Time & Location
January 31 – February 8, 2026
Grecia, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica
Culturally Responsive Play Therapy Immersion in Costa Rica
A week-long intensive blending play therapy training, cultural connection, and Spanish language immersion.Dates: Saturday, January 31 – Sunday, February 8, 2026
CEs: 24 APT-Approved Contact Hours (NASW pending)
Hosts: Jamie A. Watson, MA, LMFT, RPT-S™ & Dawn J. Williamson, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S™
Proposed Program Itinerary
(Schedule subject to minor adjustment due to local coordination or travel logistics.)
Sat, Jan 31 – Welcome Day
Arrive in San José → group transport to Grecia → Welcome Dinner
Evening Session: Play Therapy in Costa Rica Introduction (1.5 CE)Sun, Feb 1 – Excursion Day
Full-day trip to Herradura/Jaco Beaches & La Paz Waterfall Gardens (guide, transport, lunch included)Mon, Feb 2 – Day 1
Morning: Spanish immersion + role-plays (1 CE)
Afternoon: Foundations & Orientation in Play Therapy (3.5 CE)
Evening: Walking tour of Grecia with local hostsTue, Feb 3 – Day 2
Morning: Spanish immersion + conversation practice (1 CE)
Afternoon: Comparative & Cross-Cultural Play Therapy (3.5 CE)
Evening: Latin cooking class (dinner included)Wed, Feb 4 – Day 3
Morning: Spanish immersion + experiential role-plays (1 CE)
Afternoon: Development & Culture in Practice (3.5 CE)
Evening: Dance class (salsa, merengue, cumbia)Thu, Feb 5 – Day 4
Morning: Spanish immersion + elementary school visit & debrief (1.5 CE)
Afternoon: Coffee & Chocolate Tour + follow-up lecture (2 CE)
Evening: Group dinner & debrief (1 CE)Fri, Feb 6 – Day 5
Morning: Spanish immersion + local play therapist visit (2.5 CE)
Afternoon: Farewell lunch (included) + Wellness & Self-Care for Play Therapists (3.5 CE)
Evening: Trip to artisan town Sarchí (transport included)Sat, Feb 7 – Adventure Day
Full-day excursion to La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano & hot springs) with guide and transport (lunch on your own)Sun, Feb 8 – Departure Day
Group transportation to San José International Airport (SJO)
Continuing Education
Jamie Watson is an APT Approved Provider (#25-761).
Participants will earn 24 APT Contact CEs upon completion. NASW credits pending approval.
All sessions are taught in English with opportunities for bilingual learning and cultural immersion.
About the Presenters
Dawn J. Williamson, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S™
Over 20 years in private practice, providing supervision and play therapy training since 1997. Recipient of the 2018 APT Award of Excellence. Experienced international presenter, leading training groups in Costa Rica since 2006.Jamie A. Watson, MA, LMFT, RPT-S™, APT Approved Provider (#25-761)
Specializes in neurodiversity-informed and attachment-based play therapy. Graduate-level instructor, certified in TF-CBT and Foster/Adoptive Family Therapy. Active with Oregon APT, passionate about supervision, consultation, and culturally responsive training.
Investment
$1,685 (APT Members: $1,585- Save $100!)
Includes:
Roundtrip airport transfers
Spanish classes & CE sessions
Curated excursions with private guide
Welcome dinner & farewell lunch
Daily lunches, snacks, coffee
Cooking & dance classes
All CE materials
Not included: Airfare, lodging, dinners (except where noted), and personal expenses.
Cancellation Policy
Because this program involves international coordination, a firm cancellation policy applies:
$250 non-refundable deposit secures your spot.
A portion of total fees is paid directly to the partner Spanish language school to reserve instruction, excursions, and staffing—non-refundable once submitted.
Cancellations before Dec 15, 2025: may receive a partial refund (minus deposit & $50 admin fee).
Cancellations after Dec 15, 2025: not eligible for refund, as final reservations and service payments will have been completed.
Travel insurance is strongly recommended to protect your investment in case of illness, emergencies, or travel disruptions.
Presenters will provide materials for any missed sessions when possible; however, CE credit cannot be issued for sessions not attended, per APT policy.
Overview
This 9-day immersion offers a rare opportunity to connect with Costa Rican therapists, experience cultural learning firsthand, and earn CEs in an environment that nourishes both professional and personal growth.
Through Spanish language practice, cultural excursions, and experiential play therapy training, participants will deepen their understanding of child development, attachment, and trauma across cultures, while renewing their own joy and creativity as therapists.
Play Therapy in Costa Rica! / ¡Terapia de Juego en Costa Rica!
By the end of this workshop, participants will:
List at least two ways cultural and language immersion can enhance play therapy practice with children and adults.
Demonstrate therapeutic interventions and play therapy concepts by correctly using at least five Costa Rican Spanish vocabulary terms in structured role-play practice.
Summarize the historical and theoretical foundations of play therapy and identify at least two cross-cultural applications observed during the training.
Compare and contrast at least three similarities and differences in how play therapy is practiced in Costa Rica versus the United States.
Apply at least two culturally responsive play therapy techniques presented through lecture, video clips, or live demonstration.
Adapt one play therapy intervention for use in a school setting and one for use in an older adult care setting.
Modify one play therapy technique to fit at least two different developmental stages (e.g., preschool and adolescent).
Describe two specific ways the Costa Rican concept of Pura Vida can be applied to therapist self-care in play therapy practice.
Identify three attachment-based play therapy strategies for co-regulation, repair, and emotional attunement.
Practice two culturally attuned, attachment-based responses during experiential role-play exercises.
Integrate the Therapeutic Powers of Play framework into one case example by identifying at least two relevant powers.
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.
Demonstrate culturally responsive limit-setting by enacting at least one boundary-setting scenario during Spanish role-play practice.
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).
Document at least two ways personal cultural assumptions or biases shifted through reflection on immersion experiences in Costa Rica.