Spring 2026 Play Therapy CE Series:
In-Person, Small Group, Contact CEs by APT Approved Provider
- Bibliotherapy for Play Therapists: Healing Wounds & Developing Coping Skills with Picture Books - with Donna Cangelosi
This workshop will provide an overview of bibliotherapy and its effectiveness as an adjunct for play therapy clients. Participants will learn the benefits of bibliotherapy, criteria for selecting books, and ways to use them in play therapy. Picture books for addressing presenting problems including introducing therapy, separation issues, loss/mourning, fears and anxiety, divorce, domestic violence, sexual abuse/bad touch, feelings, adoption, foster care, self-esteem, gender identity, and self-regulation will be reviewed. Participants will also learn the key components for creating individualized narratives for play therapy clients.
Objectives:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- List the three stages of bibliotherapy for young children.
- Describe three therapeutic benefits of using bibliotherapy with play therapy clients.
- Discuss four criteria for choosing picture books for play therapy clients.
- Select at least three picture books to use with play therapy clients.
- Identify three ways bibliotherapy can be incorporated with play therapy clients and their parents.
Theoretical Basis: Integrative
Primary Areas: Skills and Methods; Special Topics
Focus: Bibliotherapy
- Creative Play Therapy Interventions for Children & Adolescents with Anxiety - with Crystal Zelman
This highly experiential workshop draws from the fields of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, neurobiology, expressive arts, and play therapy. We will explore creative play therapy strategies and activities for psychoeducation and interventions with children and teenagers ages 6-17 who experience anxiety. We will review important information about children and adolescents with anxiety, including ways to incorporate parents. Participants will learn developmentally appropriate ways to apply cognitive behavioral play therapy with clients, including strategies to foster a calmer nervous system, externalizing the problem, and building a repertoire of effective coping tools.
Objectives:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Describe developmentally appropriate play therapy psychoeducation strategies about anxiety to children, adolescents, and caregivers.
- Utilize a variety of play therapy, expressive art, and regulating interventions for children and adolescents with anxiety.
- Describe important goals in Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy with anxious youth.
- Apply Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy goals and interventions to create an individualized treatment plan.
Theoretical Basis: Cognitive Behavioral
Primary Areas: Skills and Methods; Special Topics
Focus: Anxiety
**Scroll down for cost & registration information**
Check Back for More Workshops Coming this Fall (2026)!
Presenters:
Donna Cangelosi maintains a private practice with children, adolescents, and adults in Wayne NJ, where she provides psychotherapy, clinical supervision, and parent education. She co-edited Play Therapy Techniques, Volumes 1 and 2, The Playing Cure, Essential Play Therapy Techniques, and Prescriptive Play Therapy. Dr. Cangelosi is the author of Saying Goodbye in Child Psychotherapy and several chapters and articles on working with children of divorce and the theory and practice of psychodynamic play therapy.
Donna Cangelosi maintains a private practice with children, adolescents, and adults in Wayne NJ, where she provides psychotherapy, clinical supervision, and parent education. She co-edited Play Therapy Techniques, Volumes 1 and 2, The Playing Cure, Essential Play Therapy Techniques, and Prescriptive Play Therapy. Dr. Cangelosi is the author of Saying Goodbye in Child Psychotherapy and several chapters and articles on working with children of divorce and the theory and practice of psychodynamic play therapy.
Crystal Zelman is the owner and primary clinician for Morris County Play Therapy, is a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS). Crystal is an EMDR Certified Therapist, utilizing EMDR with adults and children. Crystal facilitates workshops for professionals through both in-person & virtual continuing education opportunities. She also enjoys providing case consultation to other social workers working towards their play therapy (RPT) certification.
Crystal taught as a Part-Time Lecturer at Rutgers University, teaching clinical social work classes to masters level students from 2015-2023 & currently presents for the Rutgers School of Social Work CE Program. Crystal previously worked in Early Intervention, supporting children ages birth to 3 with developmental delays & their families for 10+ years. She also worked for 9+ years with children who had a parent or other family member with cancer, supporting children's inner resilience & coping.
Crystal taught as a Part-Time Lecturer at Rutgers University, teaching clinical social work classes to masters level students from 2015-2023 & currently presents for the Rutgers School of Social Work CE Program. Crystal previously worked in Early Intervention, supporting children ages birth to 3 with developmental delays & their families for 10+ years. She also worked for 9+ years with children who had a parent or other family member with cancer, supporting children's inner resilience & coping.
What Previous Participants are Saying:
APT Approved Provider #24-784
- “Wonderful presentation, topics, and practical examples to apply in practice! Really appreciate the interactive and experiential approach to training.”
