Continuous Professional Development - APAC Play Therapy Training Programmes

Bright beginnings: New year wellbeing session

Dates: January 17, 2026

Training Times: 10:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online

Fees: £45.00

Entry Requirements: Any grade, must be a current PTUK / PTI member

PTUK CPD Points: 2

Presented by: Simone Hallam

Mandatory Course: No

Synopsis:

Start the new year with a moment just for you. ✨ This nourishing wellbeing session offers play therapists a chance to pause, reflect, and reset — personally and professionally. Through creative tools, self-compassion, and embodiment practices, you’ll explore the impact of therapeutic work, reconnect with your own needs, and develop supportive strategies to carry into the year ahead. Leave feeling grounded, energised, and ready to meet the challenges of your work with balance, joy, and renewed focus.

Learning Outcomes:

- Reflect on their personal and professional wellbeing as they enter the new year.
- Identify signs of stress, burnout, and depletion in their own practice.
- Explore creative self-care strategies
- Develop a personalised wellbeing intention for the year ahead.
- Strengthen their capacity for self-compassion and emotional resilience while reconnecting with their sense of purpose and values as play therapists.

Presenter Bio:

Simone is a qualified play therapist with a thriving private practice and school-based service. She is currently completing her training in both filial play coaching and clinical supervision. Simone highly values supporting the growth and development of fellow professionals through high-quality, reflective CPD. She believes CPD is not only vital for maintaining best practice, but also offers a space to reconnect with creativity, deepen insight, and strengthen therapeutic presence. The CPD sessions are grounded in theory, enriched with hands-on experience, and delivered with warmth and integrity.

A Deep Dive into Attachment Theory and Impact on Play - Jan 26 therapy work

Dates: January 24, 2026

Training Times: 10:00 - 12:00

Venue: Online

Fees: £45.00

Entry Requirements: Any grade, must be a current PTUK / PTI member

PTUK CPD Points: 2

Presented by: Malahayati Holland

Mandatory Course: No

Synopsis:

Attachment shapes everything — from how children relate to others to how they experience the playroom. ? This insightful webinar gives therapists a deeper understanding of attachment theory and its powerful impact on therapeutic practice. We’ll explore the key thinkers behind attachment theory, the different attachment styles, and how early experiences shape emotional and relational development. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to recognise attachment-related behaviours in the playroom and apply practical, targeted interventions that foster trust, healing, and more secure attachments. Join us to strengthen your skills and confidence in creating nurturing therapeutic spaces where real change can happen.

Learning Outcomes:

- Develop an understanding of emotional regulation frameworks and how to communicate these to children through the Inside out characters
- Learn how to facilitate emotional awareness to improve emotional literacy
- Develop further ideas how to support children to express their emotions and ultimately support children to utilise techniques in regulating their emotions
- Develop ideas how to support parents/ carers with techniques to use at home to resource emotional regulation strategies used in the playroom

Presenter Bio:

I’m a qualified play therapist and experienced parenting coach with over 20 years of working alongside adults, children, and families. I recently completed an MA in Practice-Based Play Therapy, further deepening my commitment to relational, creative, and trauma-informed work. My practice is grounded in the core belief that attachment, connection, play, creativity, and storytelling are essential for emotional well-being and healing. I’m especially passionate about working with early childhood attachment and trauma, including post-disclosure support for sexual abuse. Whether in therapy, supervision, or training, I aim to create spaces that are safe, reflective, and empowering—where people feel seen, heard, and supported. My approach is integrative, developmentally informed, and shaped by years of working both clinically and systemically. I’m also a qualified trainer in the CATT (Children’s Accelerated Trauma Treatment) model and offer clinical supervision to therapists and counsellors working with children and young people. At the heart of my work is a simple belief: that healing happens through connection, and that play and creativity are powerful tools for making sense of our inner worlds.

Anxiety and Separation Anxiety in Children

Dates: January 29, 2026

Training Times: 18:30 - 20:30

Venue: Online

Fees: £45.00

Entry Requirements: Any grade, must be a current PTUK / PTI member

PTUK CPD Points: 2

Presented by: Joe Jardim-Hinds

Mandatory Course: No

Synopsis:

Anxiety wears many faces in childhood — and often shows up in surprising ways in the playroom. This CPD training will help play therapists recognise and respond to different forms of anxiety, from generalised and social to the often-complex experience of separation anxiety. Together, we’ll explore how these anxieties connect to developmental stages and attachment needs, and how they may be expressed through play, avoidance, or shifting behaviours. You’ll also have space to reflect on your own experiences of separation and how these can surface in therapeutic relationships. Most importantly, we’ll look at how play therapy can support children to find resilience, regulation, and a secure base. Join us to deepen your understanding and feel more confident in supporting anxious children with compassion and skill.

