Become a Continuing Education Provider Play Therapy

Play Therapy Training Program

Get started

• Frequently asked questions about play therapy
• Meet our workshop facilitators>
  

Stay connected!

Click above to learn more about play therapy workshops.

Effective July 1, 2022, the required 150 hours of play therapy instruction may be earned via contact training (in-person only), non-contact training, and live webinars. Of the 150 hours of play therapy instruction, a minimum of 75 hours must be met by contact/in-person training. A maximum of 75 hours may be met via live webinars, and of those 75 hours, no more than 40 hours may be met via non-contact trainings. The definition of the above terms can be found at https://www.a4pt.org

Upcoming workshops

The Hero's Journey: Using Sand Tray and Narrative Techniques in Play Therapy (16 contact hours)

November 4-5, 2022
Friday and Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Eastern (with a one-hour lunch break each day)
Registration Fee: $249
Where: ChildSavers, Richmond, VA (Regardless of vaccination status, all attendees will need to remain masked outside of times when eating or drinking.)

Enroll now for November 4>

---

Principles of Play Therapy (16 contact hours)

January 13-14, 2023
Friday and Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Eastern (with a one-hour lunch break each day)
Registration Fee: $249
Where: ChildSavers, Richmond, VA (Regardless of vaccination status, all attendees will need to remain masked outside of times when eating or drinking.)

Enroll now for January 13>

---

Games and Activities for Play Therapy (16 contact hours)

February 17-18, 2023
Friday and Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Eastern (with a one-hour lunch break each day)
Registration Fee: $249
Where: ChildSavers, Richmond, VA (Regardless of vaccination status, all attendees will need to remain masked outside of times when eating or drinking.)

Enroll now for February 17>

---

Healing Childhood Trauma, Loss, and Grief through Play Therapy (16 contact hours)

April 21-22, 2023
Friday and Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Eastern (with a one-hour lunch break each day)
Registration Fee: $249
Where: ChildSavers, Richmond, VA (Regardless of vaccination status, all attendees will need to remain masked outside of times when eating or drinking.)

Enroll now for April 21>

---

Expressive Arts in Play Therapy (16 contact hours)

May 12-13, 2023
Friday and Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Eastern (with a one-hour lunch break each day)
Registration Fee: $249
Where: ChildSavers, Richmond, VA (Regardless of vaccination status, all attendees will need to remain masked outside of times when eating or drinking.)

Registration coming soon.

---

Principles of Play Therapy (16 contact hours)

June 9-10, 2023
June 16-17, 2023
Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Eastern (with a one-hour break each day)
Registration Fee: $249
Where: Live Webinar, Zoom

Enroll now for June 9>

---

*Live Webinars held after July 1, 2022 AND offered under special conditions are eligible for contact hours, as specified by The Association for Play Therapy (APT).

---

Interested in Early Childhood Guidance for Families and Caregivers? Learn more about these readiness courses>

The Power of Play

Explore and learn how to apply the therapeutic power of play to communicate with, and treat clients.

VCU Continuing and Professional Education is an approved continuing education provider (APT Approved Provider 15-397) by the Association for Play Therapy, Inc.

Videos

Credentialing

All VCU play therapy workshops meet the play therapy training requirements for the Registered Play Therapist™ (RPT), Registered Play Therapist—Supervisor™ (RPT-S), and School-Based Registered Play Therapist™ (SB-RPT) credentials. Our workshops meet all guidelines established by the Association for Play Therapy, Inc. in the areas of Play Therapy History, Play Therapy Theories, Play Therapy Techniques and Methods, and Play Therapy Applications. Digital badging is available for eligible workshops.

Check dates

Ask about our military discount. Please note, coupon codes cannot be combined with other discounts/coupons or waivers, and will not be retroactively applied.

Already have your RPT™, RPT-S™ or SB-RPT™ credential? Check back for future advanced workshops.