- “Crystal is a gem. The activities were diverse & easy to use.”
- “I enjoyed the opportunity to be hands on and engaged in learning through multisensory approach.”
- “Kept my attention/interest & it was very applicable.”
- “Extremely practical & helpful!”
- “Training was flexible for all levels of skills/prior knowledge.”
- “I enjoyed the structure of the training - experiential activities, lecture, etc. So helpful! Also enjoyed the small group setting.”
APT Approved Provider #24-784
Location:
All Workshops are in-person at Morris County Play Therapy:
9 Broadway, Suite 20, Denville, NJ 07834
Cost:
Single Workshop with payment & registration at least 2 weeks in advance: $200 (or $225 after)
2 Bundle Workshop Rate: $385 (Choose any 2 workshops in the same series)
Registration:
Please email the following to [email protected]:
1. Your Name;
2. Mental Health License(s) Type & Certification(s);
3. Address;
4. Phone Number; and
5. Payment can be completed by mailing a check or via Zelle.
For check payments, please mail a check made out to:
Crystal Zelman LLC to
9 Broadway, STE 20
Denville, NJ 07834
For Zelle payment instructions, please email [email protected]
Cancellation policy: Registration is non-refundable; any participant who needs to cancel is welcome to find someone to fill their spot, or choose another workshop to attend within the same workshop series.
To address any concerns or to resolve any disputes regarding a workshop, please email: [email protected]
All Workshops are in-person at Morris County Play Therapy:
9 Broadway, Suite 20, Denville, NJ 07834
Cost:
Single Workshop with payment & registration at least 2 weeks in advance: $200 (or $225 after)
2 Bundle Workshop Rate: $385 (Choose any 2 workshops in the same series)
Registration:
Please email the following to [email protected]:
1. Your Name;
2. Mental Health License(s) Type & Certification(s);
3. Address;
4. Phone Number; and
5. Payment can be completed by mailing a check or via Zelle.
For check payments, please mail a check made out to:
Crystal Zelman LLC to
9 Broadway, STE 20
Denville, NJ 07834
For Zelle payment instructions, please email [email protected]
Cancellation policy: Registration is non-refundable; any participant who needs to cancel is welcome to find someone to fill their spot, or choose another workshop to attend within the same workshop series.
To address any concerns or to resolve any disputes regarding a workshop, please email: [email protected]
Personalized Workshops
We offer presentations for professionals, including professional development for school personnel, mental health conferences, and personalized workshops for your agency. In-person and/or virtual presentations are experiential, interactive and engaging, and can be specifically designed with a targeted topic for your audience. Our workshops have been previously presented nationally & internationally, including for the Child Life of Greater New York Conference, the International Play Therapy Conference, the National Association of Social Workers, Rutgers School of Social Work Continuing Education, the Association for Oncology Social Workers (AOSW), Art Psychotherapy Counseling Services, various school districts, colleges, and educators throughout the state of New Jersey.
Previous workshops have included:
Previous workshops have included:
- Sandtray Basics and Beyond in Play Therapy with Children, Teens & Adults
- Grieving Children & Teens: Creative Art Interventions for Individual & Group Play Therapy
- Creative Play Therapy Interventions for Children & Adolescents with Anxiety
- Attachment, Connection, & Assessment Techniques in Play Therapy (formally Engagement, Rapport Building & Assessment Techniques)
- Facilitating Coping with a Hospital Experience: Medical-Specific Play and Art-Based Strategies and Interventions for Children
- Medical Play Therapy: Supporting Children Through Their Own or a Caregiver's Illness
- What Every Educator Needs to Know About Children Affected by Adult Cancer in the Family
- Working with Children who Have a Parent with Cancer: First Encounter to Anticipatory Grief
Self Care & Team Building Groups
Creative, experiential, and professionally facilitated groups for children or adults are available that cater to your organization or populations' needs. Therapeutic or team building experiences can be brought to your school's students, your organization's employees, or your agency's clients. Both children and adults alike can benefit from fun and playful interactions offered through expressive play-, art- or yoga-inspired activities. Our groups have been previously offered at Camp Clover (children's bereavement camp), local NJ elementary school Health & Wellness Summit, and the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center of Morristown Medical Center, and other mental health service organizations.
Previous groups have included:
Previous groups have included:
- Bereavement-specific art & craft groups (children & teens)
- Mini-retreats for families affected by cancer with various themes: art, music, drama and yoga (families)
- Staff yoga and mediation (adults)
- Inner child workshops (adults)
- Mind/Body/Emotions (children)