Play Therapy in Costa Rica! / ¡Terapia de Juego en Costa Rica!

Culturally Responsive Play Therapy Immersion in Costa Rica

Week-long Intensive: Saturday, January 31 – Sunday, February 8, 2026

Proposed Program Itinerary:

(Note: As guests in another country, we may adjust the order of the schedule due to unforeseen glitches outside our control. Patience is appreciated- rest assured, all material will be covered.)

Saturday, Jan 31 (Welcome Day): Arrival in San José → group transportation to Grecia → welcome dinner

Evening Session: Play Therapy in Costa Rica Introduction (1.5 CE)

Sunday, Feb 1:Full-day excursion to Herradura/Jaco Beaches & La Paz Waterfall Gardens (transportation, guide, and lunch included)

Monday, Feb 2 (Day 1): Morning Session: Spanish immersion classes + role-play practice (1 CE)

Afternoon Session: Foundations & Orientation in Play Therapy (3.5 CE)

Evening: Guided walking tour of Grecia town with local hosts

Tuesday, Feb 3 (Day 2): Morning Session: Spanish immersion classes + conversation practice (1 CE)

Afternoon Session: Comparative & Cross-Cultural Play Therapy (3.5 CE)

Evening Session: Latin cuisine cooking class (dinner included)

Wednesday, Feb 4 (Day 3): Morning Session: Spanish immersion classes + experiential role-plays (1 CE)

Afternoon Session: Development & Culture in Practice (3.5 CE)

Evening Session: Dance class (salsa, merengue, cumbia)

Thursday, Feb 5 (Day 4): Morning Session: Spanish immersion classes + elementary school field visit & debrief (1.5 CE)

Afternoon Session: Coffee & Chocolate Tour Excursion (transportation, guide, and lunch included) + follow-up lecture (2 CE)

Evening Session: Group dinner & debrief (1 CE)

Friday, Feb 6 (Day 5): Morning Session: Spanish immersion classes + visit to a local play therapist’s office (2.5 CE)

Afternoon Session: Farewell lunch (included) + Wellness & Self-Care for Play Therapists and Closing Lecture (3.5 CE)

Evening Session: Souvenir shopping trip to artisan town Sarchí (transportation included)

Saturday, Feb 7: Full-day excursion to La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano & hot springs) with guide and transportation (lunch on your own)

Sunday, Feb 8: Departure day → group transportation to San José International Airport (SJO)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will:

1. List at least two ways cultural and language immersion can enhance play therapy practice with children and adults.

2. Demonstrate therapeutic interventions and play therapy concepts by correctly using at least five Costa Rican Spanish vocabulary terms in structured role-play practice.

3. Summarize the historical and theoretical foundations of play therapy and identify at least two cross-cultural applications observed during the training.

4. Compare and contrast at least three similarities and differences in how play therapy is practiced in Costa Rica versus the United States.

5. Apply at least two culturally responsive play therapy techniques presented through lecture, video clips, or live demonstration.

6. Adapt one play therapy intervention for use in a school setting and one for use in an older adult care setting.

7. Modify one play therapy technique to fit at least two different developmental stages (e.g., preschool and adolescent).

8. Describe two specific ways the Costa Rican concept of Pura Vida can be applied to therapist self-care in play therapy practice.

9. Identify three attachment-based play therapy strategies for co-regulation, repair, and emotional attunement.

10. Practice two culturally attuned, attachment-based responses during experiential role-play exercises.

11. Integrate the Therapeutic Powers of Play framework into one case example by identifying at least two relevant powers.

12. Analyze one seminal play therapy theory (child-centered, Adlerian, cognitive-behavioral, or filial) and propose how it could be adapted for use in Costa Rican cultural contexts.

13. Demonstrate culturally responsive limit-setting by enacting at least one boundary-setting scenario during Spanish role-play practice.

14. Evaluate systemic and community influences on play therapy practice by identifying at least two themes during field observations (e.g., school or local play therapy office visit).

15. Document at least two ways personal cultural assumptions or biases shifted through reflection on immersion experiences in Costa Rica.

About the Presenters

Dawn J Williamson, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S™: Over 20 years in private practice, offering supervision and training in play therapy since 1997. APT Award of Excellence (2018). Extensive international experience, including leading groups in Costa Rica since 2006.

Jamie A Watson, MA, LMFT, RPT-S™, APT Approved Provider (#25-761): Over a decade supporting neurodivergent children and families. Experienced graduate-level instructor, certified in TF-CBT and Foster and Adoptive Family Therapy. Active with Oregon APT and passionate about supervision, consultation, and play therapy training.

Investment

$1,685 (APT members: $1,585 →save $100!)

• Includes airport transfers, Spanish classes, multiple curated excursions with a personalized guide, lunches provided, welcome dinner and farewell lunch, daily coffee and snacks, dance class, cooking class, and CEs.

• Some meals, airfare, lodging, and personal expenses are not included.

Continuing Education

Jamie Watson is an APT Approved Provider (#25-761). A total of 24 APT Contact CEs will be awarded upon completion of the trip. NASW CEs pending.

Cancellation Policy

Due to the nature of international travel coordination and third-party partnerships, we have a firm cancellation policy for this event.

• A non-refundable deposit of $250 is required to secure your spot.

• Both the initial deposit and a significant portion of the overall program fee are paid directly to the Spanish language school in Costa Rica to reserve your space, cover instruction, excursions, and staffing. These funds are non-transferable and non-recoverable once paid.

• Cancellations made before December 15, 2025 may be eligible for a partial refund of additional payments made (excluding the non-refundable deposit), minus a $50 administrative fee. Partial refunds are not guaranteed.

• Cancellations made after December 15, 2025 are not eligible for any refund, as final bookings for classes, meals, transportation, and services will have been confirmed already on your behalf.

• We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment in the event of illness, travel changes, or emergencies.

• If emergency situations or missed class time arise, presenters will make every effort to share materials; however, CE hours cannot be guaranteed for missed sessions due to APT requirements.

Questions?

Jamie Watson: jamie@jamiewatsonconsulting.com | 📞 541-632-4372

Dawn J Williamson: dawnjwilliamsonlcsw@gmail.com | 📞 971-235-2610