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Our Workshops & Events

    • 4 Nov 2024
    • 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
    • Virtual via Zoom
    Register

    AZAPT Book Club

    The book and concepts in The Therapeutic Powers of Play is a foundation to the work we all do. No matter the theoretical foundation and orientation you identify with, this book is a keystone to the work you do. 

    Come join AZAPT in this VIRTUAL networking event to start discussing these 20 core agents of change! We will be breaking the book down a few chapters at a time so that it feels more manageable in our busy day-to-day lives. PLEASE READ THE CHAPTERS prior to the meeting.

    Can’t make this one…then look for future book club networking events to join the discussion. 

    Open to AZAPT members and friends!

    9/2 - Chapters 12-15

    10/7 - Chapters 16 -18 CANCELLED

    11/4 - Chapters 19-21


    • 14 Nov 2024
    • 12 Dec 2024
    • 2 sessions
    • Virtual
    Register

    AZAPT Virtual Networking Event

    Join AZAPT in this networking event to share your favorites and to learn about some new ones from your fellow therapists using play in sessions. 

    Open to AZAPT members and friends!

    Here are upcoming networking topics:

    • Arts & Crafts 
    • High Conflict Divorce
    • Parent Coaching 
    • Engaging children in non-technology activities
    • Struggles of children dealing with the court system 

    • 15 Nov 2024
    • 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
    • Virtual Meeting
    Register
    Fun with Foundations: History and Theories of Play Therapy


    Presented by: Danyale Weems, LCSW, RPT-S, EMDR Certified


    Let's be real, play has been around as long as humans have existed. Play therapy has been around since Freud. Part of becoming a play therapist is knowing and learning our history and foundation. Knowing why you are doing what you are doing and being able to communicate this to caregivers and others in the community maintains the credibility of what we do as Play Therapists. In this workshop participants will learn how play therapy began, developed and grew to be what it is today. Participants will learn the historical and seminal theories under the umbrella of play therapy. Participants will have a brief overview of the therapeutic powers of play and how they came to be. Participants will learn and practice play therapy activities connected to the theories.    


    Learning Objectives 
    Participants will be able to:

    1. Identify 4 main areas within Therapeutic Powers of Play and their applicability in play therapy
    2. Identify Seminal and Historical Theories Connected to Play Therapy
    3. Demonstrate 2 play therapy techniques/interventions connected to theories

    Level of training: Foundational/Intermediate | Play Therapy Skills and Methods, Play Therapy Seminal or Historically Significant Theories

    This training is approved by APT Approved Provider 97-035 for 3 CE hours.

    This workshop meets APT's definition of "Live Webinar."

    About our presenter: Danyale Weems, LCSW, RPT-S™, EMDR Certified and an EMDR Consultant in training owns a private practice in rural Georgia where she specializes in working with children, adolescents and their families with complex trauma and neuro-developmental disorders. She has advanced training and education in clinical supervision and provides supervision to Social Workers, Counselors and Play Therapists. Danyale currently provides supervision and consultation across the country. She has partnered with her local University to create awareness around using play therapy as a primary way of healing for children and families. Danyale provides trainings locally and state-wide. She has provided trainings for the GA NASW, Tanner Hospital System, GA LPC Chapter, and University of West GA..

    AZAPT Members $50; Guests $60

    Limited to 50 participants.

    LIVE WEBINAR: Per APT guidelines, video cameras must be on throughout the presentation for live webinar CE. Participants will be awarded APT LIVE WEBINAR CE upon successful completion of a post test. This workshop meets APT's definition of "Live Webinar."

    AZAPT is approved by the Association for Play Therapy to offer continuing education specific to Play Therapy. APT Approved Provider 97-035. AZAPT maintains responsibility for the program. Registrants understand and agree that any photograph, video or audio recording of themselves may be used to further promote AZAPT.

    Cancellation Policy: All cancellations must be requested in writing and received no later than November 1, 2024. Cancellations are subject to a $20 processing fee. Substitutions (someone else attending) or transfer of registration to another training date may be requested. No refunds after November 1, 2024.