See the Association for Play Therapy credentialing guides for details on the education, training, experience, and supervision required for your credential application or renewal:

• Play Therapy Credentialing Guides

Play Therapy Workshops

In order to fully align with the new Association for Play Therapy (APT) credentialing requirements, we have refreshed all of our play therapy workshops. The APT now requires that candidates for Registered Play Therapist™ credentials complete phased continuing education, experience, and supervision.

You'll note that each VCU Play Therapy workshop is held over two days for a total of 16 continuing education hours, with the exception of synchronous live webinars for contact hours, which are held on four days over a two-week period.

We offer the following APT-approved play therapy training workshops:

• Principles of Play Therapy (*16 contact hours)
  In this foundational workshop, you will explore the history of play therapy and compare multiple models of play therapy. You will examine Child-Centered and Cognitive-Behavioral theories as they apply to play therapy. In addition, you will delve into the rationale, philosophy, and history essential to practicing in the field of play therapy. You will explore how to use play therapy with children in playrooms, how to use available space effectively in creating a therapeutic play space, and how to develop a mobile play therapy kit. You will build the foundational skills needed to use play therapy effectively and leave with the confidence to begin immediately working with clients using play-based interventions.

  Read more about Principles of Play Therapy

  Objectives

  This workshop is designed to help you:

  1. Describe play therapy and role of a play therapy in interventions and identify play therapists' characteristics;
  2. Discuss the history of play therapy, its foundations, and describe and use two historically significant theories to the field of play therapy recognized by the Association for Play Therapy;
  3. Discuss the basics of, the difference between, and rationale for using non-directive and directive approaches;
  4. Explain prescriptive and integrated play therapy approaches;
  5. Describe the rationale for selecting therapeutic toys and be able to communicate how to organize and care for a professional playroom;
  6. Communicate with parents about why we use play therapy, explain how we collaborate with parents for the best outcomes, and describe how children progress in play therapy;
  7. Set and enforce limits in an effective and therapeutic way; and
  8. Identify the stages of play therapy, ethical and cultural issues, and demonstrate how to terminate play therapy appropriately.

• Games and Activities for Play Therapy (*16 contact hours)
  Using play therapy principles, you will explore the use of a directive approach in play therapy. You will develop skills to select and use therapeutic play therapy activities as well as traditional and therapeutic games. You will use games and activities to help children reflect their inner world, enhance healthy development, and strengthen coping skills. In addition, you will learn to engage children in various creative, sensory and stimulating activities that decrease stress, increase emotional regulation, and improve self-esteem. You will learn to choose activities and games that address a specific therapeutic need.

  • Prerequisite: Principles of Play Therapy; exceptions may be made if you have had previous workshops or classes that cover the principles of play therapy

  Read more about Games and Activities for Play Therapy

  Objectives

  This workshop is designed to help you:

  1. Describe and apply Cognitive Behavioral Theory in a play therapy setting, which the Association for Play Therapy recognizes as historically significant to the field of play therapy;
  2. Articulate the rationale for using a directive approach in play therapy while incorporating play therapy principles;
  3. Apply Landreth's limit setting Acknowledge, Communicate, Target (ACT) technique and demonstrate the ability to apply limit setting in the playroom;
  4. Analyze when to choose a particular directive play-based play therapy activity in accord with a client's developmental stage, clinical issue, and specific therapy goals;
  5. Discuss developmental stages and limitations that may apply in choosing a play therapy activity;
  6. Demonstrate which play therapy games and activities might be most useful to target a specific issue; and
  7. Prepare to stock and organize the playroom with recommended games and materials for play therapy activities.

• Group, Filial and Family Play Therapy: Systematic Intervention (*16 contact hours)
  In this workshop, you will develop skills to implement systematic interventions with groups and families. You will learn how filial play therapy strengthens the parent-child relationship, simultaneously improves communication between caregivers, and increases overall family functioning. You will gain confidence in working with groups using play therapy interventions and develop skills to use the power of play to help children increase insight, develop social skills, and strengthen relationships in group settings.

