Upcoming Workshops
THE SUPERVISOR AS SECUREBASE
Ethics, Power, and Play in the Supervisory Relationship
DESCRIPTION OF TRAINING
This interactive workshop explores the role of the play therapy supervisor as a secure base in supporting ethical, reflective, and developmentally responsive supervision. Grounded in attachment theory, play therapy practice, and ethical principles, the training focuses on how countertransference naturally emerges in play therapy work and how it can shape clinical judgment, boundaries, and decision-making when left unexamined.
Participants will examine the relational and power dynamics inherent in supervision, including how supervisors’ and supervisees’ attachment histories, emotional responses, and embodied reactions may influence the supervisory process. Through experiential activities, case examples, and reflective dialogue, participants will practice identifying countertransference cues and learn how to guide supervisees toward awareness, curiosity, and ethical responsiveness rather than avoidance or reactivity.
Emphasis is placed on creating supervisory relationships that balance safety and accountability, allowing supervisees to bring uncertainty, strong affect, and ethical dilemmas into the supervisory space. Participants will leave with practical, attachment-informed, and play-based supervisory strategies they can immediately integrate to support ethical practice, supervisee development, and client well-being.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
THURSDAY, April 9, 2026: 3.0 CE Hours
CE APPROVED:
Play Therapy: 3.0 CE (*1.5 Ethics CE Included)
APT Approved Provider: 17-498
CE PENDING:
MN Board of Marriage and Family Therapy
MN Board of Social Work
MN Board of Behavioral Health
CANCELLATION/REFUND
Requests for cancellation must be made in writing to Journeys Toward Healing Counseling Center prior to April 1, 2026, less a $50.00 administrative fee per registration. Registrants can transfer their registration to another person if Journeys Toward Healing Counseling Center is notified.
TRAINING LOCATION
Journeys Toward Healing Counseling Center
151 Saint Andrews Court, Suite 710
Mankato, MN 56001
Phone: (507) 386-7121
TRAINING SCHEDULE
Thursday, April 9, 2026
5:00PM-8:15PM
Attachment in Play Therapy:
Creating Safety, Delight, and Connection
DESCRIPTION OF TRAINING
This training examines attachment theory as it is applied in play therapy through structured, relational, and experiential interventions with children and caregivers. Grounded in attachment theory, interpersonal neurobiology, developmental neuroscience, and play therapy practice, participants will explore how safety, delight, and connection are intentionally fostered through moment-to-moment therapeutic interactions that support emotional regulation, attunement, and relational security.
Participants will learn how the core dimensions of structure, engagement, nurture, and developmentally appropriate challenge may be utilized within attachment-based play therapy approaches, including Theraplay®, to strengthen caregiver–child relationships and promote secure attachment. The training emphasizes the ethical implementation of these interventions, with attention to professional standards related to informed consent and child assent, boundaries surrounding touch and physical proximity, caregiver participation in treatment, and the management of power dynamics inherent in adult-led, relationship-focused play therapy.
The training also introduces key concepts from adult attachment theory, including internal working models and the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), to enhance understanding of the caregiver’s role in the therapeutic process. Participants will examine the parallel process between child and adult attachment and consider how caregiver attachment histories and relational patterns influence treatment planning, ethical decision-making, and therapeutic outcomes in play therapy.
This training is designed for play therapists seeking to strengthen their attachment-informed clinical practice through embodied, relational, and play-based approaches that support connection, repair, and resilience within families, while maintaining adherence to ethical standards, professional responsibility, and best practices in play therapy.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Participants will:
Identify core principles of interactive, attachment-focused play therapy that support safety, regulation, and relational connection between children and caregivers.
Describe how structure, engagement, nurture, and developmentally appropriate challenge can be used within play therapy sessions to strengthen attachment and emotional security.
Apply at least two play-based, relational interventions designed to increase attunement, co-regulation, and positive caregiver–child interaction.
Describe key concepts of adult attachment theory, including internal working models and their relevance to caregiver behavior in play therapy.
Explain how information derived from the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) can inform case conceptualization, therapeutic stance, and caregiver support within play therapy.
Articulate how attachment-informed, interactive play therapy fits within the broader theoretical framework of play therapy and supports relational healing and developmental growth.
Identify and apply ethical standards related to the use of touch, proximity, caregiver involvement, and power dynamics in attachmentbased play therapy approaches.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Friday, April 10, 2026
7.0 Contact Hours CE 2.0 Contact Hours Ethics Included
CONTACT HOURS CE APPROVED: Play Therapy: 7.0 Contact Hours CE APT Approved Provider: 17-498
CE PENDING: MN Board of Marriage and Family
Therapy MN Board of Social Work
MN Board of Behavioral Health
CANCELLATION/REFUND
Requests for cancellation must be made in writing to Journeys Toward Healing Counseling Center prior to April 1, 2026, less a $50.00 administrative fee per registration. Registrants can transfer their registration to another person if Journeys Toward Healing Counseling Center is notified.
TRAINING LOCATION
Journeys Toward Healing Counseling Center
151 Saint Andrews Court, Suite 710
Mankato, MN 56001
Phone: (507) 386-7121
TRAINING SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, April 10, 2026
8:00AM - 4:30PM
From Selection to Support
Factors in Play Therapy Approach & Effective Caregiver Collaboration
DESCRIPTION
Selecting effective play therapy approaches requires careful consideration of the child’s developmental stage, presenting concerns, and family context. This training explores how therapists can make informed decisions when choosing and applying play therapy approaches, while emphasizing the essential role of caregiver involvement in promoting therapeutic change. Through case examples and practical strategies, participants will learn how to integrate caregivers into the treatment process to strengthen attachment, reinforce therapeutic gains, and support long-term success.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
Describe key factors to consider when selecting an appropriate play therapy approach.
Differentiate among play therapy approaches and determine when and why each may be most effective based on the child’s developmental, emotional, cultural, and family needs.
Demonstrate effective strategies for incorporating caregivers into the play therapy process to enhance treatment outcomes.
Apply methods for fostering therapeutic change through intentional and collaborative caregiver involvement and play therapy approaches.
MEET THE PRESENTER
Dr. Barbara Skodje-Mack, EdD, LMFT, LPCC, RPT-S has over 20 years of experience in the mental health field. She currently serves as Director of the Child & Adolescent Outpatient Behavioral Health and Partial Hospitalization Program at CentraCare, where she has worked since 2017. Dr. Skodje-Mack is a board-approved supervisor in marriage and family therapy, behavioral health, and play therapy, and has taught as an adjunct instructor at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She holds a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision and specializes in strength-based, family-systems care for children, adolescents, and families, with clinical interests including play therapy, trauma, anxiety, depression, and caregiver-child relationships.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Counselors, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and other mental health professionals within and outside of the United States.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
FRIDAY, May 15, 2026: 4.0 CE Hours
APT Approved Provider: 17-498
CE is PENDING for the following:
MN Board of Marriage and Family Therapy
MN Board of Social Work
MN Board of Behavioral Health
CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY
Requests for cancellation must be made in writing to Journeys Toward Healing Counseling Center prior to May 1, 2026, less a $50.00 administrative fee per registration. Registrants can transfer their registration to another person if Journeys Toward Healing Counseling Center is notified.
TRAINING SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2026
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM (Registration)
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM (Training)
12:30 PM (Training Concludes, CE's Awarded)