2025 AraPT Annual Conference
February 28 & March 1, 2025
Henderson State University
arkadelphia, Arkansas
Topics
Day 1 Friday (One workshop only for this day)
Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma, and Child-Centered Play Therapy
This workshop explores Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), traumatic experiences during childhood that are correlated to trauma, behavioral problems, and psychiatric disorders. Practitioners will learn ACE effects and how therapists use and modify Child-Centered Play Therapy to treat children with multiple ACEs.
This workshop will inform play therapists about the role and effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the relationship between ACEs and trauma, and how play therapists
can respond most effectively to children who have experienced multiple ACEs. Dr. Ray has engaged in an ongoing research agenda related to the effects of ACEs on child behavioral problems and development, as well as the impact of child-centered play therapy for children who have experienced multiple ACEs. Practitioners will learn ACE effects and how therapists use and modify Child Centered Play Therapy to treat children with multiple ACEs.
Day 2 Saturday (Two workshops only for this day)
Multicultural Play Therapy: How to Intentionally Design Your Play Therapy
Practices and Environment for Cultural Opportunities
The proposed workshop is grounded in the multicultural orientation (MCO) framework consisting of three pillars including cultural humility, cultural opportunities, and cultural comfort (Owen et al., 2011). Cultural humility is the organizing principle of the MCO (Davis et al., 2018) in which the therapist holds an attitude of humility and focus on the other person in therapeutic interactions and is manifested in overall way of being. Through an attitude of cultural humility, a therapist engages in cultural opportunities whereby a therapist recognizes opportunities and actively enters into exploration of a client’s cultural identity and experiences. When operating from cultural humility and actively engaging in cultural opportunities, the therapist is ideally able to enter into relationships and conversations with a greater sense of ease and less reactivity around clients’ cultural identities, noted as cultural comfort (Davis et al., 2018). MCO research supports the relationship between MCO constructs and positive therapy outcomes related to client reports of the therapeutic relationship and progress toward therapy goals (Davis et al., 2018).
Dr. Ray will apply the concepts of the MCO through an interactive exploration of how cultural humility, opportunities, and comfort are manifested in humanistic play therapy (e.g., child-centered, existential, CPRT/filial, Adlerian, among others). Based on recent research findings, this workshop provides an intensive exploration of what constitutes a multicultural playroom (Ray et al., 2022). Through experiential activities, this workshop will aid participants in exploring cultural humility and comfort. Using case examples and role plays, Dr. Ray will then walk participants through how to engage in cultural opportunities in all elements of play therapy including structure of practice (i.e, office, intake, etc), play sessions, the play therapy room, and parent consultations.
Advanced Limit-Setting in Play Therapy: Responding to the Difficult Moments
In play therapy, it has been said that “without limits, there could be no therapy.” In this
workshop, participants will learn the trajectory of limit-setting in the child-centered play
therapy process, including advanced limit-setting techniques. The workshop will address
methods that lead to successful limit-setting and how limit-setting can be used to enhance the therapeutic relationship. Participants will also learn how to track the progress of limit-setting and how to promote limit-setting in parent consultation. The presenter will
identify the most common and most-commonly broken limits in play therapy and how to
respond consistently as a CCPT therapist.
Refund / Cancellation Policy
Participants can cancel their registration up to 1 week prior to training by emailing us at ar4apt@gmail.com. Refunds will be processed as soon as possible. Due to extenuating circumstances, ArAPT may cancel the event. Participants will be given a refund.
Inclement Weather Policy
In the event of inclement weather, you will be notified with the email you provided at registration that the event has been cancelled and will be rescheduled. Your purchase is final and will not be refunded. We are unable to provide the conference experience with any virtual components.
Special Accommodations
Please feel free to inform ArAPT of any accommodations that need to be made in accordance to the American Disabilities Act by contacting us at ar4apt@gmail.com.
Contact Information
For questions related to this event, please email us at ar4apt@gmail.com
Approved Provider Status
The Arkansas Association for Play Therapy (ArAPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6346. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. ArAPT is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. ArAPT is also an APT Approved Provider (07-199).
