Full Spectrum Play Therapy: Sensory-Somatic Strategies for Engaging the Whole Child

Embrace Play in An Outdoor Adventure for Child Play Therapists!

A FULL DAY OF EXPLORATORY PLAY…

Connect with fellow child therapists for an exhilarating day of sensory-rich, regulation-aware play in a beautiful outdoor setting. Let’s celebrate the joy of discovery and the power of nature in fostering growth and healing.

RELATING THROUGH THE SENSES…

Dive into a world where all senses come alive! Expand your understanding of child development, whole-body regulation, and trauma-adapted interventions. Through the use of small group activities, large group discussions, and individual reflection, you’ll integrate new insights into your practice.

WEAVING IN MULTIPLE APPROACHES…

This hands-on, outdoor workshop brings together the best of Theraplay, Child-Centered Play Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, and Synergetic Play Therapy. Experience the magic of incorporating the senses and the autonomic nervous system into your therapeutic toolkit.

FOSTERING CONNECTION AND GROWTH…

Engage in dynamic, experiential learning led by experts MereAnn Reid, LPC, RPT, and Jamie Watson, LMFT, RPT-S. Discover creative ways to use everyday and found materials in therapy sessions, and collaborate with peers to develop personalized activities tailored to support children’s diverse needs.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT…

You’ll leave with a treasure trove of resources, innovative ideas, and shared experiences that you can bring into your practice. Whether in the playroom, classroom, or beyond, these new strategies will help you support children from a neurodiversity-affirming perspective.

JOIN US FOR A DAY OF FUN, LEARNING, AND COMMUNITY!

Step into the realm of outdoor play therapy and experience a full day of exploration, discovery, and growth amidst the wonders of nature. Together, we’ll harness the natural environment to nurture healing and development through play.

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Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to enhance your practice and connect with a vibrant community of fellow therapists. Sign up now and prepare for a day filled with laughter, learning, and lasting connections!

We can't wait to play with you!

Learning Objectives:

By the completion of this six-hour workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Connect at least three child-centered play therapy interventions to trauma-responsive treatment goals and educational advocacy strategies that support children experiencing chronic dysregulation.

2. Identify at least three play therapy tools designed to meet neurodevelopmental needs by increasing regulation, connection, and felt safety, and explain how each tool supports these areas.

3. Demonstrate the ability to reframe at least two examples of off-track behavior as bids for connection, felt safety, and regulation, and apply at least two corresponding play therapy skills or sensory tools to address those needs.

4. List and describe at least four creative, cost-effective, sensory-smart interventions for child and adolescent clients that can be used in the playroom and adapted for home and school settings.

5. Compare and contrast two models of states of regulation and explain their applications in play therapy and parent education.

6. Identify at least three somatosensory channels beyond the five primary senses and demonstrate one directive play therapy approach that engages these channels to support regulation and coping skills.

   
   

Cancellation and grievance policy: Registration is required. Please let us know if you are unable to attend. There is a participation cost, so there is no refund if canceled within 7 days of the event. A $25 cancellation and refund fee applies. If you have questions or concerns about this or any training provided by the presenters, please contact our co-sponsor. There will be an evaluation to complete after the workshop to obtain CEs.

APT Approved Provider (#25-761) This workshop offers 6 APT contact CEs. *The Oregon Board of Licensed Social Workers (OBLSW) has placed the Association for Play Therapy (APT) on its list of Accepted Credentialing Bodies. Social workers who take courses approved by an APT Approved Provider (such as ORAPT) can count the hours toward their continuing education requirement. This is for the state of Oregon ONLY. This is not an NASW-approved workshop.*

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About the Presenters:

MereAnn Reid, LPC, RPT™: MereAnn is an attachment-focused play therapist, parent coach, and founder of Raising Family Resilience, LLC, hosting a series of workshops and retreats for parents who want to feel more connected to their kids without losing themselves. She is a contributing author of The Embodied Brain and Sandtray Therapy: Stories of Healing and Transformation, on the power of play therapy in healing grief and attachment in adoption. She practices a brain-body approach to play therapy, drawing on an in-depth study of relational neuroscience, Theraplay (Level I), certified Synergetic Play Therapist, polyvagal theory, and certified Safe & Sound Protocol facilitator (music-based listening therapy for retuning the nervous system), brain-based parent coaching, and offers assessments using the Neurosequential Model of Assessment (Level I-trained). MereAnn lives in Portland, Oregon, where she runs a small private practice in a big yellow bungalow, with stuffed animals, puppets, art materials, and a coffee-table sandtray keeping her company. You can find her parent coaching work at https://www.familyzest.com/, and her child therapy practice at https://mereannreid.com/

Jamie Watson, LMFT, RPT-S™: Jamie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Oregon and Washington and the Mental Health Therapy Director at Neurotherapeutic Pediatric Therapies, Inc. in Portland and surrounding areas. At the University of Western States, Jamie teaches Play Therapy, Pre-Practicum, and Human Growth & Development in the Graduate Department of Counseling. Jamie is a Registered Play Therapist- Supervisor™ and is also recognized by the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists (OBLPCT), the Washington Department of Health, and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT) as an Approved Clinical Supervisor. She also has additional training in Foster and Adoptive Family Therapy, Parent-Child Interactive Therapy (PCIT), and Trauma-Focused CBT, specializing in child attachment and trauma. Jamie currently serves as president of the Oregon Association for Play Therapy (ORAPT) and has been involved with the Board and ORAPT in some capacity for over a decade. Jamie lives in Clackamas, Oregon with her two young boys, husband, and goldendoodle (therapy dog). You can find more information about her on her website, www.jamiewatsonconsulting.com