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• AZAPT Peer to Peer Consultation Group

  • Start
    13 Apr 2026
  •  
  • End
    13 Jul 2026
  •  
  • Schedule
    4 sessions
  • Location
    Virtual via Zoom

  Register

  AZAPT Peer to Peer Consultation Groups

  AZAPT Members Only

  AZAPT Peer to Peer Consultation Groups: Meets virtually the 2nd Monday of each month from 6:00 – 7:00pm. First Group will begin August 11th. 

  Dates: 8/11, 9/8, 10/13, 11/10, 12/8, 1/12, 2/9, 3/9, 4/13, 5/11, 6/8, 7/13

  Come join AZAPT over Zoom each month for a Peer to Peer Consultation Group. Meet and collaborate with other AZAPT members to discuss cases, share resources, and support each other's work. This Peer to Peer group will offer opportunities to enhance your skills, navigate ethical dilemmas, and address challenges in your practice. 

  Disclaimer: 

  By participating in this Peer to Peer consultation group, you acknowledge and agree to the following: This consultation group is not a substitution for clinical supervision and does not fulfill any supervision requirements for licensure or credentialing.  Although there may be Clinical Supervisors present, they will not be acting in their role of Clinical Supervisors.  All participants are expected to maintain professionalism and confidentiality and AZAPT cannot guarantee confidentiality and is not liable for any breaches in confidentiality made by any participant; use discretion in what you share about clients to ensure their information is confidential.  You are responsible for your clinical decision making, ethical practice and professional conduct and release AZAPT and other group members from any liability related to outcomes related to decision or actions taken as a result of discussions within the group.

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• Foundations of Safety: Understanding Infant Mental Health Through the Lens of Infant Play Therapy with an Introduction to FirstPlay®

  • When
    17 Apr 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual Meeting

  Register

  Foundations of Safety: Understanding Infant Mental Health Through the Lens of Infant Play Therapy with an Introduction to FirstPlay®

  Presented by: Janet A. Courtney, PhD, RPT-S™ 

  
  

  The field of infant mental health is expanding rapidly, and an increasing number of play therapists are seeking to deepen their knowledge and skills to work effectively with infants and very young children. In this training, Dr. Janet Courtney will provide an overview of infant mental health as it applies within the context of play therapy. A “working definition” of Infant Play Therapy will be explored, offering clarity for those entering this emerging area of practice. Grounded in current neuroscience, the session will introduce participants to FirstPlay® Infant Play Therapy—an attachment-based parent-infant, nurturing touch model designed to support early attachment, nurturing touch, co-regulation, and relational connection. Participants will have the opportunity to practice four key parent-infant attunement skills through guided experiential activities.

  Learning Objectives 
  Participants will be able to:

  1. define the concept of infant mental health and identify at least two (2) ways it applies within the context of play therapy for infants and very young children.
  2. state a working definition of Infant Play Therapy including two (2) key differences between Infant Play Therapy and traditional play therapy with older children.
  3. describe the theoretical foundations and identify at least three (3) core components of FirstPlay® Infant Play Therapy, including its integration of attachment theory, nurturing touch, and neuroscience.
  4. demonstrate four (4) core parent-infant attunement skills through guided experiential practice designed to enhance co-regulation and relational connection.

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

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

  Please note that this virtual training will not be recorded, and live attendance is required.

  About our presenter: Janet A. Courtney, PhD, RPT-S™ is the Founder of FirstPlay Therapy®, and past Chair of the APT Ethics and Practice Committee, and former President of FAPT. Dr. Courtney is the author of the books, “Infant Play Therapy;” “Healing Child and Family Trauma through Expressive and Play Therapies;” “Nature-based Play & Expressive Therapies;” and “Touch in Child Counseling and Play Therapy.”

  AZAPT Members $50; Guests $60

  To guarantee your spot, payment must be received. If payment is not received at least one week before the training date, your registration will be cancelled.

  AZAPT requests that video cameras be on and participants be visible throughout the presentation to facilitate engagement. Participants will be awarded APT Non-Contact CE upon successful completion of a post test. 

  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 April 1, 2026. 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 April 1, 2026.

  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.

