By the end of this 3-hour continuing education session, participants will be able to:

Workshop 1

Description:

Participants will evaluate clinical considerations involved in incorporating trauma-focused experiential interventions into play and sandtray therapy. Emphasis will be placed on pacing, therapeutic attunement, emotional regulation, client readiness, therapist responsiveness, and recognizing when an intervention may need to be modified, slowed, or discontinued. Participants will examine ethical responsibilities associated with trauma-focused experiential work, including informed consent, client autonomy, appropriate boundaries, therapist competence, emotional safety, and the potential for unintended harm. Participants will consider how clinical decision-making can support client choice and reduce the risk of overwhelming or retraumatizing experiences. Participants will apply trauma-informed principles to experiential play and sandtray interventions through clinical discussion, case examples, and reflective activities. Participants will consider how observation, attunement, pacing, therapeutic relationship, and responsiveness can guide intervention selection and help therapists create a safer and more client-centered therapeutic experience

3 CE’s - Ethical Dilemmas of Testifying in the Courtroom

1. Evaluate the clinical implications of experiential trauma processing within play and sandtray therapy, including the importance of pacing, emotional regulation, therapeutic boundaries, and client-centered care.
2. Identify and discuss at least three ethical and clinical considerations related to the use of trauma-focused experiential interventions, including informed consent, client autonomy, potential retraumatization, and the therapist’s responsibility to maintain emotional safety.
3. Develop a trauma-informed approach to integrating experiential play and sandtray therapy interventions by applying principles of attunement, clinical observation, and responsive therapeutic support to case-based or experiential learning scenarios.

Workshop 2

Description:

Participants will explore the potential emotional, cognitive, and physiological responses that may emerge when clients engage in trauma-related play and sandtray therapy. Through experiential exercises and guided reflection, participants will consider how vulnerability, emotional activation, sensory experiences, and personal meaning may influence a client’s experience within the therapeutic process. Participants will examine the potential therapeutic benefits and clinical risks associated with using play and sandtray therapy when working with trauma-related material. Discussion will include the potential for increased insight, symbolic expression, emotional processing, and meaning-making, while also addressing emotional flooding, dysregulation, premature processing, and the possibility of retraumatization. Participants will use an experiential sandtray process to consider the therapeutic experience from the client’s perspective. Guided processing will encourage participants to examine feelings of vulnerability, safety, control, exposure, and therapeutic connection while developing greater awareness of how the therapist’s interventions may be experienced by the client.

3 CE's Trauma in the Play Therapy Setting

1. Identify and describe at least three potential emotional, cognitive, and physiological responses that clients may experience when engaging in trauma-related experiential play and sandtray therapy interventions.
2. Analyze the potential therapeutic benefits and risks of utilizing experiential play and sandtray therapy techniques with trauma-exposed clients, including considerations related to emotional activation, vulnerability, and client readiness.
3. Demonstrate increased clinical awareness of the client’s perspective during trauma-focused play and sandtray therapy through guided experiential activities, reflective discussion, and examination of the therapeutic process.

Disclaimer: 

Please be advised: This continuing education course includes experiential activities that may evoke emotional responses or personal reflection. Participants are encouraged to exercise self-awareness and consider their personal readiness when registering for this training.

Participant Note: This course is educational in nature and is not intended to serve as a substitute for individual psychotherapy. Participants are encouraged to prioritize their personal well-being throughout the training and to engage in the experiential components at a level that feels appropriate for their individual needs.

Continuing Education Information

Participants who complete both workshops are eligible to receive 6 APT-approved continuing education hours.
Participants attending an individual 3-hour workshop may receive 3 continuing education hours, provided they meet all attendance requirements.
These continuing education hours are eligible for play therapy education toward the Registered Play Therapist credential or credential renewal.
Participants must meet attendance requirements and complete any required evaluation or documentation to receive continuing education credit.
This workshop is for mental health professionals (licensed, provisionally licensed, and students) looking to deepen their understanding of play therapy.