2026 MIAPT Annual Conference
Thursday-Friday, February 26-27, 2026
Michigan Association for Play Therapy is proud to announce:
Keynote: Renee Turner, Ph.D., LPC-S, RPT-S™ Friday
Plus, various breakout presenters Thursday
New Location in Mt. Pleasant, MI
Click here to view the brochure.
DAY 1: Thursday, February 26 -BREAKOUTS
Choose Either: All day only (I) OR 1 morning (A, B, C, D) & 1 afternoon (E, F, G, H) session
Morning Sessions – 3-hour Session: 2/26/26 – 9:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
A: Utilizing Play and Creative Arts Therapy with Clients
Christine Zouaoui LPC, RPT-S™
Play and creative techniques have been used to help with healing for many years. In this experiential workshop, you will learn specific techniques focused on helping clients that utilize play therapy and creative arts therapy in our therapeutic settings. This workshop will include an introduction to Play Therapy and ties to Expressive Arts Therapy. The experiential aspect of the workshop will include three techniques to help clients in various ways. The first exercise will be art based. The second will be a group exercise. The third exercise will focus on various ways we can incorporate movement into our practice. The neurological benefits of bilateral movement will be experienced and discussed by participants during this exercise.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After attending this workshop, participants will be able to
1. Describe the use and focus of play therapy and creative arts therapy techniques in practice as a mental health professional.
2. Identify strategies to explain to others the benefits of play therapy and creative art therapy techniques.
3.Identify at least two ways to incorporate play therapy and creative art techniques into clinical practice.
*falls under APT's primary instruction areas of "Play Therapy Skills and Methods”
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B: Interoception in Play Therapy
Machen Champion, MA, LPCC-S, RPT-S™
Teaching emotional regulation is foundational in play therapy, but it starts with strengthening interoception - the ability to sense internal body cues. This workshop explores what interoception is and how to use prescriptive play therapy interventions to support interoceptive development.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After attending this workshop, participants will be able to
1. Define interoception and its role in supporting regulation and co-regulation in play therapy.
2. Describe at least 3 ways to develop the interoceptive sense in the therapist and in the child client in play therapy.
3. List at least three prescriptive play-based interventions that can support the growth of the interoceptive sense throughout the play therapy process.
*falls under APT's primary instruction areas of "Play Therapy Special Topics”
C: Demystifying Gender-Affirming Care in Adlerian Play Therapy
Rebecca Dickinson, Ph.D., LISW, RPT-S™
Despite extensive evidence demonstrating the benefits of gender-affirming care for transgender children, play therapists remain hesitant. In this workshop, participants will learn about how to provide safe and affirming support for trans children and their families through Adlerian play therapy.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After attending this workshop, participants will be able to
1. Demystify and explain the concept of gender-affirming care through the lens of Adlerian play therapy.
2. Describe the relationship between the concepts of sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender roles/expectations, and goodness of fit within an environment as components of Adlerian play therapy lifestyle conceptualization.
3. Identify at least two interventions to affirm gender identity for use in Adlerian play therapy with individuals or families.
4. Identify social, medical, and legal components related to providing gender-affirming care for minors through play.
*falls under APT's primary instruction areas of "Play Therapy Special Topics”
D: Working with Neurodivergent Children and Dogs in Animal Assisted Play Therapy®
Mary Rottier, Ed.D., LPC, RPT-S™, CAAPT-S-I
This workshop explores effective strategies for integrating Animal-Assisted Play Therapy® with neurodivergent children by focusing on sensory needs, communication styles, and behavior management. It provides practical tools for enhancing engagement, fostering connection, and supporting therapeutic progress with this unique population.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After attending this workshop, participants will be able to
1. Identify and describe the key benefits of Animal Assisted Play Therapy® (AAPT) for neurodivergent children, including emotional regulation, social skills development, sensory engagement, and enhancing focus and attention.
2. Apply sensory accommodations and desensitization techniques within Animal Assisted Play Therapy® sessions to address sensory sensitivities and sensory processing concerns in neurodivergent children.