  By registering for this training with AZAPT, you consent to have your contact information added to our mailing list. You may unsubscribe at any time.
  

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• A Playful Approach to Treating Trauma in the Playroom

  • When
    8 May 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    NACA Office, 1500 E. Cedar #26 Flagstaff, AZ 86001

  Register

  A Playful Approach to Treating Trauma in the Playroom

  Presented by: Kelly O’Donnell, LCSW, RPT™

  
  

  This training introduces play therapy as a developmentally appropriate and neurobiologically informed approach to treating trauma in the playroom. Participants will explore how trauma affects the brain and body and how play therapy supports healing and regulation. The course emphasizes creating safety, attunement, and emotional regulation through play-based relationships. Through case examples and practical strategies, learners will identify trauma responses in play therapy and apply interventions that build resilience. This training is designed for mental health professionals seeking to strengthen their trauma-informed play therapy skills.  

  Learning Objectives 
  Participants will be able to:

  1. Apply assessment skills through the lens of play therapy to describe how trauma impacts the brain and body in both children and adults.
  2. Recite the various stages of trauma treatment and be able to identify one play therapy technique for each stage.
  3. Identify 3 play therapy techniques to help with regulation of emotions and treatment of trauma.

  Level of training: Foundational | Play Therapy Skills and Methods, Play Therapy Special Topics

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

  Limited seating available.

  Location: NACA Office, 1500 E. Cedar #26, Flagstaff, AZ 86001

  About our presenter: Kelly O’Donnell, LCSW, RPT™ was born and raised in Arizona and moved to Flagstaff to earn her bachelor’s degree in Social Work. Thankfully, she was able to stay in Flagstaff while obtaining her MSW from the University of New England in 2014. Throughout her many years in Social Work, she has experienced a variety of settings including: hospice, vocational rehabilitation, victim advocacy, elder rights, and Developmental Disabilities. She received her independent clinical licensure, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), in Arizona in 2019 through the Board of Behavioral Health. She is also a Registered Play Therapist™ (RPT™), which she received in 2022. She has worked for many years with children, families, and individuals to help them heal, grow, and become their best selves.

  AZAPT Members $50; Guests $60

  To guarantee your spot, payment must be received. If payment is not received at least one week before the training date, your registration will be cancelled.
  

  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 April 24, 2025. 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 April 24, 2026.

  
  

  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. 

  By registering for this training with AZAPT, you consent to have your contact information added to our mailing list. You may unsubscribe at any time.

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• Ethics and Play Therapy

  • When
    15 May 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Fusion Academy, 400 E Rivulon Boulevard Suite 113 Gilbert, Arizona 85297

  Register

  Ethics and Play Therapy

  Presented by: Teri V. Krull, LCSW, LLC, RPT-SÔ

  
  

  Professional board complaints are on the rise for all mental health professionals.  Play therapists, with their clientele being primarily children, are subject to a higher percentage of complaints.  As such, play therapists have an ongoing obligation to demonstrate ethical competence and provide services sensitive to their child client needs.

  Play therapy educational competence includes the periodic review of ethics as it relates client delivery, parent consultation, state board standards and the professional standards in the group in which they hold their license.  Ongoing review of ethics as it relates to the play therapist includes the contemporary challenges come with the digital age of service delivery.

  This workshop will include information that supports the professional self-care of the play therapist.  Personal and professional competence will be instructed within the context of a strength-based review supporting self-regulation, boundaries, resiliency, and the protection of the public.   

  This workshop is designed for the play therapist or aspiring play therapist.  Other professionals in the field of mental health may also benefit from this instruction.  The content is designed to educate and support the ethical skills and integrity of the play therapy professional.  Content will reference professional self-care as an ethical standard in quality service delivery.  

  Learning Objectives 
  Participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the differences between ethics, values, morals, law and APT’s Policy on Play Therapy Best Practice.
  2. Describe ethical issues that could arise with minors and caregivers when the treatment focus is child centered play therapy coupled with Moustakas based caregiver/educator collaboration.
  3. Utilize a play therapy case example to identify and apply the “8 steps of how to mitigate an ethical complaint.
  4. Discuss potential ethical dilemmas that could arise in play therapy as it relates to the internet, social media, telepractice mental health and AI.