  • Prerequisite: Principles of Play Therapy; exceptions may be made if you have had previous workshops or classes that cover the principles of play therapy

  Read more about Group, Filial and Family Play Therapy: Systematic Intervention

  Objectives

  This workshop is designed to help you:

  1. Explain and apply the filial approach and Developmental theory in a play therapy setting, which the Association for Play Therapy recognizes as historically significant to the field of play therapy;
  2. Use fundamental principles of play therapy and a child-centered approach to develop skills to engage children and parents in filial play therapy;
  3. Articulate how filial play therapy helps the parent/child relationship become stronger and improves the ability for both child and parent to communicate more effectively, enjoy being together, and relax in one another's presence;
  4. Educate parents on the benefit of strengthening family relationships by using play to meet specific goals and demonstrate skills to teach parents child-centered play therapy techniques;
  5. Demonstrate how to approach, educate, support and provide meaningful feedback to parents engaging in various modalities of family-based play therapy;
  6. Discuss how group play therapy techniques can strengthen relationships, resolve conflict, teach social and communication skills, and shift the group dynamic;
  7. Select and use specific activities and games for working with groups across populations and settings; and
  8. Use limit setting per Landreth's Acknowledge, Communicate, Target (ACT) technique to establish boundries, work with groups, and help parents effectively set limits.

• Expressive Arts in Play Therapy (*16 contact hours)
  Explore the rationale for, philosophy, history, and Gestalt theory supporting the use of expressive arts in play therapy. You will learn the basic skills needed to enter the world of expressive arts, which includes drama, music, art, storytelling, poetry, and movement. You will leave the workshop with the confidence to begin working with clients using expressive arts-based interventions. In addition, you will be able to use expressive modalities with a variety of populations and ages both in the playroom and in other settings.

  • Prerequisite: Principles of Play Therapy; exceptions may be made if you have had previous workshops or classes that cover the principles of play therapy

  Read more about Play Therapy and the Expressive Arts: Using Creative Interventions with Tweens, Teens and Other Populations

  Objectives

  This workshop is designed to help you:

  1. Explain and apply Gestalt theory, an Association for Play Therapy historically significant theory to the field of play therapy, in a play therapy setting;
  2. Demonstrate how various expressive modalities (art, music, drama, poetry) are used in play therapy;
  3. Describe and demonstrate how to create a safe and protected space in which clients can freely communicate using expressive arts and play therapy;
  4. Compile materials and items useful for clients at various developmental stages for in-depth expression;
  5. Demonstrate the ability to work with clients through multimodal expressive arts to engage the senses in ways that offer experiences to strengthen the self; and
  6. Discuss archetypes, symbols, and metaphor and demonstrate how to recognize these in expressive and play therapy work.

• The Hero's Journey: Using Sand Tray and Narrative Techniques in Play Therapy (*16 contact hours)
  In this workshop you will explore the history of sand tray work and compare different aspects of the early development of sand tray leading to both sand tray and sand play approaches.  We will examine the theories of Jungian psychology and Humanistic psychology that contributed to the formation of sand tray use in child therapy today.  You will also learn about narrative work and the important role it plays in sand tray work, particularly with play therapy. You will explore how to use the sand tray in the playroom in different modalities including: sensory work, directive work, non-directive work and as a medium for creating narratives with children.  Through case presentations, you will identify the different stages of sand tray work and how to utilize the tray in the playroom.  You will learn how to build the collection of miniatures needed for this work and the reasoning behind their selections as well as practice interventions for using the tray in play sessions with children and adolescents.