Learning Outcomes:

- Identify and differentiate between common types of anxiety in children, recognising how they may present in the playroom.
- Deepen understanding of separation anxiety and its relationship to attachment theory, including how it may manifest in therapeutic play.
- Reflect on personal experiences of separation and explore strategies for supporting children through anxiety within the therapeutic process.

Presenter Bio:

I am an Accredited Play Therapist, Trainee Clinical Supervisor and Certified Filial Play Coach. I am also a singer / performer in a professional A Cappella group. I spend most of my time persuading people that A Cappella and therapy match up perfectly… Facilitating training is one of my favourite parts of being a therapist and I’m delighted to be part of a team developing and delivering CPD at PTUK. I love exploring unique topics and absorbing a variety of perspectives from a room or zoom of different intellects. Clinically, I have a particular passion working with neurodiversity. I believe expression through play is the key to unconditional acceptance of diverse brain functions in our children. Additional to therapy, I work as a supervisor for teachers and support staff at SEMH schools. I believe that staff well-being has a direct impact on their ability to support children through trauma responses and attachment needs. All staff deserve reflective practice, a celebration of their achievements and emotional support.

Neuroscience and Play Therapy

Dates: February 5, 2026

Training Times: 19:00 - 21:00

Venue: Online

Fees: £45.00

Entry Requirements: Any grade, must be a current PTUK / PTI member

PTUK CPD Points: 2

Presented by: Lauren Lamberton

Mandatory Course: No

Synopsis:

Neuroscience is unlocking incredible insights into how children heal — and play therapy is right at the heart of it. ?✨ This webinar will give play therapists a clear and practical understanding of the key brain-based principles that underpin effective therapeutic work. We’ll explore how early experiences shape the developing brain, how trauma and adversity affect regulation, and why play is so powerful in promoting integration, resilience, and healing. You’ll discover how to apply this knowledge directly to your practice, and how to communicate the science of play therapy to parents, carers, referrers, and commissioners in a way that truly resonates. Join us to strengthen your confidence and show the world the neuroscience behind what makes play therapy work.

Learning Outcomes:

- Describe key concepts of brain development relevant to play therapy, including neuroplasticity, brain integration, and the stress response system.
- Understand how play supports regulation, emotional processing, and neural integration.
Identify how trauma, attachment disruption, and chronic stress impact the developing brain.
- Use neuroscience to inform interventions that support co-regulation, safety, and therapeutic change.
- Communicate the science behind play therapy to parents, carers, and other professionals in an accessible and engaging way.

Presenter Bio:

Lauren is an accredited play therapist, clinical supervisor and course director with APAC with over 20 years experience working with children and young people. As a qualified social worker, she has a background in working with care leavers, CAMHS, trauma and neurodiversity. She has a Masters in Social Researcher Methods, MPA in Public Administration and is currently a PhD candidate looking at digital interventions in children’s mental health.

Using Humour and Fun in the Play Room

Dates: February 26, 2026

Training Times: 18:30 - 20:30

Venue: Online

Fees: £45.00

Entry Requirements: Any grade, must be a current PTUK / PTI member

PTUK CPD Points: 2

Presented by: Joe Jardim-Hinds

Mandatory Course: No

Synopsis:

Humour and fun are powerful tools in the playroom — but they can also hide deeper emotions. ? This CPD training invites play therapists to explore the complexity of laughter in therapeutic work. Together, we’ll examine how humour can support regulation, connection, and trust, while also considering when it may mask underlying distress. Through theory, discussion, and reflection, you’ll explore your own experiences of humour and discover how they shape your responses in the playroom. Join us to unlock the potential of laughter as a tool for connection, insight, and healing — and learn to tune in to the messages behind the smiles.

Learning Outcomes:

- Understand the dual role of humour in the playroom as both a regulation tool and a possible defence or mask for emotional discomfort.
- Reflect on personal experiences of humour and consider how these influence therapeutic presence and responsiveness.
- Develop confidence in identifying when humour may be supporting connection and safety, and when it may be protecting against deeper emotional expression.

Presenter Bio:

I am an Accredited Play Therapist, Trainee Clinical Supervisor and Certified Filial Play Coach. I am also a singer / performer in a professional A Cappella group. I spend most of my time persuading people that A Cappella and therapy match up perfectly… Facilitating training is one of my favourite parts of being a therapist and I’m delighted to be part of a team developing and delivering CPD at PTUK. I love exploring unique topics and absorbing a variety of perspectives from a room or zoom of different intellects. Clinically, I have a particular passion working with neurodiversity. I believe expression through play is the key to unconditional acceptance of diverse brain functions in our children. Additional to therapy, I work as a supervisor for teachers and support staff at SEMH schools. I believe that staff well-being has a direct impact on their ability to support children through trauma responses and attachment needs. All staff deserve reflective practice, a celebration of their achievements and emotional support.

