Family Matters: Deepening Connections Through Play Therapy
PAAPT proudly presents:
October 3, 2026
Marywood University, Swartz Center
Dunmore, PA
CE Hours: 6 In-person contact hours
APT Approved Provider # 98-040
Play therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals
Family relationships are at the heart of a child’s emotional development, resilience, and sense of security. This training is an engaging training designed to help clinicians deepen their understanding of how play therapy can strengthen family connections and support healthy attachment. Grounded in attachment theory, this presentation will explore the historical
foundations of attachment research and examine how attachment patterns influence child behavior, emotional regulation, communication, and family functioning.
Participants will learn how attachment-focused play therapy interventions can be integrated into clinical practice to foster trust, enhance parent-child relationships, and promote emotional healing. The training will review several play therapy models that are attachment focused, highlighting their theoretical foundations, clinical applications, and effectiveness across diverse family systems. Special attention will be given to helping caregivers become active participants in the therapeutic process, creating opportunities for connection, co-regulation, and positive relational experiences.
In addition to theory and clinical application, attendees will engage in practical activities that can be immediately incorporated into their work with children and families. Through experiential learning, case examples, and hands-on exercises, participants will gain tools to facilitate meaningful interactions, strengthen attachment bonds, and address common challenges encountered in family-centered treatment.
This training is ideal for mental health professionals seeking to expand their play therapy skills and enhance their ability to support families through an attachment-informed lens. Participants will leave with increased confidence, practical interventions, and a deeper understanding of how play can serve as a powerful vehicle for connection, communication, and lasting relational
change within families.
Learning Objectives.
1. Gain an overview perspective of attachment theory and how to integrate it with play!
2. Identify 4 attachment styles and how they show up in the play room.
3. Learn about 5 different attachment focused models that you can utilize in playtherapy sessions.
4. Learn at least 10 different attachment-based play therapy techniques to use with children and families.
5. Identify at least 3 benefits and challenges of incorporating parents in play
sessions
6. Identify at least 1 strength and 1 possible obstacle the therapist brings to the play therapy session
Presenters:
Laurie Schein, LCSW, MFT, RPT-S, is the owner and founder of New Journey Family Center. For more than 25 years, Laurie has dedicated her career to supporting children and families through work in the child welfare system, community mental health, and outpatient behavioral health settings. Her professional passion centers on fostering healthy, meaningful connections between children and their caregivers.
Laurie has completed extensive advanced training in Theraplay, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Synergetic Play Therapy (Certified), and numerous other specialized play therapy approaches. Combined with years of consultation and clinical experience, these trainings enable her to create therapeutic environments that promote deeper connection, healing, and
growth within families.
In addition to her clinical work, Laurie is committed to advancing the field of play therapy.She currently serves as President of the Pennsylvania Association for Play Therapy and enjoys supervising clinicians pursuing licensure, mentoring emerging therapists, and providing professional trainings that help clinicians strengthen and expand their play therapy
skills.
Carmen Garber, LMFT serves as a part-
time clinician at New Journey Family Center while also embracing her full-time role as a mother. As both an adoptee and former foster parent, Carmen brings a unique lived experience and deep understanding of attachment, trauma, and the complexities of interpersonal relationships. With years of experience as a foster parent, educator, and clinician, Carmen is passionate about helping children and families build stronger, healthier connections. She believes that meaningful relationships are at the heart of healing and growth and strives to create a supportive environment where families can deepen their understanding of one another.
Carmen has received specialized training in Filial Therapy, Theraplay, and Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Certified). She has a strong appreciation for the power of play therapy and frequently incorporates play-based interventions to strengthen parent-child relationships and foster connection within families. An avid reader and lifelong learner, Carmen continually seeks opportunities to expand her clinical knowledge and deepen her therapeutic skills through ongoing training and professional development.
Currently, Carmen is completing the final stages of her training and supervision hours toward becoming a Registered Play Therapist (RPT), further enhancing her ability to support children and families through developmentally appropriate and evidence-based interventions.
8:15-9:00a
Registration and snacks
Session
Break
10:45-12:15p
9:00-10:30am
10:30-10:45a
12:15-1;15pm
1:15-2:45
Session
Lunch
Session
2:45-3:00
Break
Session
Please turn in all CE forms and evaluations at the registration table
3:00-4:30
4:30