    By registering for this training, you are giving AZAPT permission to add your email to our email list and permission for AZAPT to use any photographs or screenshots taken during the training for promotional purposes.

    • 7 Dec 2024
    • 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
    • TBD
    Register

    Come out to spend time with AZAPT board members and other therapists from Southern Arizona and the Valley to network and chat about what we love most….PLAY!

    Open to AZAPT members and friends!



    • 28 Feb 2025
    • 7:45 AM
    • 1 Mar 2025
    • 4:30 PM
    • Phoenix Bible Church, 6060 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013
    Register
    2025 AZAPT Annual Conference

    Presented by:

    Eliana Gil, PhD, LMFT, ATR, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor

    REGISTER EARLY. SEATING IS LIMITED.


    Friday, February 28, 2025

    Family Play Therapy: Engaging and Enlivening Family Work

    6 Hours Contact CE

    This workshop is designed to encourage play therapists to invite family participation in order to provide novel interactions, use symbol language for communication, witness each other's work, and forge or strengthen emotional connections through movement, touch, and creativity. A number of family play therapy activities will be demonstrated and there will be opportunities for experiential work. Play Therapists will be invited to consider how family play therapy techniques can easily be applied with groups.

    After the workshop, participants will be able to...

    1. Define family play therapy and provide a rationale for why play therapists should work with families.    
    2. List two family play therapy techniques that play therapists can use that include movement.
    3. Name two family play therapy techniques that play therapists can use that involve art.
    4. Name two benefits of play therapists inviting family members to do novel experiences.
    5. Identify two benefits for play therapists of using amplification questions.
    6. Verbalize a rationale for integrating play therapy approaches systemically. 

      Intermediate Level | Play Therapy Skills & Methods and Play Therapy Special Topics | 6 Live Contact APT CE

      Saturday, March 1, 2025

      Morning: Utilizing Play Therapy for Working with Children with Sexual Behavior Problems

      3 Hours Contact CE

      The morning session will focus on providing help to children with sexual behavior problems, a target population that seems to be increasing or referred with greater frequency. More specifically, play therapists will benefit from a treatment strategy that prioritizes play therapy in order to engage children and address difficult issues in a developmentally-friendly way. Too often, children with sexual behavior problems are stigmatized and find it difficult to focus on the problem behavior and parents may struggle to know how to set limits, provide guidance, and help their chid with underlying concerns.  

      After the workshop, participants will be able to...

      1. List three ways of discerning developmentally-appropriate behavior from problematic sexual behaviors in the play room.
      2. List two specific play therapy strategies for engaging/inviting young children to show how they are feeling about their sexual behavior problem.
      3. List two play therapy strategies that parents and children can do as homework in order to address limit-setting with sexual behavior problems.

      Intermediate Level | Play Therapy Skills & Methods and Play Therapy Special Topics | 3 Live Contact APT CE


      Saturday, March 1, 2025

      Afternoon: An Introduction to Basic Principles of Expressive Arts Therapy for Play Therapists

      3 Hours Contact CE

      Play therapists have traditionally integrated art, arts and crafts, and other creative approaches (such as sand therapy) in order to provide children who attend play therapy with a range of opportunities. The field of expressive arts therapy, like play therapy, has a rich history with creative pioneers and a vast number of theories and approaches. This afternoon workshop will be eperiential and will provide play therapists with an introduction to the field of expressive arts therapy, along with resources to seek out additional training and/or reading.  

      After the workshop, participants will be able to...

      1. Define expressive arts therapy as it pertains to play therapy.
      2. List two expressive arts techniques that play therapists can easily incorporate into their practice.
      3. List two potential benefits that play therapists will glean from utilizing an intermodal process.

      Intermediate Level | Play Therapy Skills & Methods and Play Therapy Special Topics | 3 Live Contact APT CE

      REGISTER EARLY. SEATING IS LIMITED.