3. Demonstrate strategies for adapting Animal Assisted Play Therapy® to accommodate the communication styles and emotional regulation needs of neurodivergent children, fostering effective interaction and therapeutic progress.
4. Integrate structured and guided play therapy activities with therapy animals, ensuring that sensory triggers and tactile interactions are appropriately managed to enhance therapeutic outcomes for children with sensory processing disorders.
*falls under APT's primary instruction areas of "Play Therapy Skills or Methods"
DAY 1: Thursday, February 26 -BREAKOUTS
Choose Either: All day only (I) OR 1 morning (A, B, C, D) & 1 afternoon (E, F, G, H) session
Afternoon Sessions – 3-hour Session: 2/26/26 - 1:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
E: Why Can’t We Be Friends? Addressing Social Needs in Play Therapy
Laura Hutchison, PsyD, LP, RPT-S™
Participants will learn different activities to help clients learn age-appropriate social skills through play therapy. A majority of the workshop will be spent learning about different hands-on and virtual play therapy activities through demonstration and active participation. We will also discuss with which populations and diagnoses the activities work best.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After attending this workshop, participants will be able to
1. Demonstrate how to conduct at least 5 social skills activities to use in play therapy.
2. Explain the importance of helping clients master social skills and improve their relationships through play therapy.
3. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of at least 5 social skills activities to use in play therapy.
*falls under APT's primary instruction areas of "Play Therapy Special Topics”
F: Temperament in Play Therapy: Understanding the Child Beneath the Behavior
Mary Rottier, Ed.D., LPC, RPT-S™, CAAPT-S-I
This workshop will explore the four classic temperament styles in children—sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic—and will help clinicians discover how understanding these traits can enhance attunement, responsiveness, and effectiveness in play therapy sessions.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After attending this workshop, participants will be able to
1. Identify and describe the four core temperament styles (sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic) and explain how they influence a child’s behavior and emotional expression within play therapy sessions.
2. Demonstrate how to adapt play therapy techniques to effectively engage children of each temperament type, enhancing therapeutic attunement and rapport.
3. Utilize temperament-informed approaches in play therapy to support treatment planning, including strategies for managing challenges such as emotional dysregulation, resistance, or disengagement.
4. Apply play therapy interventions that incorporate temperament education to help parents understand and respond to their child's emotional and behavioral needs through a strength-based lens.
*falls under APT's primary instruction areas of "Play Therapy Skills or Methods"
G: Identity Matters: How Our Personal Identities Show Up in Play Therapy Supervision
Rebecca Dickinson, Ph.D., LISW, RPT-S™
Our personal identities impact our practice as play therapists but also appear in play therapy supervision. This workshop guides participants in intentionally and curiously examining the interactions between supervisor and supervisee personal identities and supervisor and supervisees’ clients’ identities.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After attending this workshop, participants will be able to
1. Examine their own personal identities regarding potential effects on positionality.
2. Explain the potential effects of positionality relating to their own personal experiences as a supervisee as well as to experiences as a supervisor.
3. Identify at least two strategies for maintaining awareness of and/or minimizing any potential negative impact of positionality in providing supervision.
*falls under APT's primary instruction areas of "Play Therapy Supervision”
H: Befriending Your Brain: Teaching About the Brain Through Play Therapy
Machen Champion, MA, LPCC-S, RPT-S™
Understanding how brains and bodies work can empower children and caregivers when it comes to navigating big feelings. Explore prescriptive play therapy techniques to teach children and their caring adults to befriend their brains!
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After attending this workshop, participants will be able to
1. Describe how incorporating brain development psychoeducation into the play therapy process can support the development of emotional regulation.
2. Explore at least 3 prescriptive play therapy interventions to teach children about the brain in a developmentally sensitive way.
3. Identify ways to engage caregivers in the brain-based play therapy process to reinforce emotional regulation strategies at home.
