When Home Hurts: Using Play Therapy with Children Who Witness Interpersonal Violence Non-Contact Webinar 10.24.26

Presenter: Sonia Sherlekar, MSW, LCSW 

Session date: October 24th, 2026 

Session time: 9:00 am-1:15 pm CST 

CEs: 4 APT Non-Contact CEs

Session description:

When children are not safe in their own home, it can shatter their ability to trust people, the world, and future relationships. However, play therapy can provide an outlet for kids who feel powerless over their own safety by giving them the space to explore trauma on their terms. This webinar will explore integrating play therapy approaches to help children of all ages address trauma from witnessing interpersonal violence. Special attention will be paid to Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Child Centered Play Therapy to increase safety, emotional regulation, and empowerment in play therapy with kids across the lifespan. In addition, participants will discuss ethical considerations for play therapy with this population including caregiver participation, safety concerns, and confidentiality in play therapy.

Learning objectives: 

1. Identify play therapy seminal theories to promote safety and healing for children who have witnessed IPV. 
2. Discuss play themes that may signal distress in children who have witnessed IPV. 
3. Utilize play therapy interventions to foster resilience in children who have witnessed IPV.
4. Assess ethical considerations when engaging children and families experiencing IPV in play therapy. 

Agenda: 

• 9:00 am-10:30 am Lecture & experiential learning 
• 10:30 am-10:40 am Break 
• 10:40 am-12:10 pm Lecture & experiential learning 
• 12:10 pm-12:20 pm Break 
• 12:20 pm-1:00 pm Lecture & experiential learning 
• 1:00 pm- 1:15 pm Q & A and wrap-up