Play Therapy Assessment & Diagnosis Workshop Charlotte 4.24.26

Facilitator: April Duncan, DSW, LCSW, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™

Session Date: April 24th, 2026

Session Time: 9:00 am-4:30 pm EST

Location: Dandelion Family Counseling, 4950 Fairview Road, Charlotte NC

CEs: 6.0 APT Contact CEs

Session description:

A child’s play or pattern of behavior in the playroom can guide a play therapist towards an effective diagnosis and treatment plan. This workshop will help play therapists “put the pieces of the puzzle” together when using play therapy to assess, diagnose and treat children across the lifespan. Participants will explore the use of play as an assessment tool to identify common play themes that may signal mental and/or behavioral concerns in children and adolescents. Time will be spent exploring the use of various play therapy historical and seminal theories to address common diagnosis in children including depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and more. The workshop will also explore the use of the Child Play Therapy Instrument to aid in play therapy assessment and documentation to enhance their diagnostic skills.

Learning objectives:

1. Identify the advantages of play-based assessments in individual and family play therapy sessions.
2. Discuss the use of play therapy historical and seminal theories in the treatment of children and adolescents with common mental health disorders.
3. Assess play themes that may be a sign of common mental health disorders in children and adolescents.
4. Design measurable play therapy treatment goals and objectives through the use of play therapy case study examples.
5. Demonstrate ways games can be integrated into play therapy sessions to help guidemental health diagnosis.
6. Explain play-based interventions to use in individual, group and family play therapy to decrease mental distress in children and adolescents.

Agenda:
9:00 am-10:30 am Lecture & experiential learning
10:30 am-10:45 am Break
10:45 am-12:00 pm Lecture & experiential learning
12:00 pm-1:00 pm Lunch break
1:00 pm-2:30 pm Lecture & experiential learning
2:30 pm-2:45 pm Break
2:45 pm-4:15 pm Lecture & experiential learning
4:15 pm-4:30 pm Q & A and wrap-up