Play Therapy Training Series

Presenter: Dr. Patricia Gilbaugh, Ph.D., LISW, RPT-S, CAS, Executive Director, Founder, and Family Therapist

APT Provider Number: 13-348

For questions or more information, please contact:

Shelley Berger at shelley@advocatecenter.org 

Research has long supported the value of family inclusion when treating children with mental health, behavioral problems, or developmental delays. Play Therapy is the leading intervention in treating children for effective, long-lasting outcomes for improvement. You will learn basic tenets of child centered play therapy and how to apply non-directive play therapy in this series of classes. There will be a different course topics offered throughout the year.

The following courses are part of the 2021 play therapy cohort:

1. Introduction to Play Therapy
2. Theoretical Application in Play Therapy
3. Engagement of Parents
4. Diagnosing Childhood Disorders with Play Therapy Techniques
5. Beyond Tracking
6. Directive Play Therapy
7. Trauma-Informed Play Therapy
8. Integrated and Specialized Models of Practice in Play Therapy
9. Understanding Complex Themes
10. Filial Therapy
11. Group-Based Play Therapy Models of Practice
12. Sandtray as a Play Therapy Modality of Therapy

Join a 120 contact hour cohort for a maximum cost of $3,600 for all trainings ($30/CEU) or register for individual classes for the cost of each class at $35/CEU. Full payment is due at time of registration.

STAFF: Join a 120 contact hour cohort for a maximum cost of $2,400 for all trainings ($20/CEU) or register for individual classes for the cost of each class at $25/CEU. Full payment is due at time of registration. Please complete the Staff Play Therapy Agreement below.

Watch this page for other specialized courses are offered intermittently throughout the year.

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819

Course Description: This course will present the use of play as a therapeutic modality and offer an introductory level of understanding of child centered play therapy. The history of the use of play therapy will be explored. In addition, the theoretical client-centered approach to play therapy will be emphasized in the course along with the application of this approach to cases will be discussed. There will be emphasis placed on the role of the therapeutic relationship and the process of play therapy. 

Course Objectives:

1. Participants will describe how the role of play is therapeutic in working primarily with children.
2. Participants will analyze the brief history of play therapy from its origins and evolution of play therapy to where it is today. 
3. Participants will demonstrate their understanding of the child centered play therapy technique and the general use of it in play therapy sessions. 
4. Participants will apply a knowledge of ethical standards in practicing in the area of play therapy.
5. Participants will demonstrate a beginner’s level of child centered play therapy modality skills. 
6. Students will be able to critique themselves and evaluate how they can improve their level of understanding regarding a child’s play behavior and play themes.
7. Participants will be able to self-reflect how their unique experiences and cultural influences may impact their understanding of a child’s play behavior. 
8. Participants will demonstrate how to follow protocols for complex needs of child and parents.

Cost: $280

Cohort cost: $250

Staff cost: $200

Staff cohort cost: $160  

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819 

Recommended Text: O’Connor, K. & Braverman, L. (2009).  Play therapy theory and practice:  Comparing theory and techniques. John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, NJ.  ISBN:  978-0470122365  

Course Description: The major counseling theories are explored and applications of these theories are presented in typical scenarios associated with a play therapy caseload.  Participants will be reminded of the theories they most likely learned about in graduate school, and then will be given an opportunity to examine how these theories can be applied to their work with children in the playroom.  

Course Objectives:

1. Participants will describe at least five theories and their applications regarding how the tenets of  in counseling are applied in practice with children and youth.
2. Participants will identify how a theory applies to the process and phases of treatment in play therapy. 
3. Participants will apply a working knowledge of ethical standards in practicing in the area of play therapy, and how using informed theoretical applications support ethical practice.  

Cost: $105

Cohort cost: $90

Staff cost: $75

Staff cohort cost: $60  

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819 

Course Description: This course focuses on the importance and ability of engaging parents and caregivers in the play therapy process. From the intake to the discharge, caregiver involvement is essential to the quality and progress of play therapy interventions for children.  Children cannot be expected to make all the changes—if caregivers do not change with them, children will not be able to maintain progress and may even regress.  Strategies for engaging caregivers will be the primary course focus. 