*falls under APT's primary instruction areas of "Play Therapy Special Topics”
DAY 1: Thursday, February 26 - BREAKOUTS
Choose Either: All day only (I) OR 1 morning (A, B, C, D) & 1 afternoon (E, F, G, H) session
All Day Breakout Session - 6-hour session: 2/26/26 - 9:15 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
I: Peek-A-Boo and Counting Toes: An Introduction to Theraplay®
Mandy Jones-Fischer, JD, LCSW, RPT-S™
Overview: Theraplay® is a child and family modality of play therapy for building and enhancing attachment, self-esteem, trust in others, and joyful engagement. When traditional "talk therapy" doesn't work, this evidence-based treatment uses the natural patterns of playful, healthy interaction to heal.
Abstract: Theraplay® is a child and family modality of play therapy for building and enhancing attachment, self-esteem, trust in others, and joyful engagement. Rated as “effective” by the SAMHSA National Registry for Evidenced – Based Programs and Practices, it is based on the natural patterns of playful, healthy interaction between parent and child and is personal, physical, and fun. Theraplay® play therapy interactions focus on four essential qualities found in parent-child relationships: Structure, Engagement, Nurture, and Challenge. Theraplay® play therapy sessions create an active, emotional connection between the child and parent or caregiver, resulting in a changed view of the self as worthy and lovable and of relationships as positive and rewarding. Theraplay® helps create a playful atmosphere where children are happy to come to therapy and become quickly and fully engaged in the therapeutic process. Theraplay® also involves the parents in an immediate and positive way, giving them experiences of success and pride in their children so they can feel motivated to support them. With the child, the parent, and the therapist all on the same team, this makes for a winning combination for positive and lasting change. This overview seminar will introduce participants to the fundamentals of Theraplay®. It will benefit those looking to add Theraplay® to their practice, refer others for treatment, or work with a team of professionals who are implementing Theraplay® in their treatment.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After attending this workshop, participants will be able to
1. Differentiate three play, attachment-based theories and how they support the work of Theraplay®.
2. Distinguish how children with various attachment styles present in play therapy sessions.
3. Name the three characteristics of healthy attachment.
4. Identify the four dimensions of Theraplay®, a modality of play therapy.
5. Describe how healthy attachment influences self-regulation.
6. Demonstrate one play-based activity from each dimension: Structure, Engagement, Nurture and Challenge.
*falls under APT's primary instruction areas of "Play Therapy Seminal Theories and Historically Significant Theories"
DAY 2: Friday, February 27 – 9:15 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Keynote: Renee Turner, Ph.D., LPC-S, RPT-S™
Unlocking the Wisdom of the Body–Incorporating Somatic Approaches into Play Therapy
This highly experiential workshop invites play therapists to explore the powerful intersection of embodied awareness and play therapy. Drawing from gestalt play therapy, somatic experiencing, and polyvagal theory, participants will learn how to recognize and engage the body’s innate wisdom as a vital resource for regulation, trauma processing, and deepening the therapeutic relationship with children. Somatic reflections, somatosensory interventions, and somatically focused expressive art interventions increase a child’s embodied awareness and intuition. Through practical tools, experiential activities, and group process, the workshop will introduce foundational somatic principles and demonstrate how to integrate them seamlessly into directive and non-directive play therapy sessions. Participants will also explore somatic countertransference, essential for creating and maintaining felt safety in the playroom. All theoretical orientations can benefit.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: After attending this workshop, participants will be able to
1. Name at least four theoretical constructs from seminal play therapy theories to conceptualize somatically-focused play therapy.
2. Name the indicators of somatic countertransference in the playroom.
3. Assess somatic countertransference using a self-inventory.
4. Describe and practice the application of somatic reflections with non-directive and directive play.
5. Describe and practice at least five somatosensory interventions to integrate into play therapy sessions.
6. Identify at least four art-based play therapy interventions to promote embodiment, containment, and catharsis.
*falls under APT's primary instruction areas of "Play Therapy Skills or Methods"
Full payment is due at the time of registration. If payment isn't received within seven (7) days of registration, your registration may be canceled.