  • Prerequisite: Principles of Play Therapy; exceptions may be made if you have had previous workshops or classes that cover the principles of play therapy

  Read more about The Hero's Journey: Using Sand Tray and Narrative Techniques in Play Therapy

  Objectives

  This workshop is designed to help you:

  1. Describe the characteristics of sand tray therapists and the role of the sand tray in therapeutic play with children and adolescents;
  2. Discuss the history and foundations of sand tray work and identify the theoretical approaches sand tray work was built on;
  3. Identify and select the miniatures needed to conduct sand tray work with children, identify the categories used and the practical steps to setting up your sand tray within the playroom;
  4. Discuss the differences between sensory work, directive work, non-directive work and narrative work with a sand tray;
  5. Communicate with parents, the purpose and importance of play therapy and the use of sand tray within play therapy treatment;
  6. Identify and explain the different phases of sand tray work and how to recognize them within the playroom setting;
  7. Develop a narrative approach using the "Hero's Journey" to explain the connection between themes within the sand tray and universal symbols found in Jungian psychology;
  8. Practice the basics of creating trays and "reading" trays through identifying symbolic meanings and commonly found themes in children's sand trays.

• Healing Childhood Trauma, Loss and Grief through Play Therapy (*16 contact hours)
  In this workshop, you will learn how trauma impacts children and how play therapy allows children to use the language of play to resolve these issues and return to the necessary tasks needed for healthy development.  The historically significant approaches to trauma research and treatment are essential to understanding and practicing in the field of play therapy.  Treatment protocols have been developed based on the theoretical approaches that include Trauma Focused-Integrated Play Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Expressive Therapy for addressing trauma in children and adolescents. You will learn how to develop a safe and protected space in the playroom through play therapy techniques that include directive, non-directive, expressive and sand tray work.  The importance of offering both verbal and non-verbal approaches to working with trauma in children will be explained.  You will be able to identify the recognized phases of trauma treatment and implement interventions for different age groups and developmental levels for each of the three phases.  Ways to work with parents and guardians in conjunction with play therapy treatment will also be presented, including different family systems and cultural considerations.

  • Prerequisite: Principles of Play Therapy; exceptions may be made if you have had previous workshops or classes that cover the principles of play therapy

  Read more about Healing Childhood Trauma, Loss and Grief through Play Therapy

  Objectives

  This workshop is designed to help you:

  1. Discuss the theoretical approaches that comprise the history of trauma-informed treatment in children;
  2. Develop and maintain a trauma-informed safe and protected playroom for treatment purposes;
  3. Compare the three major protocols being used for treating children with traumatic histories;
  4. Describe the three phases of treatment utilized for the treatment of trauma with children and adolescents;
  5. Explain the different treatment needs of children according to their developmental level;
  6. Practice play-based interventions utilizing directive, non-directive, expressive and sand tray work;
  7. Recognize family and cultural issues in treating trauma;
  8. Discuss parent/guardian sessions and support of parents/guardians during the treatment of children and adolescents.

Workshop Facilitators

Our workshop facilitators are experienced and passionate about play therapy. Please see each individual workshop for specific information about your instructor.

Meet our workshop facilitators>

What to Expect

Synchronous Format Sessions

Our Zoom sessions offer live, synchronous instruction that occurs in real time, where the presenter and attendees are visible to one another and communicate with each other virtually from their separate locations.

Our in person sessions will be held at Childsavers in Richmond, Virginia, and offer an opportunity to interact with the instructor and other participants. There will be a one-hour break per day. Please bring your own lunch for the sessions.

Attendance and Participation

You are required to have your camera on during live webinar sessions to allow for verified engagement. VCU expects that students limit outside distractions, remain in one location for the duration of the session (no driving/errands), and actively participate in group discussions and activities. Participants must attend the full workshop to receive APT continuing education hours from VCU.