Objectives:

1. Participants will describe how the role of caregivers is important to the progress children make in play therapy.
2. Participants will analyze the benefits and barriers to good engagement from caregivers within the play therapy process. 
3. Participants will demonstrate their understanding of the role parents play in play therapy treatment. 
4. Students will be able to critique themselves and evaluate how they can improve their level of understanding regarding a child’s connection to their caregivers.

Cost: $105

Cohort cost: $90

Staff cost: $75

Staff cohort cost: $60  

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819 

Course Description: This course introduces the key tenets of applying DSM criteria for diagnosing child through the use of play therapy techniques. A heavy focus is placed on understanding how the play behaviors are characteristic of certain types of diagnoses. The course does not teach providers how to “interpret” client behavior, but rather to recognize patterns that may better explain a certain diagnosis for the purpose of informing the play therapy treatment plan. 

Course Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to apply DSM V criteria to diagnosing common childhood disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety disorders, childhood depression, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, Tourette’s disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and more. 
2. Participants will be able to apply behavioral analysis and play therapy skills to observing child-parent interactions, play language and behavior, affect, motor skills, and developmental stages.
3. Participants will explain the importance of differential diagnosis, and can identify three reasons for referring a child out for a more specialized clinical or medical opinion. 
4. Participants will be able to describe the ethical considerations to diagnosing a child, the ethics of labeling children with an organic disorder, and the ethical considerations of weighing the need of applying a diagnosis for the purpose of obtaining services with the need to avoid stigmatizing a child with a mental health disorder. 
5. Participants will be able to identify resources and provide psychoeducation to caregivers regarding a child’s diagnosis.

Cost: $280

Cohort cost: $250

Staff cost: $200

Staff cohort cost: $160  

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819 

Course Description: This course focuses on the advanced skills used in the protection, working, and termination stages of play therapy.  The course expands the basic concepts of tracking, value added statements, and limit setting.  Themes are expanded and trauma informed interventions are taught to help clinicians offer alternative, positive endings to the client’s perception of their experiences.  Integration of CBT is taught in this class as a tool for helping the client change the way they think about their experiences in the play room.  The course also includes how to use evaluative data from client sessions to guide future treatment or to plan discharge.

Course Objectives:

1. Participants will describe what skills are imperative to specific types of play therapy treatment needs (i.e. trauma, anxiety, depression, etc.)
2. Participants will analyze the benefits and barriers to using integrated models of practice in play therapy sessions.
3. Participants will demonstrate their understanding of the use of trauma informed practice skills in play therapy treatment. 
4. Participants will be able to critique themselves and evaluate how they can improve their level of understanding regarding the implementation of play therapy treatment interventions. 
5. Participants will identify parental coaching tips and/or resources for how to support the children therapists see in play therapy.
6. Participants will construct a sample discharge plan and termination mock play therapy session to demonstrate their skill associated with discharging a child client from play therapy.
7. Participants will develop a professional growth plan to advance their skills in play therapy.
8. Participants will describe their understanding of how and when to apply at least four advanced play therapy skills.

Cost: $280

Cohort cost: $250

Staff cost: $200

Staff cohort cost: $160 

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819

Course Description: This course will present the use of directive play therapy as a therapeutic modality and offer an advanced level of understanding of play therapy. The emphasis of this class is the role of the therapeutic relationship, the phases of the play therapy process, a review of structuring and limiting setting skills associated with the use of play therapy, and use of therapeutic transference and counter transference in a directive play therapy sessions.

Course Objectives:

1. Participants will describe their understanding regarding how the role of directive play is therapeutic in working primarily with children and youth.
2. Participants will demonstrate their development understanding of directive play therapy techniques in relation to the process and phases of treatment. 
3. Participants will apply a working knowledge of ethical standards in practicing in the area of play therapy.  
4. Participants will identify how to provide structure and limit setting according to the needs of patients for a directive play therapy session.
5. Participants will demonstrate knowledge of when and how to integrate games, art and creative tasks, and CBT curriculum into play therapy sessions. 
6. Participants will develop a case conceptualization and apply the tenets of using directive play therapy strategies. 
7. Participants will apply knowledge and gained insight, and demonstrate that application, in a mock play therapy session.
8. Participants will collaborate and practice the play therapy skills and knowledge presented in this class.
9. Participants will provide peer-to-peer feedback to facilitate growth, understanding, and to advance play therapy skills.