  Level of training: Intermediate | Play Therapy Special Topics

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

  Limited seating available.

  Location: Fusion Academy, 400 E Rivulon Boulevard, Suite 113, Gilbert, Arizona 85297

  Parking: The exterior entrance is on the Southeast corner of the 400 building. You are welcome to park in any uncovered parking spot. Parking in a covered spot may result in a ticket and/or towing. For reference, there is a luxury apartment (The Atwood) next door to if the GPS does not bring you directly to the school.

  About our presenter: Teri V. Krull, LCSW, LLC, RPT-SÔ, licensed in Arizona and Maryland, has a 40-year play therapy private practice; served as the first president of AZAPT; APT Board (Chair 2000); is a local/international presenter; a board member APT Foundation; recipient of the 2010 AZ/NASW Lifetime Achievement Award and AZNASW Board Member.  She has presented nationally and internationally in the field of play therapy for over 3 decades. She also provides professional consultation services for aspiring RPTs.

  AZAPT Members $50; Guests $60

  To guarantee your spot, payment must be received. If payment is not received at least one week before the training date, your registration will be cancelled.
  

  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 May 1, 2025. 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 May 1, 2026.

  
  

  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. 

  By registering for this training with AZAPT, you consent to have your contact information added to our mailing list. You may unsubscribe at any time.

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• I Want to See You Be Brave: Utilizing the Therapeutic Powers of Play to Treat Selective Mutism

  • When
    19 Jun 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual Meeting

  Register

  I Want to See You Be Brave: Utilizing the Therapeutic Powers of Play to Treat Selective Mutism

  Presented by: Jared Andes, LCSW, RPT-S™ 

  
  

  This training equips clinicians with effective play therapy skills and interventions for supporting children with selective mutism. Through a blend of practical strategies and expressive techniques, participants will learn to create a therapeutic space where silence feels safe, play becomes language, and trust can take root. Grounded in theory and research, the workshop emphasizes how play therapy reduces anxiety, strengthens relational safety, and gently invites verbal expression. Clinicians will leave with concrete tools and renewed confidence in helping children move from quiet withdrawal toward connection, communication, and emotional growth.

  Learning Objectives 
  Participants will be able to:

  1. identify play therapy-based assessment skills to accurately assess for SM (including identifying common misdiagnoses, common comorbid disorders, and issues related to language and communication diversity), inform treatment, and tailor treatment.
  2. identify the 4 stages of the avoidance cycle and ways to utilize the powers of play to address each.
  3. identify the 3 predictive factors of successful SM treatment and will identify how to utilize play therapy skills to develop therapeutic relationships and to enhance their technique.
  4. identify the four stages of the communication bridge and at least one play therapy intervention for each stage.

  Level of training: Intermediate | Play Therapy Special Topics

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

  Please note that this virtual training will not be recorded, and live attendance is required.
  

  About our presenter: Jared Andes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™, and Vice President of the Utah Association for Play Therapy. He is a graduate of the Play Therapy Leadership Academy and serves on the Play Therapy™ Magazine committee. Jared is the owner of Full Spectrum Counseling, where he works with children, teens, and families navigating anxiety, depression, autism, and selective mutism. He integrates Jungian Analytical Play Therapy to support healing, symbolic expression, and self-discovery. A passionate presenter and advocate, Jared is dedicated to promoting neurodiversity-affirming, play-based approaches that foster connection, growth, and emotional well-being.

  AZAPT Members $50; Guests $60

  To guarantee your spot, payment must be received. If payment is not received at least one week before the training date, your registration will be cancelled.
  

  AZAPT requests that video cameras be on and participants be visible throughout the presentation to facilitate engagement. Participants will be awarded APT Non-Contact CE upon successful completion of a post test. 

  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 June 1, 2026. 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 June 1, 2026.

  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.

  By registering for this training with AZAPT, you consent to have your contact information added to our mailing list. You may unsubscribe at any time.
  