Conference Schedule
Friday
8-8:30 Registration
8:30-8:45a Welcome
8:45-10a TOPIC 1
10a -10:15 Door Prize / Break
10:15-Noon
Noon – 1p Lunch
1p-2p TOPIC 1
2p- 2:15p Door Prize / Break
2:15-3:30 TOPIC 1
3:30- 3:45 Door Prize / Break
3:45-4:30 TOPIC 1
Saturday
8-8:30 Registration
8:30-8:45a Welcome
8:45-10a TOPIC 2
10a -10:15 Door Prize / Break
10:15-Noon TOPIC 2
Noon – 1p Lunch & Membership Meeting
1p-2p TOPIC 3
2p- 2:15p Door Prize / Break
2:15-3:30 TOPIC 3
3:30- 3:45 Door Prize / Break
3:45-4:30 TOPIC 3
14 Hours of CE
When: February 28 & March 1, 2025
Where: Henderson State University
1100 Henderson St, Arkadelphia, AR 71999
Continuing education hours: 14 direct contact CE hours
Presenter: Dr. Dee C. Ray, PhD LPC-S, RPT-S, Certified Child-Centered Play Therapy Trainer/Supervisor, Certified Child-Parent Relationship Therapy Trainer/Supervisor, and National Certified Counselor.
Cost:
Full 2 Day Conference Pass
APT Members: $350 (In-Person or Online)
Non-members: $450 (In-Person or Online)
Students: $275 (In-Person or Online)
Friday ONLY Day Conference Pass
APT Members: $250 (In-Person or Online)
Non-members: $325 (In-Person or Online)
Students $250 (In-Person or Online)
Saturday ONLY Day Conference Pass
APT Members: $250 (In-Person or Online)
Non-members: $325 (In-Person or Online)
Students $250 (In-Person or Online)
Speaker Biography - Dr. Dee C. Ray
Dr. Dee C. Ray is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist-SupervisorTM, Certified Child-Centered Play Therapy Trainer/Supervisor, Certified Child-Parent Relationship Therapy Trainer/Supervisor, and National Certified Counselor. Dee teaches at University of North Texas as a Distinguished Teaching Professor, Elaine Millikan Mathes Professor in Early Childhood Education, and Director of the Center for Play Therapy. Dee has been a counselor for over 30 years and play therapist for over 25 years. In her role at UNT, Dee served as a counseling clinic director for 16 years and now oversees the play therapy school outreach program.
She has been fortunate to have been professionally recognized as American Counseling Association Fellow, recipient of the American Counseling Association Don Dinkmeyer Social Interest Award, Association for Humanistic Counseling Educator Award, Association for Play Therapy Outstanding Research Award, Top 25 Women Professors in Texas Award, and many others.
Dee is author of over 120 peer-reviewed publications and multiple books including A Therapist’s Guide to Development: The Extraordinarily Normal Years, Advanced Play Therapy: Essential Conditions, Knowledge, and Skills for Child Practice, and co-author of Multicultural Play Therapy: Making the Most of Cultural Opportunities, Group Play Therapy and Child Centered Play Therapy Research. She is a founding board member and past president of the Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling, as well as current board member of the Association for Play Therapy. She is founding editor of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling and former editor of the International Journal of Play Therapy.
Because of her love for play therapy, Dee has worked throughout her career to study and explore the effectiveness and change components of play therapy. She believes in a strength-based approach to working with children. She is also a proponent of evidence-based practice and authored the protocol for evidence-based Child Centered Play Therapy.
On the personal side, Dee and her husband have lived in Highland Village for close to 20 years. She raised her two sons who attended schools in Lewisville Independent School District and are now busy pursuing their professional interests across the country. When not in Texas, you will find her hiking in the mountains of New Mexico, her favorite place outside of home.
Dee’s Counseling Approach
Dr Ray practices from a person-centered, developmentally-informed counseling approach across the lifespan. I believe that humans strive to do their best for themselves and others, yet sometimes get lost along the way. Often, we get confused by the complications and events of living life. Often, we struggle to access the skills we need to make decisions that benefit ourselves and others. And often, it is through our relationships that we find our way. Counseling provides an opportunity for a person to work through these complex questions and tough times within a relationship of safety, nurturance, and understanding. I seek to facilitate development of clients, young and old, by providing a deep understanding of clients, communicating empathy, and providing conditions for insight and action.