NEW WORKSHOP LOCATION:
Mt. Pleasant Comfort Inn & Suites
2424 S Mission Street
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858
989-772-4000
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:
Thursday, February 26, 2026 - Breakouts
8:30-9:15 am Registration
9:10-9:15 am Announcements in breakout rooms
9:15-10:45 am Morning BREAKOUT Presentations
10:45-11:00 am Break and Exhibits
11:00-12:30 am Morning Breakout Presentations
12:30-1:45 pm Lunch (ON YOUR OWN)
1:45-3:15 pm Afternoon Breakout Presentations
3:15-3:30 pm Break and Exhibits
3:30-5:00 pm Afternoon Breakout Presentations
Friday, February 27, 2026 - Keynote
8:30-9:15 am Registration
8:45-9:15am MIAPT Business Meeting & Awards
9:15-10:45 am KEYNOTE Presentation
10:45-11:00 am Break and Exhibits
11:00-12:30 m Keynote Presentation
12:30-1:45 pm Lunch (ON YOUR OWN)
1:45-3:15 pm Keynote Presentation
3:15-3:30 pm Break and Exhibits
3:30-5:00 pm Keynote Presentation
REGISTRATION COSTS:
FOOD: Food is NOT provided at this conference
*Continuing Education:
CE Processing Fee: $30. This fee is payable to The Institute for Continuing Education at the time you submit a completed CE Packet. DO NOT include this fee with your registration.
Member:
One Day: $120
Both Days: $210
Non-Member:
One Day: $160
Both Days: $260
**Student:
One Day: $60
Both Days: $105
*Continuing Education: A single fee of $30 is applicable to all workshops you attend if you meet CE requirements.
**Student: A participant registering as “student” must be a full-time student at a college or university and provide at registration, a written letter from their university verifying the status.
***An early bird registration discount of $25 has been applied to prices listed above. An additional $25 will be added to registration costs after 2/1/26.
HOTEL INFORMATION: Mt. Pleasant Comfort Inn & Suites, 2424 S Mission Street, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858. 989-772-4000. There is a block of discounted rooms under “Michigan Association for Play Therapy” available on a first come first serve basis.
HANDOUTS: Our policy is to email all handouts. Please include a valid email address with your registration to receive the handouts.
EXHIBITS: Books and therapeutic materials will be on display and available for sale at the event.
CANCELLATION POLICY: If you notify MIAPT you are canceling prior to 2/1/2026, and we are able to fill your spot, you will receive a refund for the registration fee minus $25 administrative fee. No refunds will be issued for cancellations following 2/1/2026 or related to weather. If registration payment isn’t received at the time of registration, your registration will be canceled.
PHOTO RELEASE: By registering for this conference, you are giving permission for MIAPT to use any photographs that are taken at the event containing your likeness for as long as MIAPT deems appropriate and desirable. Photographs may be used on the MIAPT website, social media pages, and/or newsletter for any purpose. By completing the registration, you are also consenting to waive any rights to the photographs indefinitely.
If you do not wish to have your photo used, it is your responsibility to notify mymiapt@gmail.com at registration of your request to be omitted.
HEALTH AND SAFETY: Covid 19 Statement: Our goal is to offer a safe, healthy event to our in-person participants. We expect our participants (including vendors, speakers, and attendees) to make a good faith effort to avoid spreading Covid-19 through a combination of vaccination, negative rapid testing and self-screening for symptoms prior to travel, and to adhere to any public health policies that may be in place at the time of the event. By registering and attending this event you are accepting responsibility to manage your own risk and absolve MIAPT event planners of responsibility for your health-related decisions.
By participating in person, you agree to follow the meeting’s health and safety policies as mandated by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the federal, state, local government, and venue requirements.
ACCEPTANCE: By registering for and attending MIAPT events, I hereby agree that I accept the terms stated above and indemnify and hold harmless MIAPT, its affiliates, and their respective directors, employees, and agents (including , without limitation, any agent acting on its behalf) from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs or debt, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) resulting from attendance at MIAPT events.
Michigan Association for Play Therapy: MIAPT is a professional organization striving to advance the theory and practice of play therapy through activities such as conferences, seminars, and networking in order to serve the mental health needs of Michigan children, families, schools and communities. For more information on the Conference visit our website at www.miapt.org.
