reclaim parts of the self previously left behind in trauma and shame, re-shaping their stories through a heart-healing process. Narrative Sand Therapy is a collaborative process between play therapist and client wherein developmental stories, personal myths, and histories can unfold by using therapeutic metaphors, symbol amplification, and respectful exploration. In this 4-hour master class, participants will explore poetry, personal letters, dialogues, and mini-dramas to animate the symbolic, while mindful of the role of silence and subtle engagement to deepen client work. Play therapists and those who treat children will also learn four primary tenets—permission, protection, empowerment, and presence—that guide the clinician and support the young client's explorations of stories in the sand. This approach to exploratory process distinguishes Narrative Sand Therapy© from sandtray and sandplay therapies, and is eminently compatible with the work of play therapists.

      This workshop may evoke strong emotional responses and is intended as professional training, not therapy. A safe space will be created for learning and engagement.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Superheroes to the Rescue: Fighting Trauma & Anxiety Through Play Therapy for All Ages
      June 5, 9am - 1pm
      April Duncan, MSW, LCSW, RPT

      Sometimes we're able to help our clients using talk or artmaking, dance or drama, writing or music. But other times, when problems seem insurmountable or symptoms get scary, it takes a superhero to get the work done. Luckily, most of our play therapy clients—regardless of age or ability—have superheroes within who can come to their rescue! In this 4-hour master class, we'll review superhero narratives and imagery that can be used in play therapy and counseling, and explore the variety of ways that using the concept of an inner superhero can facilitate clinical progress in clients at all ages, not just with kids or teens. In particular, we will discuss how play therapists and other helping professionals can integrate superhero-themed play and artmaking activities to combat anxiety and depression in clients across the lifespan. To do this, participants will learn how to identify personality traits that can inspire the formation of an inner superhero to serve as the central metaphor for powerful management and transformation of symptoms. Come learn a fun, functional play therapy concept and technique that can be used mental health professionals in group and individual work in virtually any type of clinical setting.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Using Games in Play Therapy for Assessment, Treatment, and More
      June 5, 9am - 1pm
      Sabra Starnes, LICSW, LCSW-C, RPT-S
      Sheri Mitschelen, LCSW, RPT-S

      Sometimes spontaneous play or creative expression is just too threatening for some clients and family members in play therapy or counseling sessions, and they need a bit of structure to get things moving. This 4-hour master class will introduce a variety of games that can be used as communication starters or therapeutic interventions, and demonstrate how they can be used with clients of all ages for treatment of a variety of presenting issues in play therapy sessions. Play therapists and other participants will learn how to use these games for assessment and how to integrate games into treatment with individuals, groups, families, and siblings. We will address issues and recommend techniques to handle such challenges as competitive play, cheating, and spontaneous rule changing by clients in play therapy sessions. There will also be an opportunity for participants to design their own board games to facilitate treatment goals that they can take along to begin using with play therapy clients right away! This session will be a valuable addition to the skill sets of beginning as well as advanced play therapists, counselors and other mental health professionals working with young people in treatment.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Saturday Afternoon Master Classes

      Cultural Considerations for Play Therapists Working with Immigrant Latinx/Hispanic Families
      June 5, 2pm - 6pm
      Virginia Rivera, LPC, LCPC, RPT, CCTP

      Political conflict and traumatic events in the daily news are embedded in the experiences in the lives of many of our clients. This 4-hour master class is designed to enhance our work as play therapists and counselors working with the Hispanic/Latino population by increasing our clinical awareness of cultural considerations. While play therapists and other clinicians who work directly with immigrant families and Latin individuals will benefit from the focus of this session, a deepening of cross-cultural considerations pertains to therapists in virtually any clinical setting. Participants will develop a richer understanding of effective ways to engage/advocate for Hispanic/Latinx individuals, families, and immigrant populations, and increase their competence in delivering effective treatment. The session explores the ways in which cultural values/customs and current events (i.e.: DACA, immigration issues, family reunification) impact the effective delivery of play therapy and other therapeutic interventions. The importance of cross-cultural awareness and current events in providing play therapy services to Hispanic/Latin children and their families, who may not otherwise respond to traditional "talk therapy" approaches, will be discussed. Case material will address recommendations for effective delivery of play therapy treatment and interventions. Additionally, this session highlights transference and countertransference issues in play therapy—and in treatment in general—with immigrant populations, and, particularly, Hispanic/Latinx clients.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Engagement in Family Play Therapy: A Powerful, Blended Modality
      June 5, 2pm - 6pm
      David Crenshaw, PhD, ABPP

