Treating the System: How Family Play Therapy Addresses Mental Health Challenges in Childhood

Have you ever made real progress in play therapy with a child, only to watch it stall once they went back to their family’s daily routine? When the family system keeps pulling in a different direction, your play therapy can feel like it’s working against the home environment. This workshop shows you how family play therapy brings parents and siblings into the work, so the progress you see in the play therapy room can last outside it.

THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR YOU IF

1. You want to bring family members into your play therapy work without losing the child at the center of it.
2. You’re not sure how family play therapy differs from traditional family therapy or which family play therapy model fits your practice.
3. You want to understand how change in one part of a family can ripple through the whole system.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

In this workshop, we’ll explore how family play therapy can help when children are facing mental health challenges. You’ll learn what sets family play therapy apart from individual play therapy and traditional family therapy, and why, even when the child is the client, play therapy is always family work. We’ll review the major family therapy models and compare family play therapy modalities. Together, we’ll look at how family play therapy is structured and billed, when directive or non-directive approaches fit best, how a child’s position in the family shapes the work, and what first-, second-, and third-order change look like in practice.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After attending this workshop, you'll be better able to:

1. Differentiate family play therapy from individual play therapy and traditional family therapy.
2. Describe at least four predominant models of family therapy and explain how each informs family play therapy.
3. Compare a minimum of three family play therapy modalities, identifying the focus and structure of each.
4. Apply directive and non-directive approaches to family involvement in play therapy.
5. Describe how family involvement strengthens outcomes in play therapy.
6. Analyze the sociocultural factors that shape a child’s position within the family system.
7. Evaluate how different session structures and billing approaches shape the way family play therapy is delivered in a play therapy practice.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Jordan Klekamp, LMHC, CMHS, RPT-S™ is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Registered Play Therapist–Supervisor™ passionate about making therapy more accessible for kids, teens, and their families.

SCHEDULE

9:00 - 9:30      Registration

9:30 - 11:00    Workshop

11:00 - 11:15  Break

11:15 - 12:45  Workshop

12:45 - 1:45    Lunch Break

1:45 - 3:15      Workshop

3:15 - 3:30      Break

3:30 - 4:30      Workshop

4:30 - 5:00      Closing 

FORMAT

In-Person | Contact | Introductory | Theories, Skills & Methods, & Special Topics

CONTINUING EDUCATION

This workshop is eligible for 6 live contact continuing education hours sponsored by Atlas Institute, APT Provider 26-818. These hours may be applied toward play therapist credentialing with the Association for Play Therapy and annual licensure renewal in Washington State [WAC 246-809-610(3)(a)]. Clinicians licensed outside of Washington State should check with their own licensing board to confirm whether this training qualifies for their CE requirements. To receive CE credit, participants must complete all course requirements, including a workshop evaluation.

CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY

Attendee cancellations made at least 48 hours in advance are eligible for a partial refund. All refunds are subject to a $10 processing fee. In lieu of a refund, the full amount paid may be applied as a credit toward a future Atlas Institute training of equal or lesser value. To receive this credit, participants must reference this policy at the time of their next purchase. If Atlas Institute cancels an event, all registered participants will be offered a full refund or a credit toward a future Atlas Institute training of equal or lesser value.

CONTACT

For questions or accommodations, email Jordan at institute@atlascounselingseattle.com

All feedback and complaints regarding Atlas Institute workshops should be submitted in writing to Jordan at institute@atlascounselingseattle.com. If offered resolutions are not satisfactory, the complaint will be reviewed by Atlas Counseling leadership, and a final written decision will be issued within 30 days of receipt.