Time & Location:
January 30th – February 7th, 2027
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 30th – Sunday, February 7th, 2027
CEs: 24 APT/NASW Contact Hours (pending)
Hosts: Jamie A. Watson, MA, LMFT, RPT-S™
Proposed Program Itinerary
(Schedule subject to adjustments due to local coordination or travel logistics.)
Sat, Jan 30 – Welcome Day
Arrive in San José → group transport to Grecia
Sun, Jan 31 – Excursion DayFull day excursion to Jaco and Herradura Beaches. Transportation, guide and Welcome Lunch included. Play Therapy in CR Introduction. (1.5 CE)
Mon, Feb 1 – Day 1
Morning: Placement Test and Spanish immersion + conversation practice (1 CE)
Afternoon: Walking tour of Grecia and Foundations & Orientation in Play Therapy (3.5 CE)
Evening: Free timeTue, Feb 2 – Day 2
Morning: Spanish immersion + conversation practice (1 CE)
Afternoon: Latin cooking class (lunch included) & Comparative & Cross-Cultural Play Therapy/ Play Therapy with Local Play Therapist (3.5 CE);Evening: Free time
Wed, Feb 3 – 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 4 – Day 4
Morning: Spanish immersion + field trip to local elementary school & debrief (1.5 CE)
Afternoon: Coffee Tour and Lunch (included) + follow-up lecture (2 CE)
Evening: Group dinner (meal not provided) & debrief (1 CE)Fri, Feb 5 – Day 5
Morning: Spanish immersion + field trip to local play therapist office (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 6 – Adventure Day
Full-day excursion to La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano & hot springs) with guide and transportSun, Feb 7 – 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/NASW Contact CEs (pending) upon completion.
All sessions are taught in English with opportunities for bilingual learning and cultural immersion. There is no need to have any prior Spanish language understanding.
About the Presenter
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
$1,785 ($1,685 for APT members!)
Includes:
Roundtrip airport transfers
Spanish classes & Play Therapy CE sessions
Curated excursions with private guide (including a coffee tour, shopping at local townships, hot springs, and more)
Welcome dinner & farewell lunch
Some meals provided throughout the week
Daily snacks and coffee
Cooking & dance class
All CE materials
Not included: Airfare, lodging, meals (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. Total fees are due by December 1st.
A portion of total fees is paid directly to the Academia Centroamericana de Español to reserve instruction, excursions, and staffing; non-refundable once submitted.
Cancellations before Dec 15, 2026: may receive a partial refund (minus deposit & $50 admin fee).
Cancellations after Dec 15, 2026: 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.