      Family Play Therapy is a masterful blend of two evidence-based therapies: play therapy and family systems therapy. Play therapists sometimes shy away from working with families, and family therapists can be reluctant to include small children in their sessions. Family Play Therapy draws from the strengths of both approaches for effective healing in treatment that is both child- and family-friendly. This approach especially lends itself to the healing of ruptured attachments via play—a natural language for children—and powerfully illustrates the inherent healing factors in both play and family interaction. Family Play Therapy elicits and facilitates resilience by strengthening relational bonds and creating the safe space where trauma stories can be disclosed through words, play, and/or art making. Mastery for families is built into the play scenarios initiated by the children, and repeated until no longer needed. Play therapists and other participants in this 4-hour master class will delve into theoretical and case materials, as well as explore specific treatment interventions. Applicable to specialists and generalists alike, this session presents an effective way of working with families with young children who do not typically respond to traditional therapy approaches.

      Please Note: The case illustration in this session might evoke strong emotion in some participants.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Helping Kids in Play Therapy Befriend Difficult Emotions Through Art
      June 5, 2pm - 6pm
      Erica Curtis, LMFT, ATR-BC

      In this era of “choosing happiness,” children are developing a confusing and often unhealthy relationship with emotions. This can lead to repression of emotions, shame about not being able to “just change your mindset,” and, ultimately, more emotional dysregulation. In this informative, creative, and playful 4-hour master class, play therapists and their colleagues will learn simple, yet powerful, art interventions to help clients of varying ages renegotiate a friendlier relationship with even the most challenging emotions. Participants will be introduced to versatile tools for evoking client-generated imagery that will allow clients to: experience a stable sense of self amidst internal chaos; express emotions without being overwhelmed (or overwhelming others); and, locate valuable information stored within those emotions. Through hands-on art making and role play, play therapists and other participants will practice guiding their child clients through creative exercises to help them relate to and regulate their emotions outside the play therapy office. This session is intended for all counselors and therapists working with young people in virtually any type of clinical or educational setting.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      The Invisible String: Playful Activities to Support Healthy Connection for All
      June 5, 2pm - 6pm
      Dana Wyss, PhD, LMFT, ATR-BC
      Pamela Robertson, PsyD, LCSW

      This 4-hour master class for play therapists and other clinicians is based on the bestselling children's book The Invisible String and its accompanying workbook, which features activities to explore creativity, inspire imagination, and improve connection. Through a combination of lecture and videos, this session will provide an overview of attachment theory and how disruptions in attachment affect youth and families. Play therapists and other participants will then explore creative activities and engage in group discussion to learn ways to increase healthy connection in individual and family play therapy, incorporate these playful activities into their group curricula, and adapt or modify these play-based interventions for different developmental or functioning levels. This material has been field-tested with clients who have experienced complex developmental trauma, with youth who are experiencing commercial sexual exploitation, with military families, and within employee wellness programs in response to vicarious trauma. Play therapists and other clinician participants who work with children will learn to recognize healthy and disrupted attachment and will have new tools to support treatment.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Victims, Bullies & Bystanders: A Multimodal Play Therapy Approach for All Ages
      June 5, 2pm - 6pm
      Leslie Baker, MFT, NCC, RPT-S

      More and more, play therapists are receiving referrals for children who are being bullied, or those who are bullies. An age-old trauma for school-age children in hallways and cafeterias, the forms and incidences of bullying, which include cruelty, exclusion, and rumor-spreading have grown exponentially due to the blossoming of digital media. Bullying is particularly insidious in childhood because it disrupts brain development, impacting self-regulation and the ability to build connection in relationships. Incorporating play therapy theory, neurosequential brain development theory, and moderate exposure via experiential play therapy techniques such as drawing, sand tray, and drama play, this 4-hour master class will provide play therapists and other participants with an integrated approach to the treatment of bullying. In particular, systemic dynamics that perpetuate the cycle of bullying will be examined, including the roles of the victim, bully, and bystander in the process. The Multimodal Play Therapy Intervention helps these trauma survivors to discover and develop ways to move forward in connection. Using this approach, clinicians can facilitate healing in relationship with their clients through the use of moderate exposure. This play-based strategy, which can be used in virtually any clinical setting, increases the window of tolerance in bullied clients, and allows their brains to reintegrate trauma via these experiential play and creative arts approaches.