ADA/Section 504: If you have special needs, please contact mymiapt@gmail.com.
CONTINUING EDUCATION: This program is co-sponsored by the Michigan Association for Play Therapy and The Institute for Continuing Education. The Conference offers a total of 12.00 contact hours (6.00 hrs. per day). Continuing education is awarded on a daily basis with full attendance required for the days attended. Partial daily CE credit is not offered.
The continuing education processing fee is $30.00 per person, to be paid when completed CE materials are submitted to The Institute for Continuing Education for processing. CE verification is mailed to Conference attendees following the Conference. CE materials will be made available to Conference participants by the MIAPT. If you have questions regarding continuing education, the program, faculty, learning objectives, or other issues, contact The Institute at: instconted@aol.com
NOTE: To receive continuing education credit, applicants must complete all CE materials, sign in/out at designated locations, and submit an evaluation form for the evens attended.
NOTE: It is the responsibility of the attendee to determine if CE credit offered by The Institute for Continuing Education meets the regulations of their state licensing/certification board.
Psychology: The Institute for Continuing Education is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute for Continuing Education maintains responsibility for the program and its content.
Counseling/MFT: The Institute for Continuing Education and the Michigan Association for Play Therapy are co-sponsors of this event. For counselors seeking CE credit, The Institute for Continuing Education has submitted a co-sponsorship application to NBCC for approval of this program. This website will be updated to reflect NBCC accreditation when received. NBCC provider 5643.
Social Work: Application for NASW social work continuing education credit has been submitted. This website will be updated to reflect accreditation when received.
Indiana Board Social Work/ Counseling/MFT: The Institute for Continuing Education is recognized as a provider of continuing education by the Indiana Board of Counseling, Social Work, MFT. Provider: 98000996-A.
Michigan Social Workers: Regulations for MI Social Workers indicate that approved CE events include programs granted approval by (1) NASW-MI; (2) Association of Social Work Boards/ ASWB; (3) another state’s Board of Social Work.
Play Therapy: The Institute for Continuing Education is approved by The Association for Play Therapy to sponsor continuing education specific to play therapy. The Institute for Continuing Education maintains responsibility for the program. APT Provider 98-040.
Non-Credit Events: Registration, meal/break events, committee/business meetings, networking sessions.
Ethics Hours/ Academic Credit: This program offers no “ethics hours.” This program is not “academic” and CE hours awarded are not eligible toward fulfillment of a degree.
Skill Level: Intermediate, Advanced. Attendees are urged to review the session description to determine appropriateness for professional and personal needs.
Instructional Methodology: May include lecture, demonstrations, audio/visuals, case examples, experiential practice of techniques, and group discussions.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR(S):
PRESENTER BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:
Keynote Friday: Renee Turner, Ph.D., LPC-S, RPT-S™
Renee Turner, Ph.D., LPC-S, RPT-S™, is an author and speaker specializing in treating children and adults with grief and childhood trauma. Her advanced training includes EMDR, SE, Integral Breath Therapy, and various expressive therapy modalities. She is passionate about helping others navigate through grief and soul pain associated with disenfranchised grief and loss, complex trauma, and identity and spiritual issues. In her clinical work, Renee integrates existential, gestalt, embodiment, and expressive therapies to create a dynamic and experiential form of therapy. She is the co-editor of the book Disenfranchised Grief: Examining Social, Cultural, and Relational Impacts (2023), published by Routledge.
Machen Champion, MA, LPCC-S, RPT-S™
Machen Champion is an LPCC-S, RPT-S™, Certified Synergetic Play Therapist, Foundational Theraplay® Practitioner, and is a current Doctorate Student at the University of Cincinnati studying Counselor Education & Supervision. She is the owner of Wired to Bloom Therapy & Consulting LLC, a private practice in Cincinnati, Ohio that specializes in Play Therapy for children and families. Machen is also a Teaching Professor at Xavier University in the Counseling Department. She has had the honor of serving on the Ohio Association for Play Therapy Board for the past 6 years in varying roles and in a 2022 APT Leadership Academy Graduate. As a self-proclaimed neuroscience-nerd and life long learner, sharing her love and knowledge of child development, the brain, and play therapy with others is her passion. Machen frequently presents on these topics to school districts, as well as mental health professionals at various state and local conferences.
