2024 Fall Play Therapy CE Series In-Person, Contact CEs by APT Approved Provider
Sandtray Basics & Beyond in Play Therapy with Children, Teens & Adults 10/25/2024 - 9:30am-2pm (lunch break 11:30am-12noon) This workshop will explore the basics of sandtray therapy to support children, teens, families, and adults. Important concepts in play therapy such as containment, externalization, & holding space will be explored. Participants will learn how to apply a variety of directives, as well as process sand trays with diverse client presentations & presenting problems in play therapy. Specialized directives drawing from the field of EMDR, Polyvagal Theory, and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs will also be taught. This workshop includes many opportunities for experiential learning. CE Hours: 4 Contact Play Therapy Theoretical Basis: Integrative; Sandtray Primary Areas: Skills and Methods; Special Topics Focus: Engagement, Rapport Building & Assessment Workshop Objectives: Following the workshop, participants will be able to: 1. Explain the differences between sandtray & sandplay in play therapy. 2. Describe the 6-step protocol for sandtray in play therapy. 3. Utilize a variety of non-directive and directive prompts during sandtray play therapy. 4. Offer various comments, questions, and a holding presence during processing of sand trays in play therapy.
Play Therapy Engagement, Rapport Building & Assessment Techniques for Children11/1/2024 - 9:30am-2pm (lunch break 11:30am-12noon) This workshop will explore engagement, rapport building, and assessment with children through play therapy and therapeutic art. We will review the concepts of attunement, attachment, co-regulation and the therapeutic relationship. The majority of the workshop will focus on play therapy engagement, rapport building, and assessment techniques for children. Variations of techniques appropriate for in-person, remote therapy, group work, and family work will be discussed, and many activities will be explored experientially. CE Hours: 4 Contact Play Therapy Theoretical Basis: Attachment Primary Areas: Skills and Methods; Special Topics Focus: Engagement, Rapport Building & Assessment Workshop Objectives: Following the workshop, participants will be able to: 1. Explain engagement & rapport building through the lens of attachment in play therapy. 2. Describe the main goals and considerations for assessment in play therapy sessions. 3. Utilize a variety of play therapy and therapeutic art techniques for engagement and rapport building. 4. Employ various play therapy and therapeutic art techniques for assessment of common content areas.
Creative Play Therapy Interventions for Children and Adolescents with Anxiety 11/15/2024 - 9:30am-2pm (lunch break 11:30am-12noon) 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. CE Hours: 4 Contact Play Therapy Theoretical Basis: Cognitive Behavioral Primary Areas: Skills and Methods; Special Topics Focus: Anxiety Workshop Objectives: Following the workshop, participants will be able to: 1. Describe developmentally appropriate play therapy psychoeducation strategies about anxiety to children, adolescents, and caregivers. 2. Utilize a variety of play therapy, expressive art, and regulating interventions for children and adolescents with anxiety. 3. Describe important goals in Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy with anxious youth. 4. Apply Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy goals and interventions to create an individualized treatment plan.
Grieving Children & Teen: Creative Art Interventions for Individual & Group Play Therapy11/22/2024 - 9:30am-2pm (lunch break 11:30am-12noon) Common issues & needs of grieving children across developmental stages will be investigated, including: how grief is expressed and understood at various developmental stages; needs of grieving children; and considerations across different religious & cultural backgrounds. A variety of creative & expressive art techniques appropriate for children ages 6-17 in play therapy will be presented, & participants will have the opportunity to explore many of them experientially. The techniques presented can be utilized & adapted to play therapy with children/adolescents, groups, and families. Interventions include ideas and activities for: psychoeducation; honoring & remembering loved ones; expressing feelings; coping; and building confidence. CE Hours: 4 Contact Play Therapy Theoretical Basis: Integrative Primary Areas: Skills and Methods; Special Topics Focus: Grief/Bereavement Workshop Objectives: Following the workshop, participants will be able to: 1. Describe common losses children experience, how they understand and are affected by death at different ages, and needs of grieving children & families in play therapy. 2. Provide psychoeducation in play therapy to parents and children around grief & loss. 3. Utilize a variety of expressive art activities for honoring & remembering a loved one in play therapy. 4. Employ a variety of creative art and play therapy interventions for expressing grief related feelings and enhancing coping. Presenter: Crystal Zelman, LCSW, CCLS, RPT-S is the owner of Morris County Play Therapy. She has worked with children, adolescents, and families for 17 years and has a passion for supporting children through play therapy.
Registration Information: Cost: Single workshop $175 (4 CEs); Early bird rate: when registered & paid 2 weeks in advance: $150 Bundle Pricing: $425 for any 3 workshops (12 CEs); $525 for all 4 workshops (16 CEs). All prices include Contact Play Therapy CEs. Play therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals. To Register, please send an email to [email protected] with the following information: 1. Your Name; 2. Mental Health License(s) & Certifications; 3. Address; 4. Phone Number 5. Payment Payment can be made by mailing a check to Crystal Zelman LLC to 9 Broadway, Suite 20 Denville, NJ 07834 or via Zelle (please email us if you need to pay by Zelle, and we’ll send instructions) Location: All workshops will occur at Morris County Play Therapy 9 Broadway, Suite 20 Denville, NJ 07834
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 fall series of 2024. To address any concerns or to resolve any disputes regarding this event, 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 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, college students, and educators throughout the state of New Jersey.
Previous workshops have included:
Sandtray Basics and Beyond
Grieving Children & Teens: Creative Interventions for Individual & Group Work
Creative Interventions for Children & Adolescents with Anxiety
Play-Based Engagement, Rapport Building, and Assessment Techniques for Children & Teens
Facilitating Coping with COVID-19 Related Changes and Losses When Working in a School Setting
How to Navigate Grief, Loss, and a New Normal During COVID-19
Basic Play-Based Interventions with Children
What Every Educator Needs to Know About Children Affected by Adult Cancer in the Family
Facilitating Coping with a Hospital Experience: Medical-Specific Play and Art-Based Strategies and Interventions for Children
Working with Children who Have a Parent with Cancer: First Encounter to Anticipatory Grief
Bridging the Play Therapy-Child Life Gap: Play and Art Techniques in Child Life
Working with Children, Teenagers and Young Adults with Illness in the Family
A Toolbox for Educators: Strategies for Helping Children Affected by Adult Cancer in the Family
Working with Children Affected by Adult Cancer in the Family: Play & Art Therapy Techniques
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:
Bereavement-specific art & craft groups (children & teens)
Mini-retreats for families affected by cancer with various themes: art, music, drama and yoga (families)