Deepening the Relationship: Advanced Skills in Child-Centered Play Therapy

Join us for a 2-day, 12 CE advanced training in Child-Centered Play Therapy—strengthen your CCPT practice through deeper understanding, reflection, and skill integration.

Deepening the Relationship is a 2-day, 12 CE advanced training designed for clinicians who have foundational knowledge of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) and want to refine their therapeutic presence and expand their clinical tools. Attendees are welcome to join even if they did not attend Welcome to the Playroom, but should have prior foundational training or coursework in CCPT to ensure readiness for advanced material.

This highly experiential workshop builds on the philosophy and skills introduced in Welcome to the Playroom and takes participants deeper into the nuances of the child-centered process. Through a blend of instruction, demonstration, and extensive hands-on practice, participants will have opportunities to apply advanced CCPT concepts in real-time and reflect on their therapeutic responses.

Across two days, participants will explore advanced techniques for distinguishing play behavior versus play themes, implementing advanced limit-setting strategies, and supporting progress and termination within a CCPT framework. Additional focus areas include documentation and progress notes, parent consultation, and navigating aggression in the playroom. The training will also examine how CCPT principles translate across settings—including schools, community agencies, and private practice.

This training is designed for mental health professionals who have completed introductory CCPT training, including LPCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, psychologists, school counselors, and graduate students seeking advanced skills in play therapy.

For more information email: info@mapttrainingcenter.com

Days/Times

February 20–21, 2026
Friday, February 20, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with one-hour lunch and two 15-minute breaks)
Saturday, February 21, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (with one-hour lunch and two 15-minute breaks)

Location

Mansfield Mission Center
78 Regency Parkway
Mansfield, TX 76063

Important: Drive around to the back, park, and enter through the market. Please do not enter through the front of the YMCA.

Objectives

By the end of this 2-day training, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate between play behaviors and play themes within the CCPT framework.
2. Demonstrate advanced limit-setting techniques that maintain safety and connection in the playroom.
3. Identify progress and facilitate effective termination.
4. Develop documentation and progress notes consistent with child-centered principles.
5. Integrate parent consultation and collaboration into advanced stages of the CCPT process.
6. Apply CCPT principles across diverse settings, including schools, agencies, and private practice.
7. Discuss current research supporting the effectiveness and continued relevance of Child-Centered Play Therapy.

Speakers:

Heather Pina-McGhee, M.A., LPC-S, RPT-S™ , Certified CCPT-S

Heather is the owner and clinical director of Life Chapters Counseling, PLLC in Mansfield, Texas. A Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™, Certified Child-Centered Play Therapy Supervisor (CCPT-S), EMDR Certified Practitioner and TBRI® Practitioner, she specializes in helping children, teens, and families through play therapy, sandtray, EMDR, and trauma-informed approaches. Heather’s background includes experience as a classroom teacher, school counselor, and child protective services worker, which gives her a unique perspective on the systems that impact children’s lives. She provides supervision for LPC-Associates and Registered Play Therapist™ candidates and is passionate about mentoring the next generation of play therapists. As co-founder of the Mansfield-Arlington Play Therapy Training Center (MAPT Training Center, LLC), Heather is committed to making high-quality, practical play therapy training accessible to mental health professionals.

Amy Andra, M.S., LPC-S, RPT-S™ , Certified CCPT-S

Amy is the co-founder of Spirit Therapy, PLLC in Midlothian, Texas, where she provides counseling for children, adolescents, and families. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor ™, Certified Child-Centered Play Therapy Supervisor (CCPT-S) and EMDR certified practitioner. She specializes in working with all ages integrating Play, activity based interventions, somatic interventions, Internal Family Systems interventions and animal assisted therapy. With extensive experience in both school and private practice settings, Amy brings warmth and expertise to her work with children and to her supervision of LPC-Associates and Registered Play Therapist™ candidates. As co-founder of the MAPT Training Center, Amy enjoys equipping counselors with the skills and confidence to integrate Child-Centered Play Therapy into their practice.

CANCELATION/REFUND POLICY

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to info@mapttrainingcenter.com

Requests received by 11:59 p.m. on February 9, 2026 will be eligible for a refund of the registration fee, less a $50 administrative processing fee.

No refunds will be issued for requests received after this date.

MAPT Training Center reserves the right to cancel or reschedule this training due to unforeseen circumstances. In such cases, every effort will be made to notify registered participants in advance, and all registration and continuing education fees will be fully refunded.

Please note: MAPT Training Center’s financial responsibility is limited solely to the amount of the registration fee paid.

MAPT Training Center is committed to providing accessible learning experiences. Please contact us at info@mapttrainingcenter.com by February 2,2026 to request accommodations

If you have concerns or grievances regarding this training, please contact MAPT Training Center at info@mapttrainingcenter.com. We will make every effort to resolve complaints in a fair and timely manner.

Play Therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals.