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2025 PA APT Annual Conference
Dr. Robert Jason Grant, LPC, NCC, RPT-S​
Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center
located near the Penn State Main Campus
State College, PA
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Up to 12 CE's awarded for 2 day attendees:
APT Approved Provider 98-040
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All professionals working with children and adolescents are invited to attend!
Conference Details
Day 1 - April 25, 2025
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Title: Play Therapy Interventions to Address the Needs of Neurodivergent Children
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Description: Neurodivergent children can present with a variety of mental health needs. Play
Therapy approaches and interventions provide the opportunity to individually design therapy
plans to support neurodivergence while addressing therapy goals. This training will examine
affirming constructs in play therapy implementation with neurodivergent children.
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Abstract: Interventions and approaches! If you are looking for play therapy interventions to
use with autistic and other neurodivergent children, this is the training for you! This training
focuses on play therapy approaches and techniques that work well when addressing the mental
health needs of neurodivergent children. A general overview of neurodivergence will be
provided. How play therapy can be a viable therapy for neurodivergent children is also reviewed.
Special considerations in using play therapy and in creating directive techniques will be covered.
Several directive play therapy interventions will be explained and strategies for developing play
therapy interventions will be discussed. This training includes PowerPoint, video clips, and
experiential exercises and will present integrative and prescriptive theoretical approaches.
Learning Objectives:
1. Implement play therapy approaches to address mental health needs of autistic and other
neurodivergent children and adolescents.
2. Identify evidence supported play therapy approaches for working with neurodivergent
children and adolescents.
3. Describe several structured play therapy interventions that can be implemented with autistic
and other neurodivergent children and adolescents.
4. Describe special considerations when implementing play therapy approaches with
neurodivergent children.
5. Explain how to design a play therapy intervention and playroom set up based on a
neurodiversity affirming understanding.
6. Outline neurodiversity informed and affirming play therapy intervention selection and
implementation.
Day 2 - April 26, 2025
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Title: Neurodivergence and Trauma: AutPlay Therapy and Beyond
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Description: Autistic and other neurodivergent children have higher rates of ACEs and are more
susceptible to experiencing trauma than non-neurodivergent peers. This training explores how to
help neurodivergent children address trauma issues through neurodiversity affirming play
therapy processes.
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Abstract: This training will explore the unique manifestations of trauma in autistic and other
neurodivergent children. How to use AutPlay Therapy (a neurodiversity affirming framework) to
address trauma issues and how to integrate and affirmingly adapt evidence-based trauma
approaches for autistic children will be covered. Research related to trauma and autism and play
therapy and trauma approaches will be highlighted. Trauma will be discussed from two
perspectives: a traditional view of trauma impact and autism/neurodivergence as a lived trauma
response. Participants will also learn about and engage in experiential play therapy techniques to
address trauma issues in neurodivergent children.
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify the AutPlay Therapy three step process to help neurodivergent children who are
struggling with trauma issues.
2. List at least two reasons play therapy is appropriate for addressing trauma.
3. Describe at least three play therapy interventions that help autistic and other neurodivergent
children develop regulation ability.
4. Define the five-paradigm process of neurodivergence as a trauma response
5. Identify how AutPlay Therapy integrates with established trauma protocols.
6. List at least two play therapy interventions that help autistic children develop emotion
identification and expression.​
Learn more about Dr. Robert Jason Grant
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2023 PA APT Conference: Text
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