Friday, March 6th, 2026 from 9:00AM-12:15PM

VIRTUAL Play Therapy Training 

This workshop equips play therapists with the knowledge and tools to effectively educate and empower parents and caregivers of children with ADHD.

Participants will learn how to integrate parent collaboration alongside play therapy techniques. Therapists will be able to translate therapeutic concepts into accessible neuroaffirming strategies for families to use and understand. Therapists will learn how to provide ways to foster collective emotional regulation, connection, and skill‑building in the play therapy room and for families at home.

Through case examples, practical strategies, and discussion, clinicians will deepen their ability to partner with families, reduce power struggles, and create consistent, affirming environments that help neurodivergent children thrive.

Objectives:

1. Describe how ADHD‑related executive functioning, emotional regulation, and sensory processing differences impact children’s engagement in play therapy and family dynamics
2. Identify core principles and modalities of play therapy theories—including child‑centered, directive, and integrative approaches—and explain why play is an effective therapeutic tool for children with ADHD.
3. Demonstrate play‑based strategies that strengthen the parent‑child relationship, including co‑regulation, attunement, emotional literacy tools, and collaborative play techniques.
4. Apply neuroaffirming play therapy interventions, such as filial play therapy, sensory play activities, and theraplay, to coach parents in supporting regulation, connection, and resilience at home.
5. Design a parent treatment plan that incorporates play therapy principles to promote autonomy, collaborative problem‑solving, and a playful home culture that supports neurodivergent children

Topic: Parents and ADHD

Presenter: Meghan Burns, M.S., Licensed Professional Counselor

Date/Time: Friday, March 6th, 2026 from 9:00AM-12:15PM

Cost: $75.00 early bird end 1/06 at 9am, $85.00 regular pricing ends 2/03 at 9am, $95.00 late registration

Student: $35.00 (With VALID ID). Send to paige@crossroadsfamilycc.com for verification. 

Target Audience: Social Workers, Counselors, and Play Therapists

Friday, April 10th, 2026 from 9:00AM-12:15PM

In-Person Play Therapy Training 

This Sand Tray Training will provide an introduction to sandtray therapy as an expressive modality within play therapy practice. Designed for mental health professionals at all levels of experience, the training integrates theory, ethical practice considerations, and clinical application of sandtray therapy with clients across the lifespan.

Participants will examine the theoretical underpinnings of play therapy and sandtray therapy, including the use of symbolic imagery, nonverbal expression, and the therapeutic relationship. Both directive and non-directive sandtray interventions will be demonstrated, and participants will actively engage in individual and group sandtray experiences to enhance clinical skills, self-awareness, and therapeutic attunement. Emphasis is placed on developing competence in the intentional use of sandtray techniques in the playroom to support assessment, treatment planning, and therapeutic outcomes in diverse clinical settings.

Objectives:

1. Explain the theoretical foundations, principles, and clinical purposes of sandtray therapy within the broader framework of play therapy.
2. Demonstrate introductory skills in facilitating both directive and non-directive sandtray interventions with individuals and groups, including appropriate therapist roles and ethical considerations.
3. Apply sandtray therapy techniques to clinical practice by utilizing symbolic imagery and experiential processes to support assessment, self-exploration, and therapeutic change with clients across the lifespan.

Topic: Sandtray Therapy

Presenter: Sheri Mitschelen, LCSW, RPT-S

Date/Time: Friday, April 10th, 2026 from 9:00AM-12:15PM

Cost: $75.00 early bird end 3/10 at 9am, $85.00 regular pricing ends 4/07 at 9am, $95.00 late registration

Student: $35.00 (With VALID ID). Send to paige@crossroadsfamilycc.com for verification. 

Target Audience: Social Workers, Counselors, and Play Therapists

Location Address: 3529 Chain Bridge Rd, Fairfax, VA 22030

Schedule:

9:00am-10:15am: Explain the theoretical foundations, principles, and clinical purposes of sandtray therapy within the broader framework of play therapy.

10:15am-10:30am Break

10:30am-12pm Demonstrate introductory skills in facilitating both directive and non-directive sandtray interventions and apply sandtray therapy techniques to clinical practice.

12:00-12:15 Wrap Up and Discussion

Friday, May 8th, 2026 from 9:00AM-12:15PM

Virtual Play Therapy Training 

Play is widely understood as the language of children, especially in therapeutic work where it is often their most authentic form of communication. But when we tune in more deeply, another essential truth becomes clear: Play expresses what the nervous system holds. This training introduces EMDR-informed principles as a pathway for understanding and supporting the nervous system within the play space, helping therapists recognize what a child’s system is expressing and how to respond in ways that bring movement, settling, and direction to the therapeutic process.

Participants will learn how to recognize overwhelmed or “stuck” nervous systems in children and then embed simple, developmentally sensitive EMDR-informed micro-interventions  into the play therapy approaches they already use. These tools are designed to complement existing play therapy models and do not require EMDR protocol or certification. Attendees will leave with concrete strategies they can integrate immediately into their sessions, as well as clear ways to track and communicate therapeutic progress over time.

Objectives:

1. Describe the basic EMDR principles and the purpose of each phase, and explain how these phases may appear or be reflected in children’s play.

2.  Identify at least three indicators in children’s play that suggest the nervous system may be overwhelmed, stuck, or needing support.

3. Demonstrate at least three EMDR-informed micro-interventions that can be embedded within existing play therapy models

Topic: EMDR and Play Therapy

Presenter: Amanda Harrington, Ph.D., LPC

Date/Time: Friday, May 8th, 2026 from 9:00AM-12:15PM

Cost: $75.00 early bird end 4/06 at 9am, $85.00 regular pricing ends 5/05 at 9am, $95.00 late registration

Student: $35.00 (With VALID ID). Send to paige@crossroadsfamilycc.com for verification. 

Target Audience: Social Workers, Counselors, and Play Therapists

Schedule:

9:00am-10:15am Learn the basic EMDR principles and the purpose of each phase, and explain how these phases may appear or be reflected in children’s play.

10:15am-10:30am Break

10:30am-12pm Learn about the indicators in children’s play that suggest the nervous system may be overwhelmed and learn about EMDR-informed interventions that can be used in play therapy

12:00-12:15 Wrap Up and Discussion