Family Play Therapy Interventions

Dr. Janet A. Courtney

PhD, RPT-S

Thursday, June 26, 2025

1:15-4:30 pm EST
(APT Contact CEs)

REGISTRATION OPEN

Session Description

Varied trauma experiences can create disruptions within family bonds. Some of the greatest healing experiences for children can happen within a safe family holding space that can lead to profound shifts in change. This training will explore several resiliency focused play therapy interventions to repair relational disconnections and reframe the trauma narrative to deepen family attachment. Through experiential engagement, participants will learn play therapy and creative arts strategies to interrupt trauma-reactive family patterns and to formulate new narratives of connection and healing including family collaborative timed drawing assessment, creating a family motto, and guiding families in mindfulness activities to regulate systemic arousal states.

Primary Area: Play Therapy Skills and Methods

Play Therapy Competencies Addressed: Clinical Play Therapy Skills

Theoretical Basis: Attachment

Learning Objectives

After the session, participants will be able to:

Characterize (3) three ways that family modalities in play therapy can reframe child and family trauma experiences and increase relational connection.
Articulate a minimum of (2) two ways to assist client families in developing inner resilience, courage, and creativity to reduce family trauma symptoms.
Demonstrate how to implement three (3) different family play therapy interventions.
Articulate how to implement a family motto intervention through hands-on interactive experiences to promote a sense of identity and self-worth in clients.
Demonstrate how to lead a Family Sculpting intervention in play therapy session.
Implement at least one (1) nature mindfulness intervention in a family play therapy session.

Brief Bio

Janet A. Courtney, PhD, LCSW, RPT-S is Founder of FirstPlay Therapy®. She is a Registered Play Therapy-Supervisor, TEDx Speaker and past Chair of the Association for Play Therapy Ethics and Practice Committee and past President of the Florida Association for Play Therapy. She is author and editor of the following books: Infant Play Therapy: Foundations, Programs, Models and Practice,” and “Healing Child and Family Trauma through Expressive and Play Therapies: Art, Nature, Storytelling, Body & Mindfulness,” and “Nature-based Play & Expressive Therapies: Interventions for Children, Teens and Families, and “Touch in Child Counseling and Play Therapy: An Ethical and Clinical Guide.”

Questions?

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

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

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