Practicing Neuro-affirming Play Therapy (In-Person Event)

There has been a paradigm shift in the diagnostic criteria and treatment of neurodivergent individuals—even just in the last 5 years. Come join us for an advanced discussion aimed at improving play therapy work in the playroom and parent coaching with clients on the autism spectrum and with executive function challenges. We will explore what needs to be updated in our play therapy skills, conceptualization techniques, and interventions across therapeutic modalities as we work to be better providers to these twice-exceptional children and adolescents.
In recent years, evolving approaches to dia...Read moregnosing and treating neurodivergent children have created a pressing demand for therapists to pursue ongoing education. This ensures they can deliver maximally supportive, neuro-affirming care to children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Trained at a time when the most often cited criteria for diagnosing an autistic individual included lack of eye contact, non-fantasy play engagement, and an unapparent desire for social relationships, the paradigm has shifted considerably. For individuals diagnosed with ADHD, there has also been tremendous progress in our understanding of this multifaceted diagnosis, moving away from an overly simplistic emphasis on inattention and hyperactivity in the classroom to a broader recognition of impairing symptoms. It has been concerning to see the number of advanced play therapists inadvertently utilizing outdated conceptualization and education, and communicating erroneous feedback to parents. As play therapists, we are often the front-line providers, meeting these clients at vulnerable ages and frequently diagnosing them for the first time. It is our clinical duty to utilize a neuro-affirming approach when treating these individuals and families. Across therapeutic modalities, there are shifts that need to be considered at both the conceptualization level and specific skills within the playroom. With the rise in ADHD and autism diagnoses nationally, it is imperative to modernize our knowledge base with a firm foundation in more current research and updated feedback from neurodivergent individuals themselves. Less...

Saturday, January 24, 2026

09:00 AM CST - 12:15 PM CST