South Carolina Association for Play Therapy 2026 Fall Conference

Join us for an engaging two-day keynote training that integrates neuroscience, play therapy, and the healing power of nature to enhance clinical work with children and families. Designed for both emerging and experienced clinicians, this experiential workshop blends current research with practical application, providing participants with creative, developmentally responsive interventions that can be immediately incorporated into practice.

Day One, All Behavior Makes Sense: Play Therapy with Kids with Vulnerable Nervous Systems, explores children's behavior through the lens of interpersonal neurobiology, attachment, and nervous system regulation. Participants will learn to move beyond viewing behaviors as problems to be managed and instead understand them as meaningful adaptations that communicate underlying needs. Through play therapy principles, experiential learning, and clinical case examples, participants will gain practical strategies for fostering regulation, strengthening connection, and creating the felt safety that allows children to heal and grow.

Day Two, Nature-Based Play Therapy, introduces participants to the therapeutic benefits of incorporating the natural world into play therapy. Grounded in developmental theory, neuroscience, and the Therapeutic Powers of Play, this workshop explores how nature can support emotional regulation, resilience, sensory integration, and relational connection. Participants will experience hands-on, nature-based interventions that can be adapted across a variety of clinical settings and used with children facing challenges such as anxiety, trauma, grief and loss, emotional dysregulation, and life transitions.

Throughout the two days, participants will engage in experiential activities, reflective exercises, small-group discussions, demonstrations, and case-based learning that bring theory to life. The training emphasizes practical application while encouraging clinicians to deepen their own therapeutic presence, creativity, and confidence. Participants will leave with evidence-informed strategies, adaptable interventions, and a richer understanding of how play, relationships, the nervous system, and the natural environment work together to promote healing.

Whether you are new to play therapy or looking to expand your clinical toolkit, this workshop offers an inspiring and practical opportunity to strengthen your skills while discovering innovative approaches that support meaningful change for children and families.