2,4,6,8 This is How We Regulate: Play Therapy Techniques to Help with Emotion Dysregulation

Tracy Turner-Bumberry, LPC, RPT-S, CAS

August 28, 2026

9am-4pm

The Junior League of Nashville, 2202 Crestmoor Road, Nashville, TN

6 CEs, Play therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals

This essential training is designed for play therapists seeking creative,

practical, and effective ways to support clients who experience frequent dysregulation. Join Tracy Turner-Bumberry for an engaging 6-hour presentation exploring mindfulness, emotion regulation, and evidence-informed techniques to strengthen clients’ self-regulation skills.

Participants will leave with a wide range of ready-to-use strategies that build confidence and effectiveness in the play therapy room. All activities are designed to be simple, portable, and require minimal materials—making them easy to integrate into your existing practice.

Register now for a dynamic, hands-on training experience that is both meaningful and immediately applicable.

Learning Objectives:

1. Assess and conceptualize common patterns of emotional and behavioral dysregulation observed in play therapy settings.

2. Review the Process Model of Emotion Regulation and apply its components to case conceptualization and intervention planning in play therapy.

3. Differentiate between antecedent-focused and response-focused play therapy interventions and evaluate their clinical utility.

4. Define intentional practice and examine its role in the selection, implementation, and refinement of play therapy interventions.

5. Demonstrate the use of brief “in-the-moment” play therapy interventions to support rapid stabilization and promote a calm therapeutic environment.

6. Implement at least four developmentally appropriate, replicable play therapy interventions to reduce client dysregulation across settings.

Sponsored by TNAPT

APT approved provider 23-687

2,4,6,8 This is How We Regulate: Play Therapy Techniques to Help with Emotion Dysregulation

Tracy Turner-Bumberry, LPC, RPT-S, CAS

August 28, 2026

9am-4pm

The Junior League of Nashville, 2202 Crestmoor Road, Nashville, TN

6 CEs, Play therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals

This essential training is designed for play therapists seeking creative, practical, and effective ways to support clients who experience frequent dysregulation. Join Tracy Turner-Bumberry for an engaging 6-hour presentation exploring mindfulness, emotion regulation, and evidence-informed techniques to strengthen clients’ self-regulation skills.

Participants will leave with a wide range of ready-to-use strategies that build confidence and effectiveness in the play therapy room. All activities are designed to be simple, portable, and require minimal materials—making them easy to integrate into your existing practice.

Register now for a dynamic, hands-on training experience that is both meaningful and immediately applicable.

Learning Objectives:

1. Assess and conceptualize common patterns of emotional and behavioral dysregulation

observed in play therapy settings.

2. Review the Process Model of Emotion Regulation and apply its components to case

conceptualization and intervention planning in play therapy.

3. Differentiate between antecedent-focused and response-focused play therapy

interventions and evaluate their clinical utility.

4. Define intentional practice and examine its role in the selection, implementation, and

refinement of play therapy interventions.

5. Demonstrate the use of brief “in-the-moment” play therapy interventions to support rapid stabilization and promote a calm therapeutic environment.

6. Implement at least four developmentally appropriate, replicable play therapy interventions to reduce client dysregulation across settings.

Sponsored by TNAPT

APT approved provider 23-687

Presenter: Andrea Mann, MS, NCC, LMHC-QS, RPT-S, CAdPT-A, RST

This lunch-and-learn style training introduces mental health professionals to the foundational principles and clinical application of Adlerian Play Therapy (AdPT). Participants will explore the core concepts of Adlerian theory as they relate to children’s emotional, behavioral, and relational experiences, including belonging, significance, encouragement, and purposeful behavior. The training will provide an overview of the four phases of Adlerian Play Therapy and demonstrate how therapists use play, relationship-building, and lifestyle assessment to understand children’s behaviors and facilitate therapeutic change. Through didactic instruction and case-based discussion, participants will gain exposure to practical Adlerian play therapy concepts and interventions that can be integrated into clinical practice with children and families.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

1. Identify at least three foundational concepts of Adlerian Play Therapy and describe how they influence play therapy treatment with children.

2. Describe the four phases of Adlerian Play Therapy and the role of the therapist within each phase of treatment.

3. Demonstrate understanding of how Adlerian Play Therapy conceptualizes children’s behavior through the use of encouragement, relationship-building, and lifestyle assessment strategies.

November 13-14, 2026

9am-4pm

**Cost includes lunch each day

Henry Horton State Park, Chapel Hill, TN

Special Guest- Liana Lowenstein, MSW

Day 1

I Don’t Wanna Talk About It: Creative Play Therapy Interventions For Hard to Engage Children, Teens, and Families  

Working with difficult to engage children can be frustrating and challenging, even for seasoned play therapists. The challenge of working with younger clients in therapy can be further compounded by their fear of entering therapy, their lack of control over the decision to attend therapy, their feeling of being scapegoated for family problems, their lack of motivation for treatment, and their developmental capacity which can make it difficult for them to respond to traditional talk-therapy.