For in-person workshops at ChildSavers, all attendees will need to remain masked outside of times when eating or drinking, regardless of vaccination status. See workshop registration page notes for the full ChildSavers mask policy, entry guidelines, and facility guidelines. Participants must attend the full workshop to receive APT continuing education hours from VCU and to earn the certificate of completion and the digital badge. Any individuals who test positive for COVID 19 or presumed positive, i.e. have an identifiable COVID-19 contact and are symptomatic, are not permitted to attend the in-person training and should reach out to ssschuetz@vcu.edu to discuss a transfer to another play therapy offering. Individuals, who have been exposed to a COVID-positive individual, are able to attend the in-person trainings after they have quarantined for five days and have been fever free for 24 hours.

Creative Materials

For live webinars, our instructor will send you a list of specific creative materials to have on-hand during the workshop. All VCU play therapy workshops require basic art materials including paper, markers, colored pencils, poster board, scissors, decorative items, and glue.

For in person workshops, ChildSavers staff will provide creative materials for experiential work during the workshops. See workshop registration page notes for additional details specific to each workshop.

Required Assessments

VCU conducts a two-part assessment in each workshop. To earn educational hours toward an Association for Play Therapy (APT) credential, you must pass both assessments. These include a scored rubric that demonstrates your mastery of workshop objectives via small and large group activities and discussion, and a multiple choice test. Only participants who pass the activity rubric will be eligible to take the test.

Digital Badging

You will earn a digital badge for each eligible workshop that you successfully complete. Learn more about digital badging.

Who Should Attend

VCU play therapy workshops are for individuals who are employed and/or pursuing education in the behavioral health or school social work field. This would include licensed clinicians, school social workers, students working toward a master's degree in social work, counseling, school social work or counseling, or psychology. We welcome resident clinicians who have graduated with a master's degree and are in supervision toward licensure.

If you have questions about whether the workshops would be beneficial to you, please contact VCU Continuing and Professional Education at ocpe@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1322.

Prerequisites

We recommend that therapists and school counselors take the VCU "Principles of Play Therapy" workshop first as the foundation for all the other play therapy training. After completing the foundational workshop, you are welcome to take the other play therapy workshops in any order. Exceptions may be made if you have had previous workshops or classes that cover the principles of play therapy.

Check dates

Location

Synchronous Format Sessions

Synchronous live webinar sessions are held in real-time, online via the Zoom platform. VCU Continuing and Professional Education will provide you with a link where you can connect through your PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android device.

In person workshops are held at Childsavers, located at 200 North 22nd Street,
Richmond, Virginia 23223.

Groups

Additional scheduling and custom training options are available for groups. Please contact Shelly Schuetz at ssschuetz@vcu.edu or (804) 828-1322 for more information.

Cancellation and Refund Policies

You may cancel your registration up until thecancellation deadline listed on the registration page and receive a full refund minus a $35 credit card processing fee. After that date, no refunds will be given. Cancellations must be received via email at ocpe@vcu.edu. (Processing fees are being waived through 6/30/2023.)

In the unlikely event that this workshop is cancelled or postponed due to insufficient enrollments or unforeseen circumstances, the university will fully refund registration fees, but cannot be held responsible for any other expenses, including change or cancellation charges to include but not limited to airlines, hotels, travel agencies, or other organizations. Should the training need to move to a teleconference platform, participants will be notified 48 hours prior to the training start date to adjust any travel plans.

Transfer Policy

Workshop registrations may be transferred to a different workshop or person if requested in writing via email at ocpe@vcu.edu by the cancellation deadline listed on the registration page.  The participant must meet all prerequisites or qualifications required by the program. Participants who are unable to attend their registered session due to a positive COVID-19 test or exposure, may transfer their registration to another Play Therapy session at no cost.

Questions?

For registration questions, please contact ocpe@vcu.edu. For questions regarding the workshop content or eligibility, please contact Shelly Schuetz, program manager and school liaison at (804) 828-1322.

*Live webinars held after July 1, 2022 AND offered under special conditions are eligible for contact hours, as specified by The Association for Play Therapy (APT).

maydides1984.blogspot.com

Source: https://ocpe.vcu.edu/playtherapy

Share this post