Beyond the Brick: Facilitating Seriously Therapeutic Play (STP) with LEGO® in play therapy practice.

Dr. Mary Anne Peabody

Ed.D., LCSW, RPT-S

Sunday, June 22, 2025

2:00-5:15pm EST.
(APT Contact CEs)

Disclaimer: APT sets guidelines for CE credits for participating in Live Webinars. All participants in live webinars must 1) actively participate in the Live Webinar through the chat feature and experiential activities; 2) have their camera on and participants must be onscreen for the entire Live Webinar; and 3) complete an evaluation and post-test questions within one week of the webinar. UNC Charlotte staff will monitor participation and communicate with participants if they are not abiding by APT guidelines for Live Webinars.

Session Description

This experiential workshop adapts LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) to a therapeutic application known as Seriously Therapeutic Play (STP) with LEGO® . Seriously Therapeutic Play (STP) developed by mental health professionals who are also Certified LSP facilitators, adapts the “LSP business-oriented” methodology to a range of play therapy contexts by focusing on inviting emotions into the directive therapeutic space. Using our hands to “think and play” utilizes the brain hemispheres simultaneously, thereby integrating brain processes through hand-mind connection, metaphorical thinking and storytelling. Participants will experience connections between thinking (cognition), sharing (speaking), listening (hearing for understanding), feeling (emotional), doing (experiential), and retaining information (memory). Workshop participants will gain knowledge of the integrative play therapy theoretical basis for LSP including the underpinnings of other theories such as constructionism and constructivism.

Primary Area: Play Therapy Skills and Methods

Play Therapy Competencies Addressed: Clinical Play Therapy Skills

Theoretical Basis: Integrative

Learning Objectives

• Describe at least three mechanisms of change activated (therapeutic powers of play) in the Seriously Therapeutic Play with LEGO ® (STP) approach applicable to play therapy.

• List at least two theoretical play therapy orientations underpinning the Seriously Therapeutic Play with LEGO ® (SPT) approach, making it a directive integrative model.

• Identify at least one distinction between Seriously Therapeutic Play with LEGO ® (STP), and sand tray therapy, and newer versions of Daniel LeGoff’s LEGO®-based therapy.

• Describe and apply at least one directive used during different play therapy contexts: (individual or group sessions; family therapy; parental/caregiver psychoeducational sessions; and clinical supervision).

Brief Bio

Mary Anne Peabody, Ed.D., LCSW, RPT-S, is a Professor at the University of Southern Maine where she teaches undergraduate courses on play and graduate courses in play therapy. Throughout her career, she has remained active with the Association for Play Therapy, serving as a past Board Director and currently serves as the Chair of the APT Foundation Board and editorial advisory board member for the International Journal of Play Therapy. Dr. Peabody presents internationally on a range of topics, including play pedagogy in higher education, feedback practices in play therapy supervision, and the methodology of Seriously Therapeutic Play with LEGO.

Questions?

Please contact Dr. Kristie Opiola regarding program questions at kopiola@charlotte.edu.

Please contact the Office of School and Community Partnerships at oscp-coed@charlotte.edu if you have questions regarding registration.