      About the Speaker

      Dr. Eliana Gil is a Founding Partner of Gil Institute for Trauma Recovery & Education, LLC, a group private practice in Fairfax, Va, where she currently works as a Senior Clinical and Research Consultant.  She is an Approved MFT Supervisor as well as a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ and a Registered Art Therapist.  She is also a Circle of Security Certified Parent Educator, a Level II Theraplay provider, and participated and completed a two-year Individual Certification process with Dr. Bruce Perry.  Dr. Gil provides specialized trainings on an array of topics involving trauma, attachment, and treatment options, with an integration of expressive therapies (art, sand, play).  Eliana has directed two child sexual abuse treatment programs in Northern Virginia and continues her work in the field of child abuse prevention and treatment.  She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who received her doctorate in family therapy from the California Graduate School of Family Psychology in San Rafael, California.  She has served on the Board of Directors of the American Professional Society on the Abused of Children and the National Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse.  She is also a former President of the Association for Play Therapy and received APT’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.

      Dr. Gil has written numerous chapters, journal articles, and books on child abuse and related topics and has participated in educational videotapes that feature her work through Guilford Press, as well as a self-published DVD on Family Play Therapy.  Her most recent books include Post-Traumatic Play: What Clinicians Should Know and the second edition of Play in Family Therapy.  She also co-authored a book with Dr. David Crenshaw on Termination Challenges in Psychotherapy.  Her classic book Outgrowing the Pain, has been translated into many languages.  Dr. Gil is a well-known international lecturer, author, and clinician.  She is bilingual and bicultural with Ecuadorian parents.  Since 2014, she has been semi-retired and continues to supervise, consult and teach.  Dr. Gil conducts specialized, unique trainings in Fairfax, VA, is one of the founders of the annual Mid-Atlantic Play Therapy Conference in Northern VA, and provides trainings across the country on a regular basis, although greatly reduced from previous years. 

      Eliana has dreamed of being a grandmother since she was a young child and cherished her relationship to her own grandmothers, Emilia and Teresa.  She now has four grandchildren under the age of 17 and looks forward to being closer to them geographically and continuing to be a part of their lives.  She loves watching her children as they have grown into loving, smart, patient, and creative parents.

      NEW LOCATION: 

      Phoenix Bible Church

      6060 N 7th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85013

      Agenda

      Check in at the door begins at 7:45 a.m.

      07:45 AM – 08:30 AM     Registration & Continental Breakfast

      08:30 AM – 10:15 AM     Session

      10:15 AM – 10:30 AM     Break

      10:30 AM – 12:00 PM     Session

      12:00 PM – 01:15 PM     Lunch

      (Annual Member Meeting on Friday, Lunch Provided; Lunch On Your Own Saturday)

      01:15 PM – 02:45 PM     Session

      02:45 PM 03:15 PM     Break

      03:15 PM – 04:30 PM     Session

      --

      This training is approved by APT Approved Provider 97-035 for 6 CE hours each day.

      AZAPT is approved by the Association for Play Therapy to offer continuing education specific to Play Therapy. APT Approved Provider 97-035. AZAPT maintains responsibility for the program. Registrants understand and agree that any photograph, video or audio recording of themselves may be used to further promote AZAPT.

      Cancellation Policy: All cancellations must be requested in writing and received no later than February 15, 2025. Cancellations are subject to a $30 processing fee. Substitutions (someone else attending) or transfer of registration to another training date may be requested. No refunds after February 15, 2025.

      By registering for this training, you are giving AZAPT permission to add your email to our email list and permission for AZAPT to use any photographs or screenshots taken during the training for promotional purposes.


      Thank you to our sponsors!

         

      • 1 Mar 2025
      • 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
      • TBD
      Register

      Come out to spend time with AZAPT board members and other therapists from Southern Arizona and the Valley to network and chat about what we love most….PLAY!

      Not from Southern Arizona…maybe it’s time for a road trip to meet some of your Southern Arizona colleagues.