      NOTE: Due to the topic of bullying the workshop may elicit strong/emotionally responses.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
    • Sunday, 06/06/21
    •  

      Saturday & Sunday Intensive

      Assessing Parent-Child Relationships Using the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) - Day 2
      June 6, 9am - 1pm
      Myriam Goldin, LCSW, RPT-S
      Quinn Smelser, MA, LPC, RPT

      The Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) helps play therapists assess parent-child relationships by observing the parent-child dyad engage in specific, structured play therapy tasks. This 2-day skill building workshop (8 total CE contact hours) allows play therapists and other clinicians to learn the four dimensions highlighted in Theraplay as indicators of secure attachment, and offers a method for clinicians to identify strengths and challenges in the caregiver-child dyad. Play therapist participants will watch clinical videotapes and learn how to observe parent-child dynamics and give useful feedback to parents. The second day will allow participants to practice assessing videotaped cases and will establish or increase skills for providing feedback to parents and other professionals using Anne Stewart’s scoring tool, the MIM Behavioral Rating Scale (MIMBRS). Participants will leave this 2-day training with the skills to assess families using the MIM. They will be able to demonstrate at least two different ways of documenting, observing, and providing feedback to the parents, and use the MIM to inform and guide treatment planning.

      Note: Participants must register for both days of this training.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Sunday Morning Master Classes

      De-Escalation & Symptom Management Through Play-Based Activities and Art
      June 6, 9am - 1pm
      Dana Wyss, PhD, LMFT, ATR
      Pamela C. Robertson, PsyD, LMFT

      Play therapists know that aggression towards self and others usually serves to gain, regain, or maintain control by the young client. Thus, a trauma-responsive play therapy approach with aggressive children is key when working to de-escalate this behavior. Recent studies regarding adverse experiences in childhood have demonstrated the impact of early trauma not only on clients, but also on their families in later years. Unfortunately, many mental health professionals, including play therapists, as well as parents and teachers, have come to rely on reactive methods of behavioral management that often perpetuate aggression rather than ameliorate it. This unproductive cycle can further impact attachment and the capacity for self-regulation. This 4-hour skill-building master class for play therapists, arts therapists, and other child therapists, will begin with a brief review of the concepts of fight, flight, freeze, and fawning. Next, play therapists and other participants will be taught ways to help their young clients learn better self-control through integrative play and creative arts techniques, demonstrating the difference between responding and reacting. Finally, play and creative art activities that support symptom management and de-escalation of aggression in response to common symptoms like depression, frustration, fear, and anxiety will be discussed, demonstrated, and explored through hands-on activity. Play therapists and other session participants will learn a number of effective art-based approaches that can be used in the play therapy office and playroom with individuals and groups to explore how to establish sustainability, comfort, and safety while doing this work. Sufficient time will be allotted for questions as well as case and group discussion.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Speakers:
      Integrating Relational Neuroscience with Child & Play Therapy
      June 6, 9am - 1pm
      Robyn Gobbel, LCSW, LMSW, RPT-S

      Relational neuroscience offers play therapists an important framework for understanding the brain in the context of relationships, and thus brings greater understanding about why play therapy works. As play therapists, we can harness the power of interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB) to confidently "lean into" allowing the therapeutic relationship to facilitate the clinical power of play therapy. This 4-hour master class will introduce and illustrate the core theoretical concepts in IPNB and how they relate to effective healing in treatment. Play therapists and other participants will have the opportunity to practice creating a playful metaphor for helping children to learn about their own brains. Additionally, participants will engage in movement-based play to co-regulate and co-organize dysregulated playroom behavior, including during transitions. This master-class will support all counselors, play therapists, and other therapists, in virtually any clinical setting, who work with dysregulated clients challenged by symptoms of anxiety, mood dysregulation, or sensory processing disorder, as well as with clients who have a history of complex trauma or attachment disruptions.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Play Therapy with Children in High Conflict Divorce Cases
      June 6, 9am - 1pm
      Heather McTaggart Bryan, LPC, RPT