Rebecca Dickinson, Ph.D., LISW, RPT-S™
Rebecca Dickinson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of Northern Iowa. Rebecca teaches across both the undergraduate and trauma-informed specialization graduate program. Rebecca’s dissertation was a randomized-controlled trial, examining the effectiveness of group Adlerian play therapy. She has extensive experience practicing as a play therapist and specializes in working with current and former foster/adoptive youth and others who have experienced trauma. She operates a small private practice in Cedar Falls, Iowa, in addition to her university position.
Laura Hutchison, PsyD, LP, RPT-S™
Dr. Hutchison has been specializing in children and play therapy for over 15 years. She founded the Michigan Play Therapy Training Academy in 2015 to help fellow mental health professionals on their pursuits to gain training in play therapy. She has presented on play therapy and working with children at the National and International level. Along with running the Training Academy, Dr. H also manages her group practice, HutcHison & Associates (www.drhutch.com)
Mandy Jones-Fischer, JD, LCSW, RPT-S™
Mandy Jones-Fischer is a Certified Theraplay® Practitioner, Trainer, Supervisor, and the former Executive Director of The Theraplay Institute. She now owns a child and family mental health therapy practice in Chicago, where she specializes in early childhood attachment, anxiety, and sensory processing needs. Mandy has significant experience working with adoptive and foster families. As a Registered Play Therapist, she uses non-directive play therapy and sandtray therapy interventions in helping children and parents heal. While Mandy doesn’t regularly practice law, she continues to use her legal knowledge and advocacy skills to help families gain Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and other essential academic resources. Mandy earned her BA in Political Science and her BS in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago. She earned her Masters of Clinical Social Work and Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University. She is further trained in TBRI and ARC. Mandy can be reached at mandy@nurturedrootschicago.com
Mary Rottier, Ed.D., LPC, RPT-S™, CAAPT-S-I
Dr. Mary Rottier is the owner of Pawsitive Counseling Center, a private practice with offices in Michigan and Georgia. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor; Registered Play Therapist Supervisor; Certified Animal Assisted Play Therapist®, Instructor, and Supervisor; Internationally Credentialed Sandtray Therapist; and a Certified Child Trauma Specialist with over twenty years of clinical experience. She obtained her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the Florida School of Professional Psychology. She also serves as the school counselor at Fremont Christian School.
Dr. Rottier has over 20 years of experience with animal assisted therapy in a variety of settings. She has presented on the topic of Animal Assisted Play Therapy® both nationally and internationally and has written several articles and chapters in the field. In 2008, her first play therapy dog, Razz, helped her complete the first controlled study involving canines in play therapy which was later published. Since then, she has had multiple trained therapy dogs including her two current canine partners, Cali (age 6) and Fisher (age 7). Both dogs are breed champions and have earned multiple agility titles. Dr. Rottier also works with her horse, Arrow in Equine Assisted Play Therapy®.
Christine Zouaoui, LPC, RPT-S™
Christine has been in private practice and has also worked in schools as a Mental Health Therapist for over 20 years. Her experience includes working with children, adolescents, and adult issues. In addition to her counseling degree, Christine has taken numerous trainings in the use of play therapy and creative arts therapy techniques. She received her TraumaPlay™ certification with Paris Goodyear-Brown, LCSW, RPT-S, and is a Counseling, Play Therapy, and TraumaPlay™ Supervisor. Christine presents in many venues including schools and for other mental health professionals, training in Creative Arts Therapy Techniques and The Nurtured Heart Approach® by Howard Glasser. Christine has self-published a book on the use of creative art therapy techniques in individual and group therapy. She is writing a new book for working with groups in numerous settings using creative arts therapies.