The first step in working with hard to engage children is understanding the reasons underlying their reluctance to open-up. The second step involves engaging children in the therapeutic process. 

The presenter will outline various factors that underlie therapeutic reluctance. Interventions will be presented to engage children in play therapy and to maximize potential for change. Emphasis will be on play therapy techniques including games, art, and stories.

The techniques will be applied to specific clinical examples to illustrate how they can build rapport, facilitate open communication, and help the child work through treatment goals. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the factors underlying therapeutic resistance.

2. Implement creative play therapy interventions to establish rapport-building with children of all ages.

3. Describe creative play therapy interventions to facilitate goal setting.

4. Utilize innovative strategies to engage resistant, hard to serve parents. 

5. Implement play therapy techniques with clients who are reluctant to verbally articulate their thoughts and feelings. 

6. Utilize activities to engage families in play therapy sessions. 

Day 2

Creative Play Therapy Interventions for Bereavement and Divorce

When children enter play therapy because they have experienced a significant loss, they are at a very vulnerable time in their lives. They are often anxious about the therapeutic process and reluctant to talk directly about painful feelings. Activities that are creative and play-based can engage children and help them to express their thoughts and feelings.  This workshop will present a brief theoretical overview followed by a variety of play therapy interventions to treat children and teens coping with bereavement and divorce. A range of innovative activities will be outlined, including therapeutic games, art, and stories. 

Learning Objectives:

Define grief, traumatic grief, and disenfranchised grief.

Articulate the continuum of parent-child relationships after separation and divorce.

Implement creative play therapy assessment interventions

Describe strategies to maintain neutrality when working with high-conflict divorce cases. 

Apply at least 5 new interventions in sessions with children and families coping with bereavement and divorce.

Describe the unique areas to address when working with children impacted by suicide, murder, and substance-related death.

12 CEs, Play therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals

Sponsored by TNAPT

APT approved provider 23-687

November 13-14, 2026

9am-4pm

Cost includes lunch each day**

Henry Horton State Park, Chapel Hill, TN

Special Guest- Liana Lowenstein, MSW

Day 1

I Don’t Wanna Talk About It: Creative Play Therapy Interventions For Hard to Engage Children, Teens, and Families  

Working with difficult to engage children can be frustrating and challenging, even for seasoned play therapists. The challenge of working with younger clients in therapy can be further compounded by their fear of entering therapy, their lack of control over the decision to attend therapy, their feeling of being scapegoated for family problems, their lack of motivation for treatment, and their developmental capacity which can make it difficult for them to respond to traditional talk-therapy.

The first step in working with hard to engage children is understanding the reasons underlying their reluctance to open-up. The second step involves engaging children in the therapeutic process. 

The presenter will outline various factors that underlie therapeutic reluctance. Interventions will be presented to engage children in play therapy and to maximize potential for change. Emphasis will be on play therapy techniques including games, art, and stories.

The techniques will be applied to specific clinical examples to illustrate how they can build rapport, facilitate open communication, and help the child work through treatment goals. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the factors underlying therapeutic resistance.

2. Implement creative play therapy interventions to establish rapport-building with children of all ages.

3. Describe creative play therapy interventions to facilitate goal setting.

4. Utilize innovative strategies to engage resistant, hard to serve parents. 

5. Implement play therapy techniques with clients who are reluctant to verbally articulate their thoughts and feelings. 

6. Utilize activities to engage families in play therapy sessions. 

Day 2

Creative Play Therapy Interventions for Bereavement and Divorce

When children enter play therapy because they have experienced a significant loss, they are at a very vulnerable time in their lives. They are often anxious about the therapeutic process and reluctant to talk directly about painful feelings. Activities that are creative and play-based can engage children and help them to express their thoughts and feelings.  This workshop will present a brief theoretical overview followed by a variety of play therapy interventions to treat children and teens coping with bereavement and divorce. A range of innovative activities will be outlined, including therapeutic games, art, and stories. 

Learning Objectives:

Define grief, traumatic grief, and disenfranchised grief.

Articulate the continuum of parent-child relationships after separation and divorce.

Implement creative play therapy assessment interventions

Describe strategies to maintain neutrality when working with high-conflict divorce cases. 

Apply at least 5 new interventions in sessions with children and families coping with bereavement and divorce.

Describe the unique areas to address when working with children impacted by suicide, murder, and substance-related death.