      Many children are referred for play therapy to help them adjust to divorce, which can leave them feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and vulnerable. Ongoing post-divorce conflict can make children feel as if they are caught in a bad game of tug of war. Up to a third of divorcing couples report high degrees of hostility and conflict over daily care of their children, even many years following their separations. High-conflict divorces can have a significant impact on children’s development and negatively impact their overall growth. Providing play therapy for children whose parents are experiencing a high conflict divorce or custody battle can be very challenging for play therapists and other mental health professionals. It is important to understand the impact that high conflict divorce has on children at different developmental phases. Similarly, it is also important that play therapists facilitate proper play therapy skills, policies, and protocols in order to avoid common mistakes and to prioritize children’s needs and their families' health. This 4-hour master class will provide play therapists and other clinicians with a foundation of practical knowledge, guidance, and hands-on play therapy interventions to help them work more effectively with children who are experiencing the stress of a divorce, particularly one that is high conflict.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Treating Attachment & Trauma: Teens, Tweens, Play Therapy, and the Arts
      June 6, 9am - 1pm
      Clair Mellenthin, LCSW, RPT-S

      Enhance your clinical practice by learning how to blend expressive arts techniques with play therapy! Provide a creative atmosphere of safety and compassion in the office, studio, or play therapy room to support freedom of expression, and allowing clients to communicate the unspeakable. Expressive arts have long been heralded in psychotherapy for their effectiveness in trauma treatment, making them a valuable resource for play therapists and other mental health professionals. In this 4-hour master class, we will be exploring hands-on activities to use expressive arts alongside play therapy techniques with tweens and teens to address attachment issues, trauma, self-esteem, and empathy development. Appropriate for play therapists, counselors, psychotherapists, and others working with tweens and teens, participants will end the day having gained a diverse toolbox of play therapy and expressive arts techniques, plus a deeper understanding of the complimentary healing powers that play therapy combined with expressive arts can bring to clinical work with this population.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
       

      Sunday Afternoon Master Classes

      Collage-Making for Complicated Grief: Artful Approaches for Trauma-Focused Play Therapists
      June 6, 1pm - 6pm
      Peggy Kolodny, MA, ATR-BC, LCPAT
      Sharon Strouse, MA, ATR-BC, LCPAT

      The impact of traumatic grief on the social, behavioral, emotional, and psychological development of children and families is often observed in play therapy and creative arts sessions. Trauma and grief work supported by creative arts and play therapy interventions effectively address the somatic impact on a client’s mind and body, regardless of their age. This 5-hour master class introduces collage-making techniques to trauma-focused play therapists and arts therapists interested in the intersection of traumatic loss and stress. The neurobiological effects of complicated grief as they relate to van der Kolk's and Perry’s trauma theory will be briefly reviewed. Images created by an art therapist in response to the suicide of her seventeen-year-old daughter will be presented. Case material is grounded in the grief and bereavement work of Neimeyer: Meaning Reconstruction, Worden: Task Model of Bereavement, Rynearson: Restorative Retelling, Stroebe and Schut: Dual Process Model and Shear: Complicated Grief Model. Experiential activities will include diverse collage-making directives along with age-appropriate creative interventions for use by play therapists applicable in their daily practice.

      Eligible for 5 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      A Breath of Fresh Air: Promoting Attachment with Nature-Based Play Therapy
      June 6, 2pm - 6pm
      Anne Stewart, PhD, RPT-S

      The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that children are spending an average of 7.5 hours in front of a screen for entertainment each day with 4 hours spent watching TV. As our children's time interacting with peers and in nature declines, play therapists, educators, researchers, and parents have begun to examine the impact on children’s development and general well-being. They've discovered that a childhood spent disengaged from nature, in particular, has been associated with increased levels of anxiety, depression, and higher incidences of ADD/ADHD. On the other hand, research findings indicate that exposure to (or interaction with) nature enhances creativity, attention, and focus, as well as an overall sense of well-being. Play therapists are uniquely placed to help promote an interactive, relationship-based connection to the natural world for children struggling with emotional and behavioral challenges. Using an attachment-based approach, this 4-hour master class offers activities to promote healing and build relationship through nurturing play therapy experiences with—and in—nature.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Drama Therapy Principles & Techniques for Play Therapists
      June 6, 2pm - 6pm
      Eliana Gil, PhD, ATR, RPT-S
      Teresa Dias, MA, LMHC, RPT

