Strengthening Roots; Inspiring Growth
Learn more about the programs we offer
Rooted in Presence: Self of the Play Therapist through Sandtray, Nature, Animals, and Touch
Get In Touch With Your Wild Side!!
Self-care through exploration of touch, llamas, BIG pigs, and nature? If your answer is, “yes please!” then this course is for you! This experiential play therapy training explores the integration of self of the therapist with the healing elements of sandtray, animals, nature, and therapeutic touch in clinical practice. Participants will examine how their personal history with touch, attunement, and use of self influence the therapeutic relationship, particularly when engaging in play therapy. Drawing on principles from sandtray therapy, animal-assisted interactions, and nature-informed practice, this course highlights how nonverbal communication, embodiment, and the natural world can deepen connection and support regulation, attachment, and meaning-making. Special attention is given to the intentional and ethical use of touch in play therapy, including considerations of safety, consent, and healing properties. Through reflective exercises and experiential activities, clinicians will deepen their awareness of how their presence, boundaries, and sensory engagement shape the therapeutic process. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the impact that touch has had on their lives and how the use of touch, or lack thereof, impacts their play therapy practice.
Dates:
Saturday, Nov 14, 2026 at 8:30 am to Saturday, Nov 14, 2026 at 4:30 pm
Location:
Timberview Ranch and Retreat-Clinton, IL
Roots of Me: Examining the Self of the Play Therapist through Sandtray
Dive into self-discovery for play therapists using sandtray in a hands-on, in-person session!
There is a reason you are a therapist. You are not just any type of therapist. You are a play therapist. When was the last time you examined why? In this highly experiential course, we will use four lenses to examine the self as therapist: family system of origin, touch, identity as healer, and identities within (and outside of) the play therapy room. This four-part program will examine each lens through a left-brained, relational neuroscience perspective paired with a right-brained sandtray perspective. Relational neuroscience tells us that the relationship between the therapist and client is the biggest agent of change and contrary to graduate school teachings, the embodiment of therapist as self plays a critical role in a client’s healing. By examining parts of the play therapist as self that are divisive or uncomfortable, we are better able to be fully present in body and soul for our clients.
Dates:
Friday, Jan 8, 2027 at 8:30 am to Saturday, Jan 9, 2027 at 5 pm
Location:
Family Houston-Houston, TX
Attachment as the Antidote: Relational Healing for Trauma with Insights from Theraplay®
2027 Oklahoma Association for Play Therapy Annual Conference — Keynote Presentation
What if one of the most powerful tools for healing trauma isn’t something we do, but the relationships we help build?
Trauma can disrupt a child’s sense of safety, connection, and trust. But relationships can also be where healing begins. Join Mandy Jones-Fischer, LCSW, RPT-S™, JD, for an engaging and experiential keynote presentation exploring the power of attachment, playful connection, and relational healing.
Drawing from attachment theory, interpersonal neurobiology, and Theraplay®-informed principles, this six-hour training explores how attunement, structure, nurture, engagement, and supportive challenge can help children and families move from disconnection toward felt safety and resilience.
Through hands-on activities, clinical examples, and practical play-based interventions, participants will explore ways to strengthen caregiver-child relationships, support co-regulation, and create meaningful opportunities for healing. Come ready to reflect, connect, and, of course, PLAY!
Dates:
Saturday, January 30, 2027 | 9:30 AM–5:00 PM (CST), including lunch break
Location:
Legacy Plaza Tower East — Tulsa, OK
Continuing Education:
6 CE hours available through the Oklahoma Association for Play Therapy.
Roots of Me: Examining the Self of the Play Therapist through Sandtray
Dive into self-discovery for play therapists using sandtray in a hands-on, in-person session!
There is a reason you are a therapist. You are not just any type of therapist. You are a play therapist. When was the last time you examined why? In this highly experiential course, we will use four lenses to examine the self as therapist: family system of origin, touch, identity as healer, and identities within (and outside of) the play therapy room. This four-part program will examine each lens through a left-brained, relational neuroscience perspective paired with a right-brained sandtray perspective. Relational neuroscience tells us that the relationship between the therapist and client is the biggest agent of change and contrary to graduate school teachings, the embodiment of therapist as self plays a critical role in a client’s healing. By examining parts of the play therapist as self that are divisive or uncomfortable, we are better able to be fully present in body and soul for our clients.
Dates:
Friday, February 19, 2027 at 8:30 am to Saturday, Friday 20 2027 at 5 pm
Location:
A Space Between-Las Vegas, NV
Roots of Me: Examining the Self of the Play Therapist through Sandtray
Dive into self-discovery for play therapists using sandtray in a hands-on, in-person session!
There is a reason you are a therapist. You are not just any type of therapist. You are a play therapist. When was the last time you examined why? In this highly experiential course, we will use four lenses to examine the self as therapist: family system of origin, touch, identity as healer, and identities within (and outside of) the play therapy room. This four-part program will examine each lens through a left-brained, relational neuroscience perspective paired with a right-brained sandtray perspective. Relational neuroscience tells us that the relationship between the therapist and client is the biggest agent of change and contrary to graduate school teachings, the embodiment of therapist as self plays a critical role in a client’s healing. By examining parts of the play therapist as self that are divisive or uncomfortable, we are better able to be fully present in body and soul for our clients.
Dates:
March 5, 2027-March 6, 2027
Location:
The Workshop-Austin, TX
Roots of Me: Examining the Self of the Play Therapist through Sandtray
Dive into self-discovery for play therapists using sandtray in a hands-on, in-person session!
There is a reason you are a therapist. You are not just any type of therapist. You are a play therapist. When was the last time you examined why? In this highly experiential course, we will use four lenses to examine the self as therapist: family system of origin, touch, identity as healer, and identities within (and outside of) the play therapy room. This four-part program will examine each lens through a left-brained, relational neuroscience perspective paired with a right-brained sandtray perspective. Relational neuroscience tells us that the relationship between the therapist and client is the biggest agent of change and contrary to graduate school teachings, the embodiment of therapist as self plays a critical role in a client’s healing. By examining parts of the play therapist as self that are divisive or uncomfortable, we are better able to be fully present in body and soul for our clients.
Dates:
Friday, Apr 9, 2027 at 8:30 am to Saturday, Apr 10, 2027 at 5 pm
Location:
Oklahoma Play Therapy Training Institute – Oklahoma City, OK
APT Approved Provider 26-819
Other CE credit may be available upon request