      Open to AZAPT members and friends!



      • 7 Jun 2025
      • 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
      • TBD
      Register

      Come out to spend time with AZAPT board members and other therapists from Southern Arizona and the Valley to network and chat about what we love most….PLAY!

      Not from Northern Arizona…maybe it’s time for a road trip to meet some of your Northern Arizona colleagues.

      Open to AZAPT members and friends!



      • 6 Sep 2025
      • 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
      • TBD
      Register

      Come out to spend time with AZAPT board members and other therapists from Southern Arizona and the Valley to network and chat about what we love most….PLAY!

      Open to AZAPT members and friends!



    2 Oct 2024 Integrating Internal Family Systems into Your Play Therapy Practice
    14 Sep 2024 Top 12 Creative Interventions for Working with Teens and Tweens
    5 Aug 2024 Black Kids Matter: Play Therapy to Empower Black Children Across the Lifespan
    12 Jul 2024 Filial Therapy Using Child Parent Relationship Therapy: Adding Parent Coaching to Your Play Therapy Practice
    28 Jun 2024 Healthy Divorce Mediation 101
    1 Jun 2024 AZAPT Networking Event: Tucson
    1 Jun 2024 Ethical Self-Care for the Play Therapist
    17 May 2024 AZAPT Board Meet and Greet
    3 May 2024 Play Therapy and Divorce: How to stay out of the courtroom
    5 Apr 2024 Treating Pediatric OCD~ Play Therapy & ERP
    22 Mar 2024 2024 AZAPT Annual Conference
    7 Feb 2024 The Competent Play Therapist Supervisor
    11 Jan 2024 Intro to Sandtray Play Therapy
    29 Nov 2023 AZAPT Virtual Networking Event
    17 Nov 2023 Ain’t Misbehavin’: Assessing the Goals of Misbehavior in Play Therapy
    11 Nov 2023 AZAPT Networking Event: Flagstaff
    27 Oct 2023 Filial Play Therapy
    25 Oct 2023 AZAPT Virtual Networking Event
    26 Sep 2023 AZAPT Networking Event: Phoenix
    15 Sep 2023 Bibliotherapy: A Play-Based Approach
    29 Aug 2023 Train-the-Trainer: Members Only
    22 Aug 2023 Puppetry and Storytelling Play Therapy Activities
    24 Jul 2023 The Marriage of CBT and Play Therapy-Merging CBT and Play Therapy in the Therapy Space
    30 Jun 2023 I Brought My Crayons: Utilizing Art Techniques in Adlerian Play Therapy
    19 May 2023 Discipline Does not Equal Punishment: Working with Parents in the Play Therapy Process
    18 Apr 2023 The Ethics of Play Therapy in a Changing World
    10 Mar 2023 Beyond Diversity-Incorporating A Multicultural Orientation in Play Therapy
    17 Feb 2023 2023 AZAPT Annual Conference
    19 Jan 2023 Using Music to Engage Children and Teens in Play Therapy
    9 Dec 2022 Holiday PLAYfest
    4 Nov 2022 A Review of Play Therapy Clinical Supervision Utilizing Popular Children's Movie Characters
    11 Oct 2022 LEGO-Based Play Therapy: It's All in the Directive
    23 Sep 2022 History and Theory of Play Therapy
    14 Sep 2022 Virtual Networking/Resource Event
    19 Aug 2022 Superheroes and Pop Culture in Play Therapy
    15 Jul 2022 Clinical Applications of Play Therapy with Sexually Victimized Children and Adolescents
    17 Jun 2022 StoryCrafts: Creative Activities for Replenishing our Wellspring of Play Therapy Approaches
    17 May 2022 Let’s Play Your Way! Cultural Considerations in Play Therapy
    26 Apr 2022 When the White Flag is Flying: Increasing Awareness of Healing the Burnout and Compassion Fatigue of Play Therapists

    Arizona Association for Play Therapy

    info@azapt.org

    10869 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 103-243

    Scottsdale, AZ 85254

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