      This skill-building master class will demonstrate the natural interplay between drama and play therapies. The presenters will teach a number of basic drama therapy techniques including warm-up and mirroring (good for co-regulation), embodying and expressing affect (for mind-body connection), and movement (to oxygenate and engage the physical self). In addition, we will discuss the use of dramatic role play when initiated by child and/or therapist, and how that activity bolsters relational connectedness in play therapy. Finally, we will highlight how to use enlivened storytelling to capture a child's imagination and facilitate enhanced investment and participation. There will be an active experiential component in this 4-hour master class, and play therapists will have ample opportunity to practice new skills and develop feelings of competency regarding integrating drama therapy strategies with play therapy approaches. No previous acting or drama therapy experience is required.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      EMDR Techniques with Sandtray to Cultivate Inner Resources in Play Therapy
      June 6, 2pm - 6pm
      Marshall Lyles, LMFT-S, LPC-S, RPT-S

      Play therapists can deepen their clients' sand therapy work by integrating it with attachment-based EMDR resourcing. This 4-hour master class will offer play therapists and other participants an overview of the basics of sandtray therapy protocols and practices before introducing EMDR techniques that target issues specific to attachment-wounded clients. The material will highlight opportunities pertaining to clinical play therapy practice for inner resource development in clients from an EMDR perspective. Through lecture, case studies, and experiential practice in the sandtray, participants will discover methods for prompting and processing sandtray worlds in a manner that reinforces resilience. This introductory session will be applicable for play therapists and other counselors who work with clients of all ages and abilities. Previous familiarity with EMDR theory and practice is not required, but will be helpful, to get the most from this session.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Engaging Gender Expansive Children & Adolescents Through Play Therapy & Sandtray
      June 6, 2pm - 6pm
      Mandi Melendez, LMFT, LPC, RPT

      LGBTQ children are at very high risk for depression, anxiety, and suicidality. LGBTQ children in families with accepting attitudes and behaviors toward them have significantly decreased risk and better overall health in adulthood. Specific caregiver behaviors, such as advocating for the child and supporting gender expression, guard against depression, drug abuse, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts. In this 4-hour master class, we will explore the utility of play therapy, sandtray, and expressive arts for use in treatment with gender expansive children, adolescents, and their caregivers as treatments that support healthy identity development and relational attachment. Play therapists and other psychotherapists working with individuals and groups in any treatment setting will benefit from a deeper understanding of the role of child development in gender expansive identity development.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
      Relational Anxiety: Assessment & Treatment Through Play Therapy
      June 6, 2pm - 6pm
      Amy Romero, LPC, NCC, RPT

      Frequently, children in treatment for anxiety or anxiety symptoms are living with parents who exhibit symptoms or a diagnosis of anxiety themselves. In order to effectively treat the child's anxiety, we must look at assessment and treatment through a broader lens—including the parent-child relationship and the family system. Assessment and treatment of relational anxiety in play therapy and counseling includes the gathering of familial histories and identifying components of healthy attachment styles. Treatment in these critical areas can support a secure attachment between the parent and child leading to less anxiety in both. This 4-hour master class explores the dyadic concerns within the parent-child relationship, including the additional complexities of adoption, that promote and exacerbate childhood anxiety. Play therapists and other participants will use case presentations to learn methods of assessment and treatment of anxiety through the use of play therapy, attachment-based play, and expressive arts. Useful for all counselors and therapists working with young children with anxiety, the workshop offers opportunities for experiential activities to enhance our work in treatment.

      Eligible for 4 Credit/Clock Hours: NBCC, ATCB; APA, MFT, Nursing; SWNYS, LCAT, NY-LMHC; APT**
      **Play therapy credit will not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.
      Faculty Bio(s):
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