Play Therapy with Abuse and Trauma – Live Webinar
Friday, March 12th, 2026
Each day from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm CST
Limited to 50 Participants
15 Non-Contact APT CE hours. This is not a Recorded Workshop.
APT Approved Provider 15-424
NBCC Approved Continuing Education Provider #6774
Workshop Fee: $375 for professionals, $300 for graduate students
Description:
This experiential workshop explores the impact of abuse and trauma on children and adolescents through the lens of play therapy. Participants will examine various forms of trauma, including domestic violence, sexual abuse, and physical abuse, and how these experiences are often expressed symbolically through play. The training will focus on understanding and recognizing common play themes associated with trauma and abuse, including themes of control, power, safety, attachment, and emotional regulation. Through case examples, experiential activities, and guided discussion, participants will learn to identify developmentally appropriate, evidence-informed play therapy interventions that support healing, resilience, and emotional processing in traumatized children. Emphasis will be placed on creating a safe therapeutic environment, pacing treatment appropriately for the child client and their family unit and responding therapeutically to intense play content while maintaining clinical attunement.
Objectives:
- Identify three main forms of child abuse and key factors to consider when providing play therapy for individuals who have experienced abuse.
- Analyze research on how trauma can effect an individual’s physical and mental health and how it can be used to inform play therapy treatment.
- Examine the basic tenets of Polyvagal Theory and how the autonomic nervous system influences trauma responses, emotional regulation, and felt safety in child clients.
- Identify five play therapy techniques that can assist the therapist in increasing a client’s feelings of safety and security in the playroom.
- Assess knowledge on mandated reporting and identify any potential barriers and challenges to working with child clients after child abuse and neglect reports have been made on a caregiver.
- Demonstrate eight play therapy techniques that can be utilized to decrease trauma symptoms during individual child and/or family therapy.
- Identify key concepts of vicarious trauma in the play therapy field and engage in guided self-reflection and experiential activities to explore participants’ own responses to vicarious trauma.
- Examine common evidence-informed treatment approaches to child trauma, including Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), EMDR, and Post-Traumatic Play Therapy.
- Create a plan on how to determine when an individual is ready to end therapy and describe three play therapy techniques that will aid the therapist in providing a healthy transition from therapy.
Instructors: Kerri Koehler-Butt, LSCSW, LCSW, RPT-S™, RST-C/T & Carmy Goodwin, LSCSW, LCSW, RPT-S™, RST-C/T
Workshop Schedule for Live Webinar:
Day One:
8:30-10:00 Sign-In, Play Check-In & Training Begins
10:00-10:15 Morning Break
10:15-12:00 Training Continues
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-2:30 Training Continues
2:30-2:45 Afternoon Break
2:45-5:00 Training Continues with Conclusion of Day 1
Day Two:
8:30-10:00 Sign-In, Play Check-In & Training Begins
10:00-10:15 Morning Break
10:15-12:00 Training Continues
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-2:30 Training Continues
2:30-2:45 Afternoon Break
2:45-5:00 Training Continues & Workshop Conclusion
Live Webinar Policy:
For a successful Live Webinar that ensures full CE credit, you will need:
- A device (computer or tablet preferred) with a working camera and microphone.
- A strong and reliable internet connection.
- A designated safe space of your choosing free from disruption.
- A reliable childcare plan (if applicable).
- A commitment to keep your webcam on the entire workshop.
- The workshop supplies nearby that have either been requested in the workshop email or provided in the supply shipment (if applicable).
Workshop Cancellation:
- Cancellation requests should be submitted by email to Heartlandpti@gmail.com no later than 7 calendar days prior to the scheduled workshop date in order to receive a full refund of the paid workshop fee. Cancellation and/or rescheduled requests that are submitted after 7 calendar days prior to the scheduled workshop date will result in a refund of the paid workshop fee – with the exception of a $25 administrative fee for a half-day workshop, a $50 administrative fee for a full-day workshop a $75 administrative fee for 2-day workshop.
- Heartland Play reserves the right to cancel a workshop due to insufficient enrollment. Heartland Play will email workshop students at least 5 calendar days in advance of the scheduled workshop date to notify students of the cancellation. Notice will be provided with the option to reschedule for a future course date or to receive a full refund of paid workshop fees.
- Heartland Play reserves the right to cancel a workshop due to inclement weather, instructor illness or instructor family emergency. If a workshop is canceled, students will be notified via e-mail prior to the workshop start time. Heartland Play will notify the students of a reschedule date for the workshop within 10 calendar days of the cancelled workshop. Notice will be provided with the option to reschedule for the future course date or to receive a full refund of the paid workshop fee.
