Play As the Common Language
Foundations of Child-Centered Play Therapy
Friday November 6th - Sunday November 8th 2026
Contact (In-person)
9am-4:30pm PST
Nestled in the serene and grounding environment of the Santa Cruz Mountains, this training will be hosted at The Redwood Center for Play Therapy Education, located at 6060 Graham Hill Rd., Felton, CA. The venue is situated just 20 minutes outside of the coastal city of Santa Cruz. This peaceful, nature-filled setting offers an ideal, reflective atmosphere for therapists to immerse themselves in the core relational concepts of Child-Centered Play Therapy.
This training is intended for licensed mental health clinicians or graduate students in a mental health program.
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
This foundational three-day training is designed for mental health professionals and graduate students seeking a deep, experiential dive into the paradigm, clinical skills, and empirical support of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT). Grounded strictly in seminal and historically significant play therapy theories, this workshop introduces participants to the non-directive play therapy philosophy that honors the child’s natural self-directed growth.
Throughout the 18 instructional hours, participants will explore the transition from traditional verbal therapies to play therapy, examining how play acts as the child's primary medium of communication. Instructional methods will actively involve the learner through didactic lecture, group discussions, and intensive experiential role-play to practice tracking, reflecting feelings, and the standard three-step limit-setting process.
Special emphasis will be placed on multicultural competence, adjusting the play therapy lens to respect cultural and social diversity, and analyzing the strict clinical limitations of the model. Attendees will leave equipped with the foundational proficiencies necessary to ethically integrate child-centered play therapy into private practice, agencies, and school-based settings.
Dates: Friday, November 6th - Sunday November 8th 2026
Time: 9am-4:30pm PST
Location: Contact (In-person)
CE Credit: 18 CE hours available (APT and/or NBCC)
Day 1: Theory, Philosophy, and the Play Therapy Environment
Participants will be able to:
Differentiate between traditional verbal mental health interventions and the developmental rationale of child-centered play therapy.
Analyze the historical and seminal theoretical roots of non-directive play therapy.
Identify the mandatory categories of toys required to fully equip a standard child-centered play therapy room.
Assemble an effective, portable play therapy kit designed for mobile or school-based clinical settings.
Explain how the therapeutic powers of play are specifically activated within a non-directive play therapy framework.
Assess the clinical implications of a child's toy choices during the initial stages of play therapy.
Day 2: Relational Skills, Tracking, and Limit Setting
Participants will be able to:
Demonstrate proper verbal tracking techniques during experiential play therapy mock sessions.
Formulate accurate reflections of a child's implicit emotional states expressed through play therapy behaviors.
Apply the child-centered, three-step limit-setting model during common play therapy therapeutic scenarios.
Execute appropriate clinical responses to handle unexpected behaviors or messiness within the play therapy room.
Compare the outcomes of directive versus non-directive clinician responses on the therapeutic alliance in play therapy.
Evaluate professional boundary shifts required when transitioning from general counseling to a play therapy framework.
Day 3: Diversity, Limitations, and Clinical Application
Participants will be able to:
Integrate cultural and social diversity concepts into clinical conceptualizations of child-centered play therapy.
Critique the clinical limitations of applying a pure non-directive play therapy model across varying diagnostic populations.
Formulate a play therapy treatment plan that accommodates the needs of culturally diverse family systems.
Analyze current peer-reviewed, contemporary scientific literature supporting the efficacy of child-centered play therapy.
Identify explicit ethical considerations and code of ethics boundaries unique to the practice of play therapy.
Design a clinical framework for communicating play therapy progress to parents, teachers, and guardians without violating client confidentiality.
Daily Schedule
09:00 AM – 10:30 AM: Morning Instructional Session (1.5 hours)
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM: Morning Break (No CE credit awarded)
10:45 AM – 12:15 PM: Mid-Morning Instructional Session (1.5 hours)
12:15 PM – 01:15 PM: Lunch Break (No CE credit awarded)
01:15 PM – 02:45 PM: Early Afternoon Instructional Session (1.5 hours)
02:45 PM – 03:00 PM: Afternoon Break (No CE credit awarded)
03:00 PM – 04:30 PM: Late Afternoon Instructional Session (1.5 hours)
Lodging & Travel Information
Participants traveling from outside the area have multiple options for overnight accommodations:
Local Inns & Bed & Breakfasts: Experience the local charm of the mountains by exploring hotels and cabins tucked into the redwoods around Felton and Ben Lomond.
Scotts Valley Hotels: Located a short 10-minute drive from the venue, Scotts Valley features several highly-rated, modern corporate hotels and suites perfect for a comfortable commute.
Santa Cruz Coastline: If you prefer a coastal retreat after a day of learning, hotels and boutique beach lodgings along the Santa Cruz coastline are roughly 20 minutes away.
Vacation Rentals: There is an abundance of unique local Airbnbs and home rentals scattered throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains and surrounding beach towns.
Check out hotel selections via Google Maps here.
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.
Live Training
Friday November 6th 2026 - Sunday November 8th 2026
9am-4:30pm PST
For licensed clinicians and graduate students only
18 APT & NBCC CEs available
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
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.