Cost: $280

Cohort cost: $250

Staff cost: $200

Staff cohort cost: $160  

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819 

Course Description: Play therapists must describe clinical options along with several approaches when treating traumatized children and families. Trauma informed converts to evidence informed trauma therapy with children into a series of play-centered modules. These modules help connect both the neurobiology of play and trauma, while current evidence-based approaches are kept in trauma. Each component represents an important parts of play therapy for trauma treatment and specifies both treatment goals and an intervention. The child’s figurative use of the playroom is demonstrated through multiple cases and increased with an array of play therapy interventions. This flexible, constructed model separates between goals and non-play therapy are best served that are best accomplished through non-directive play therapy methods and goals that are best served by including attachment focused play therapy approaches that include Filial and AutPlay, cognitive-behavioral play therapy interventions, sand tray methods and other open communication therapy methods.

Course Objectives:

1. Identify components of trauma informed play.
2. Describe several self-directed ways in which children use the playroom to increase their sense of safety and security in play therapy.
3. Practice therapist directed activities for enhancing safety and security in play therapy.
4. Roleplay therapy interventions that assess and augment coping.
5. Describe at least two play therapy interventions for assessing and increasing emotional literacy.
6. Explain the developmental foundations discussed in the child-centered approach to trauma informed treatment.
7. Describe interventions that invite disclosure in trauma informed play. 
8. Explain how play therapy interventions that prompt coherent narrative building in trauma informed play.
9. Explain several play therapy techniques that assist clients in challenging and restructuring cognitive distortions.

Cost: $560

Cohort cost: $480

Staff cost: $400

Staff cohort cost: $320 

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819

Course Description: This course will focus on the concepts of advancing play therapists’ skills to a higher level, using value added statements, behavioral analysis, and working with populations who have special needs (including autism).  Participants can expect to practice non-directive play therapy along with integrating other techniques as appropriate for individual client needs.  This course involves intensive reviews of clinical knowledge and examines participant understanding through interactive role plays and group supervision.

Course Objectives:

1. Participants will demonstrate working knowledge of how to individualize a play therapy session according to a consumer’s needs.
2. Participants will be able to identify resources and provide psychoeducation to caregivers of children with special needs. 
3. Participants will understand the basic premise of behavioral analysis and motivational assessment.
4. Participants will explore their cultural beliefs associated with special populations.
5. Participants will demonstrate working knowledge of practice with consumers using advance skills.

Cost: $245

Cohort cost: $210

Staff cost: $175

Staff cohort cost: $140 

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819

Course Description: This course focuses on understanding themes which demonstrate complex needs, trauma, and self-deprecating   ideation of young patients.  Play therapy themes are generalized ideas; however, there are times when the patient requires a deeper level of understanding by the therapist in order to truly process the intensity of their needs or trauma.  Play therapy is instrumental in helping children voice these needs—but if the clinician does not understand their play language, the message is lost.  This class helps providers not only understand the language, but helps build reflective language to help children grasp the complexity of their worlds and needs.

Course Objectives:

1. Participants will apply skills which are imperative to specific types of play therapy treatment needs (i.e. trauma, anxiety, depression, etc.)
2. Participants will analyze the benefits and barriers to using play themes in play therapy sessions.
3. Participants will demonstrate their understanding of the use of trauma informed practice skills in play therapy treatment. 
4. Trainees will demonstrate how to apply their understanding of complex themes using their skills in play therapy mock sessions.
5. Trainees will describe their understanding of how and when to apply at least three complex themes and to tailor play therapy interventions using play therapy skills.