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• Playing Through the Polarization: Play Therapy Strategies for Gen Alpha (The Polars)

  • When
    14 Jul 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual Meeting

  Register

  Playing Through the Polarization: Play Therapy Strategies for Gen Alpha (The Polars)

  Presented by: Kristy A. Brumfield, PhD, NCC, LPC-S, RPT-S™

  
  

  This presentation explores play therapy techniques for Generation Alpha (2013 - present), also known as the "Polars," highlighting their unique developmental needs shaped by technology and societal polarization. Attendees will learn creative interventions to support emotional expression, resilience, and connection in this tech-savvy, globally aware generation.

  Learning Objectives 
  Participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the unique developmental and social needs of Gen Alpha and their implications for play therapy.
  2. Apply play therapy techniques, including sand tray and expressive arts, to address perfectionism and anxiety in Gen Alpha.
  3. Identify strategies for integrating technology ethically into play therapy practice with Gen Alpha.

  Level of training: Intermediate | Play Therapy Skills and Methods, Play Therapy Special Topics, Play Therapy and Cultural Diversity

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

  About our presenter:  Dr. Kristy A. Brumfield is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™, and Professor of Counseling at Xavier University of Louisiana. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in child-centered play therapy, filial therapy, and multicultural counseling. A graduate of APT’s Leadership Academy and former president of PA-APT, Dr. Brumfield is a nationally recognized speaker, supervisor, and educator dedicated to creative, developmentally responsive, and culturally affirming practices in play therapy.

  AZAPT Members $50; Guests $60

  To guarantee your spot, payment must be received. If payment is not received at least one week before the training date, your registration will be cancelled.
  

  AZAPT requests that video cameras be on and participants be visible throughout the presentation to facilitate engagement. Participants will be awarded APT Non-Contact CE upon successful completion of a post test. 

  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 July 1, 2026. 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 July 1, 2026.

  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.

  By registering for this training with AZAPT, you consent to have your contact information added to our mailing list. You may unsubscribe at any time.
  

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• Play Therapy Through the Ages: A Journey into the History and Theories of Play Therapy

  • When
    6 Nov 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual Meeting

  Register

  Play Therapy Through the Ages: A Journey into the History and Theories of Play Therapy

  Presented by: Erica Wassenaar, LMHC, NCC, RPT-S™

  
  

  Come and learn about the history of play therapy. In this class, you will learn more about the antecedents of the seminal theories that influenced the development of play therapy, how play therapy began, and how it evolved into what it is today. 

  Learning Objectives 
  Participants will be able to:

  1. Articulate a definition of what play therapy is and explain it in a way which others can understand.
  2. Explain the history and development of play therapy.
  3. Identify the basic tenets of the historically significant theories of play therapy (Adlerian, child-centered, cognitive-behavioral, developmental, ecosystemic, filial, Gestalt, Jungian, object-relations, and Theraplay)
  4. Explain what makes each seminal and history theory unique and significant.
  5. Explain the differences between 4 of the historically significant theories of play therapy.
  6. Name a minimum of three historical figures that influenced the field of play therapy

  Level of training: Foundational | Play Therapy History

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

  About our presenter:  Erica Wassenaar holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wayne State College. She specializes in play therapy, more specifically Adlerian Play Therapy.  She also holds a Level II certification in AutPlay Therapy, which is play therapy specifically for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She is also trained in Traumatic Incident Reduction, Critical Incident Stress Management. EMDR.  She owns a private practice and is a member of the Association for Play Therapy and the Iowa Association for Play Therapy. She is also a member of the NWIA Crisis Intervention Stress Management Team in which she leads debriefing for area first responders and law enforcement.  She is a coordinator for KIDS Hope USA program through her church.  Erica's greatest accomplishment is being a mom to her three kids and a wife.  

  AZAPT Members $50; Guests $60

  To guarantee your spot, payment must be received. If payment is not received at least one week before the training date, your registration will be cancelled.
  

  AZAPT requests that video cameras be on and participants be visible throughout the presentation to facilitate engagement. Participants will be awarded APT Non-Contact CE upon successful completion of a post test. 

  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 October 16, 2026. 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 October 16, 2026.

  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.

  By registering for this training with AZAPT, you consent to have your contact information added to our mailing list. You may unsubscribe at any time.
  

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