Hard Conversations with Parents
A Child-Centered Approach to Difficult Discussions in Play Therapy
Non-Contact (Online)
Friday June 19th 2026
9am-12pm PST
This 3-hour live Zoom training explores how Child-Centered Play Therapy principles can support play therapists in navigating difficult conversations with caregivers while maintaining connection, authenticity, and therapeutic alliance.
This training is intended for mental health clinicians. For our Play Therapy for the People workshop on a similar topic, visit Hard Conversations with Children.
Presented by Jennifer Sims, MA, LPCC, RPT
The Redwood Center for Children and Families, APT Approved Provider 26-820
And in partnership with Cascadia Training, NBCC ACEP No. 6475
Difficult subjects can evoke anxiety, defensiveness, shame, and fear in both therapists and parents. Through a Child-Centered lens, these conversations become opportunities for relationship-building, and advocacy rather than power struggles or corrective encounters.
Participants will explore how core CCPT skills including reflective responding, tracking emotional process, limit setting, unconditional positive regard, and therapist congruence can extend beyond the playroom and into parent communication. Special attention will be given to recognizing the impact of childism, systems pressure, therapist anxiety, and parental shame on clinical interactions with caregivers. Therapists will learn developmentally responsive and relationally grounded ways to translate play themes into parent-friendly language while remaining ethically sound and clinically attuned.
This training is designed to help play therapists feel more confident, connected, and regulated during difficult parent conversations while strengthening caregiver engagement and preserving the child’s therapeutic experience.
Date and time: Friday, June 19th 2026 9am-12pm PST
Location: Non-contact (on Zoom)
CE credit: 3 Non-contact hours available (APT and/or NBCC)
By the conclusion of this training, participants will be able to:
-
Describe at least two core Child-Centered play therapy skills that can be ethically translated into communication with parents and caregivers.
-
Analyze how therapist anxiety and parental shame impact clinical interactions and engagement within the play therapy process.
-
Formulate a developmentally responsive plan to communicate complex play therapy themes into parent-friendly language.
Primary Areas:
Play Therapy Seminal or Historically Significant Theories
Play Therapy Skills and Methods
Special Topics
Format: Live webinar/Zoom training with lecture, case examples, reflective exercises, and experiential discussion.
APT and NBCC credit available to mental health professionals & graduate students in a mental health program. Choose the CE track of your preference at checkout. All ticket purchasers will receive access to the recording and materials for 30 days after the training.
Live Training
Friday June 19th, 2026
9am-12pm PST
For licensed clinicians only
APT & NBCC CEs available
All live event ticket purchasers will receive access to the recording and materials for 30 days after the live training.
All payments are final and non-refundable. If an unexpected emergency prevents you from participating, you may email us at trainings@theredwoodcenter.org to request an exception.
If a program is canceled by The Redwood Center, participants will receive a full refund.
For our complete cancellation and refund policy, view our Training Policies here.
The Redwood Center for Children and Families
Felton, California
Purchase the Recording
If the live training is full or you can't make the time, you can purchase access to the recording here. Recording and materials will be available by the end of the week following the training.
Meet Your Trainer
About Jen
Jennifer Sims is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Registered Play Therapist™ with nearly 20 years of experience supporting children and families. Known for her engaging, experiential teaching style, she helps parents and professionals turn challenging skills into approachable, hands-on learning.
Jen has advanced training in Child-Centered Play Therapy, Filial Therapy, Gestalt Play Therapy, EMDR for children, and AutPlay. She regularly develops and presents trainings
on non-directive play therapy and related topics, and was featured at the Sixth Annual Innovative Child Therapy Symposium in 2025.