12 CEs, Play therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals

Sponsored by TNAPT

APT approved provider 23-687

Healing Through Play: Mastering the Oaklander Model of Gestalt Play

Therapy with Children and Adolescents

Karen Fried, Psy.D., LMFT

Friday, March 5, 2027

9am-4pm

Junior League of Nashville

2202 Crestmoor Road, Nashville, Tennessee 37215

This advanced, experiential training equips mental health professionals with the theoretical

framework and practical tools of the Oaklander Model of Gestalt Play Therapy. Rooted in the

therapeutic philosophy of Dr. Violet Oaklander, this course explores how to foster a strong sense

of self and enhance contact functions in younger clients through creative, multi-media

approaches. Participants will dive deep into the therapeutic process, focusing heavily on the

vital I/Thou relationship and Peter Mortola’s four-part process for play therapy exercises.

Moving beyond early childhood, the training explicitly addresses the unique developmental

landscape of adolescence. Common myths regarding teenagers will be addressed, offering

instead a clear look into executive functioning challenges, at-risk behaviors, and the dynamics

of bullying. Through a blend of theoretical analysis and hands-on technique demonstrations,

attendees will learn how to use play therapy to engage even resistant adolescents, recognize

signs of distress, and support them through critical developmental milestones.

Learning Objectives

By the conclusion of this training, participants will be able to:

● Explain the core concepts of Gestalt Therapy and their specific application to children

and adolescents via the Oaklander Model of Gestalt Play Therapy.

● Utilize multiple media modalities to help young clients develop a strong sense of self, a

foundational tenet of the Oaklander Model.

● Describe the concept of the I/Thou relationship and analyze its critical role within the

play therapy process.

● Apply childhood developmental concepts to the therapeutic process, demonstrating how

the Oaklander Model directly addresses these milestones.

● Implement Peter Mortola’s four-part process across various play therapy exercises.

● Analyze how contact functions allow children to achieve an improved sense of self

through experiential learning.

● Demonstrate specific Oaklander play therapy techniques designed to strengthen a

child's contact functions.

● Outline the definitive stages of the Oaklander Model therapeutic process and their

practical application.

● Deconstruct common myths regarding adolescents and explain how play therapy meets

their developmental needs in an engaging manner.

● Identify the underlying reasons driving adolescent at-risk behaviors and apply play

therapy strategies to effectively engage this population.

● Analyze demographic data regarding the adolescents most vulnerable to bullying and

formulate play therapy approaches to manage the resulting trauma.

● Identify the behavioral and emotional signs of adolescent bullying using targeted play

therapy assessment techniques.

● Describe executive functioning challenges in adolescence and demonstrate how play

therapy techniques can be used to address these deficits.

Healing Through Play: Mastering the Oaklander Model of Gestalt Play

Therapy with Children and Adolescents

Karen Fried, Psy.D., LMFT

Friday, March 5, 2027

9am-4pm

Junior League of Nashville

2202 Crestmoor Road, Nashville, Tennessee 37215

This advanced, experiential training equips mental health professionals with the theoretical

framework and practical tools of the Oaklander Model of Gestalt Play Therapy. Rooted in the

therapeutic philosophy of Dr. Violet Oaklander, this course explores how to foster a strong sense

of self and enhance contact functions in younger clients through creative, multi-media

approaches. Participants will dive deep into the therapeutic process, focusing heavily on the

vital I/Thou relationship and Peter Mortola’s four-part process for play therapy exercises.

Moving beyond early childhood, the training explicitly addresses the unique developmental

landscape of adolescence. Common myths regarding teenagers will be addressed, offering

instead a clear look into executive functioning challenges, at-risk behaviors, and the dynamics

of bullying. Through a blend of theoretical analysis and hands-on technique demonstrations,

attendees will learn how to use play therapy to engage even resistant adolescents, recognize

signs of distress, and support them through critical developmental milestones.

Learning Objectives

By the conclusion of this training, participants will be able to:

● Explain the core concepts of Gestalt Therapy and their specific application to children

and adolescents via the Oaklander Model of Gestalt Play Therapy.

● Utilize multiple media modalities to help young clients develop a strong sense of self, a

foundational tenet of the Oaklander Model.

● Describe the concept of the I/Thou relationship and analyze its critical role within the

play therapy process.

● Apply childhood developmental concepts to the therapeutic process, demonstrating how

the Oaklander Model directly addresses these milestones.

● Implement Peter Mortola’s four-part process across various play therapy exercises.

● Analyze how contact functions allow children to achieve an improved sense of self

through experiential learning.

● Demonstrate specific Oaklander play therapy techniques designed to strengthen a

child's contact functions.

● Outline the definitive stages of the Oaklander Model therapeutic process and their

practical application.

● Deconstruct common myths regarding adolescents and explain how play therapy meets

their developmental needs in an engaging manner.

● Identify the underlying reasons driving adolescent at-risk behaviors and apply play

therapy strategies to effectively engage this population.

● Analyze demographic data regarding the adolescents most vulnerable to bullying and

formulate play therapy approaches to manage the resulting trauma.

● Identify the behavioral and emotional signs of adolescent bullying using targeted play

therapy assessment techniques.

● Describe executive functioning challenges in adolescence and demonstrate how play

therapy techniques can be used to address these deficits.