Learning Objectives

Day 1: Foundations, the Playroom, and Beginning Skill Practice

By the end of Day 1, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate traditional verbal mental health interventions from the developmental rationale and non-directive approach of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT).

2. Describe the historical and theoretical foundations of Child-Centered Play Therapy and the role of the therapeutic relationship within the play therapy process.

3. Explain how the therapeutic powers of play are activated within a child-centered, non-directive play therapy framework.

4. Identify the primary categories of toys used in a Child-Centered Play Therapy playroom and considerations for selecting toys for traditional, portable, or school-based play therapy environments.

5. Demonstrate foundational Child-Centered Play Therapy facilitative responses, including tracking, reflecting content and feelings, and returning responsibility, during experiential play therapy practice.

6. Identify common themes and patterns expressed through children's play and describe how these observations can contribute to play therapy case conceptualization.

Day 2: Skill Immersion, Clinical Application, and Integration

By the end of Day 2, participants will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the three-step ACT model of limit setting—acknowledge the feeling, communicate the limit, and target an acceptable alternative—during common Child-Centered Play Therapy scenarios.

2. Differentiate directive and non-directive play therapy responses and describe their potential effects on the therapeutic relationship in play therapy.

3. Apply foundational Child-Centered Play Therapy responses to common play therapy challenges, including unexpected behaviors, messiness, limit testing, and situations in which the play therapist may feel "stuck."

4. Integrate trauma-informed and culturally responsive considerations into Child-Centered Play Therapy conceptualization and practice.

5. Identify ethical considerations, clinical limitations, and professional boundaries relevant to the use of Child-Centered Play Therapy across settings and client presentations.

6. Describe approaches for communicating play therapy goals and progress to parents, caregivers, teachers, and other involved adults while maintaining appropriate client confidentiality.