Cost: $280

Cohort cost: $250

Staff cost: $200

Staff cohort cost: $160  

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819 

Recommended Text: VanFleet, R. (2014). Filial therapy: Strengthening parent-child relationships through play. Sarasota, FL: Practitioner’s Resource Series. ISBN: 978-1568871455

Recommended Text: VanFleet, R. (2012). A parent’s handbook of filial play therapy: Building strong families with play. Boiling Springs, PA: Play Therapy Press. ISBN: 978-1930557123 

Recommended Text: Bratton, S., Landreth, G. L., Kellam, T. & Blackard, S. R. (2020). Child parent relationship therapy (CPRT) treatment manual: An evidence-based 10-session filial therapy model. New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN: 978-1138688940

Course Description: This course will explore the use of filial therapy as a technique for families who have an identified client as a child. Filial therapy is an approach that teaches parents how to use child-centered play sessions, which can be transferred to the home. Students will learn to model for the parents the same attitudes and skills that they wish the parents would use with their own children. 

Course Objectives: 

1. Students will demonstrate a thorough grounding in the use and technique of filial play therapy.
2. Participants will identify families who would find value in filial play therapy, and develop a case identification procedure specific to each participant’s practice.
3. Participants will demonstrate the ability to teach and model client-centered play therapy skills to parents.
4. Participants will identify the language that enables successful parent consultation regarding filial therapy.
5. Participants will describe how to adapt filial play therapy for the drug-affected child brain, and for children who have developmental disorders (i.e., autism, Down’s Syndrome, etc.).
6. Participants will demonstrate competence in identifying and engaging parents for filial play therapy.
7. Participants will demonstrate the client-centered skills of filial play therapy to parents through a video recording.
8. Participants will demonstrate knowledge of current research supporting the use of filial play therapy through assigned readings reflection journals.

Cost: $560

Cohort cost: $480

Staff cost: $400

Staff cohort cost: $320

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819

Course Description: This course will focus on group based therapy, with a process-oriented framework. The structure will define the goals of the session, assigning small groups, have participants gather materials, and go to assigned areas. The model of practice utilizes building a series off each previous session, intentional progression of skill set, built-in progress for connecting peers and forming rapport with the provider. Each session is self-contained. This class participants will increase their communication and social skills.

Course Objectives:

1. Participants will demonstrate working knowledge of how to work in small groups.
2. Participants will be able to design a 6-week, 6 sessions group. 
3. Participants will identify and define goals, purpose, and intention.
4. Participants will understand the basic premise of behavioral analysis and motivational assessment.
5. Participants will explore their cultural beliefs associated with special populations.
6. Participants will demonstrate working knowledge of practice using advance skills.   

Cost: $245

Cohort cost: $210

Staff cost: $175

Staff cohort cost: $140 

Required Text: Landreth, G. (2012) Play therapy: The art of the relationship. Accelerated Development, Inc: Muncie, IN. ISBN: 978-0415886819

Required Text: Homeyer, L. & Sweeney, D. (2017) Sandtray therapy: A practice manual. Routledge: New York, NY. ISBN: 978-1138950047

Course Description: During play therapy supervision, it is sometimes difficult to identify and find the words to describe the dynamics of the clients/therapist relationship. Utilizing the techniques of sand tray therapy, the clinician can create a picture in the sand about the case and through supervision uncover the factors that may be impeding the process. This technique offers a unique approach for both individuals to see the case with clarity and enhance the supervisee’s self-awareness. Observe a supervision session where the supervisee conceptualizes the case using miniatures in sand and the supervisor guides the process. Throughout the webinar, learn techniques that facilitate this process and observe the impact it has on the developing play therapist.

Course Objectives: 

1. Participants will review the history and rationale for sandtray therapy as a play therapy modality.
2. Participants will demonstrate how to select appropriate sand, trays and miniatures in play therapy.
3. Participants will demonstrate how to differentiate between, conduct and process both Directive and Non-directive trays as a play therapy modality.
4. Participants will demonstrate how to document a play therapy sandtray session with a session note
5. Participants demonstrate how to explain sandtray therapy to play therapy patients and/or their caregivers.
6. Participants will identify the different populations that can benefit from the use of this play therapy technique. 
7. Participants will create a case conceptualization of a play therapy client, and use this process to deepen their application of sand tray skills as a modality of play therapy. 
8. Participants will apply their knowledge about ages and stages of development, culturally diverse backgrounds and experiences, and developmental disorders in the context of sandtray play therapy interventions.

Cost: $560

Cohort cost: $480

Staff cost: $400

Staff cohort cost: $320