JFS Play Institute is proud to be an approved continuing education provider by the Association for Play Therapy (APT). We offer high-quality play therapy training throughout the year. Our mission is to expand the reach of play therapy by equipping professionals with practical skills and foundational concepts to support the emotional well-being of children through developmentally appropriate, play therapy approaches. Our experienced Registered Play Therapist–Supervisors (RPT-S ™) can provide supervision toward play therapy credentialing hours.
APT Approved Provider #25-778
JFS Play Institute – Upcoming Trainings
Fall 2026
September 18, 2026: Collaborating with Caregivers in Play Therapy:Through the Looking Glass
November 13, 2026: Clinical Supervision in Play Therapy: RPT-Supervision Skills for Competent Practice
December 11, 2026: Supporting Grieving Children Through Play Therapy
Collaborating with Caregivers in Play Therapy: Through the Looking Glass - REGISTER NOW
Date: Friday, September 18, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM-12:00 PM (CDT)
Format: In person, Contact Hours OR Virtual, Non-Contact Hours
Location: Central Houston, Texas. Details provided after registration confirmation.
APT CE Hours: 3
Cost: $75.00
Program Presenter: JenniferJ. Cain, LPC-S, RPT-S™, RST
Description: Beginning play therapy can feel for parents much like Alice stepping through the looking glass — a bewildering, magical, and sometimes unsettling journey into a world where the usual rules no longer apply. Everything looks familiar yet operates by a different logic. There’s curiosity, confusion, and hope — all swirling together. As play therapists, we are the guides in this Wonderland, helping parents navigate a world where healing can look like a tea party or a Jabberwocky battle, and where meaning unfolds in ways they may not expect but deeply need.
Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Identify various challenge swith caregivers during play therapy treatment.
Utilize strategies to develop their own approach for play therapy consultations with caregivers.
Explain the play therapy process to caregivers.
Explain nervous system activation within the play therapy process to caregivers.
Terms and Conditions:
Alexander JFS reserves the right to cancel any of these training in the event of unforeseen circumstances. If such a cancellation occurs, JFS will attempt to notify registrants and offer an alternative training opportunity or refund all registration fees.
Registration refunds must be requested at least 48 hours prior to the class date and only 75% of the purchase price will be refunded.
Registration refunds will NOT be made to registrants who register but do not attend.
Registrants requiring accommodations must submit a medical professional’s note specifying the required accommodations to Jfsplayinstitute@alexanderjfs.org a minimum of 7 days prior to any training for which they have registered.
Play therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals.
Program Presenter: Emily Van Laan, LCSW-S, RPT-S™; Katie Harlan, LCSW-S, RPT™
Description: This hybrid training (6-Hours live webinar and 4 hours of homework) will teach participants the foundational Child-Centered Play Therapy skills! Participants will take a deep dive into utilizing non-directive play therapy strategies to promote growth and change in children. Through lecture, practice, and pre- and post-training homework, participants will have the opportunity to learn the essential skills of Child-Centered Play Therapy.
Objectives:
By the end of these sessions, participants will be able to:
Describe the history and foundational principles of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT).
Differentiate between directive and non-directive play therapy approaches.
Identify commonly used toys and their therapeutic functions in CCPT.
Recognize the core conditions necessary to facilitate therapeutic change in play therapy.
Develop essential skills to establish a safe and supportive non-directive environment for children.
Demonstrate key CCPT skills through guided practice and receive constructive feedback.
Identify appropriate moments for limit-setting within play therapy sessions.
Explore strategies for assessing the effectiveness of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) with clients.
Understand effective methods for integrating parents into the CCPT process.
Recognize common play themes that emerge during therapy.
Apply best practices for documenting CCPT sessions.
Examine common ethical dilemmas encountered in the practice of CCPT.
Terms and Conditions:
Alexander JFS reserves the right to cancel any of these training in the event of unforeseen circumstances. If such a cancellation occurs, JFS will attempt to notify registrants and offer an alternative training opportunity or refund all registration fees.
Registration refunds must be requested at least 48 hours prior to the class date and only 75% of the purchase price will be refunded.
Registration refunds will NOT be made to registrants who register but do not attend.
Registrants requiring accommodations must submit a medical professional’s note specifying the required accommodations to Jfsplayinstitute@alexanderjfs.org a minimum of 7 days prior to any training for which they have registered.
Play therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals.
Clinical Supervision in Play Therapy: RPT-Supervision Skills for Competent Practice - REGISTER NOW
Date: Friday, November 13, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM-11:00 AM (CST)
Format: Virtual, Non-Contact Hours
APT CE Hours: 2 Hours
Cost: $50.00
Program Presenters: Emily Van Laan, LCSW-S, RPT-S™; Ada Cheung, PhD, LCSW-S, RPT-S™
Description: This training will give play therapists the background knowledge and tools they need to practice competent, ethical RPT supervision. Participants will learn strategies that both enhance the RPT-supervisee professional relationship and integrate play therapy interventions into supervision.
Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Identify the foundational principles and competencies of RPT-Supervision.
Apply ethical and legal guidelines to RPT supervision in play therapy.
Demonstrate techniques for integrating play therapy interventions in supervision.
Develop strategies to enhance RPT-supervisee professional development, reflective practice, and self-awareness.
Evaluate RPT-supervisee progress using structured supervision tools and documentation.
Terms and Conditions:
Alexander JFS reserves the right to cancel any of these training in the event of unforeseen circumstances. If such a cancellation occurs, JFS will attempt to notify registrants and offer an alternative training opportunity or refund all registration fees.
Registration refunds must be requested at least 48 hours prior to the class date and only 75% of the purchase price will be refunded.
Registration refunds will NOT be made to registrants who register but do not attend.
Registrants requiring accommodations must submit a medical professional’s note specifying the required accommodations to Jfsplayinstitute@alexanderjfs.org a minimum of 7 days prior to any training for which they have registered.
Play therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals.
Supporting Grieving Children Through Play Therapy - REGISTER NOW
Date: Friday, December 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM-4:00 PM (CST)
Format: In-Person
APT CE Hours: 6 Contact Hours
Cost: $150.00
Location: Central Houston, Texas. Details provided after registration confirmation.
Description: This continuing education training provides an in-depth review of how children understand and respond to grief across various developmental stages. Grounded in current bereavement theory, the course introduces evidence-based Play Therapy approaches designed to support children navigating loss. Through case examples and interactive practice, participants will build confidence in identifying grief responses, applying therapeutic techniques, and determining when Play Therapy is an appropriate clinical intervention for children experiencing grief.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Identify the core theories and foundational ideas that explain how children experience grief.
Recognize how grief presents differently across developmental stages in childhood.
Distinguish among various forms of grief and describe common features of each.
Explain how Play Therapy theories apply specifically to children coping with grief.
Evaluate situations where Play Therapy could be an appropriate method for supporting grieving children.
Discuss cultural, familial, and systemic factors that influence a child's grief experience and response to Play Therapy.
Terms and Conditions:
Alexander JFS reserves the right to cancel any of these training in the event of unforeseen circumstances. If such a cancellation occurs, JFS will attempt to notify registrants and offer an alternative training opportunity or refund all registration fees.
Registration refunds must be requested at least 48 hours prior to the class date and only 75% of the purchase price will be refunded.
Registration refunds will NOT be made to registrants who register but do not attend.
Registrants requiring accommodations must submit a medical professional’s note specifying the required accommodations to Jfsplayinstitute@alexanderjfs.org a minimum of 7 days prior to any training for which they have registered.
Play therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals.
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