Neurobiology of Play

Dates: March 2, 2026

Training Times: 19:00-21:00

Venue: Online

Fees: £45.00

Entry Requirements: Any grade, must be a current PTUK / PTI member

PTUK CPD Points: 2

Presented by: Lauren Lamberton

Mandatory Course: No

Synopsis:

This course explores the neurobiological foundations of play and how they inform and enhance therapeutic work with children. This session looks at how play affects the developing brain, supports emotional regulation, and fosters healing in the context of relational safety. Drawing on key concepts from the neuroscience field including the polyvagal theory, attachment theory, and the role of play in brain development, this course will link the theory to our practice. Participants will gain an understanding of how different types of play activate specific neural pathways, promote integration between brain regions, and support trauma recovery and the development of resilience. Participants will deepen their capacity to observe, interpret, and facilitate play in ways that are attuned to the neurobiological needs of the child.

Learning Outcomes:

- Develop understanding of key neurobiological principles related to play, including the role of the nervous system, brain development, and stress responses.
- Understand how play supports emotional regulation, attachment, and neural integration.
Identify the impact of trauma on the developing brain and how therapeutic play can support healing.
- Recognise the signs of play that reflect different states of nervous system activation (e.g., fight, flight, freeze, safety).
- Apply neurobiologically-informed thinking to clinical observations in the playroom.

Presenter Bio:

Lauren is an accredited play therapist, clinical supervisor and course director with APAC with over 20 years experience working with children and young people. As a qualified social worker, she has a background in working with care leavers, CAMHS, trauma and neurodiversity. She has a Masters in Social Researcher Methods, MPA in Public Administration and is currently a PhD candidate looking at digital interventions in children’s mental health.

Sensory Play

Dates: March 9, 2026

Training Times: 18:30-20:30

Venue: Online

Fees: £45.00

Entry Requirements: Any grade, must be a current PTUK / PTI member

PTUK CPD Points: 2

Presented by: Rebecca Bradley

Mandatory Course: No

Synopsis:

This course will help participants deepen their understanding of sensory play and how to use it intentionally and therapeutically within the playroom. Sensory play supports emotional regulation and nervous system integration through all the sensory systems. Together, we will explore how sight, sound, touch, taste, vestibular, introception and smell can be used within the playroom and beyond to support children develop self regulation and promote healing. We will consider how we can use these systems to support neurodiverse children, and those impacted by trauma. Combining theory with practical strategies, participants will feel more confident to incorporate sensory play into their sessions.

Learning Outcomes:

- Understand the role of sensory processing in child development, regulation, and emotional expression.
- Recognise how sensory play supports therapeutic goals, including safety, connection, and integration.
- Identify common sensory-seeking and sensory-avoiding behaviours in the playroom.
- Choose and use a range of sensory materials and activities intentionally to support different sensory profiles and therapeutic needs.
- Adapt sensory play approaches to meet the needs of neurodiverse children, including those with sensory processing differences.

Presenter Bio:

Rebecca (aka Becca) is a play therapist and a big advocate for play! You will often find Rebecca rummaging around charity shops or recycling centres looking for the next best bargain to add to the toolkit, or her nephew’s ever-expanding toy box! Rebecca has over a decade worth of experience working with children and young people in different capacities, including lunchtime supervisor, nursery nurse, teaching assistant, and ‘play ranger’. Her role as a play therapist began back in September 2013 (Cor blimey!) and has seen her work in partnership with primary and SEN schools, Service Six (a children’s charity based in Northamptonshire), local authorities, and post-adoption. Now, she is stepping into supporting the team facilitating CPD workshops and is very excited (and nervous) to be holding space for fellow play therapists, to come together in community to continue to evolve as professionals and be the best we can be for our children.

Holding the Holder

Dates: March 12, 2026

Training Times: 18:30 - 20:30

Venue: Online

Fees: £45.00

Entry Requirements: Any grade, must be a current PTUK / PTI member

PTUK CPD Points: 2

Presented by: Joe Jardim-Hinds

Mandatory Course: No

Synopsis:

Nourish You: A Restorative Workshop for Play Therapists
Take a pause and refill your cup! This uplifting, creative workshop is designed especially for play therapists who spend so much time caring for others they sometimes forget about themselves.
Rooted in PTUK’s core value of self-respect, this session goes far beyond generic “self-care tips”. Instead, we’ll explore what real nourishment looks like – the kind that is embodied, authentic and completely tailored to you.
✨ What to expect:
• Gentle creative reflection to help you reconnect with your own rhythm and boundaries
• Space to challenge unhelpful “you should…” narratives about rest and renewal
• Inspiring discussion with peers about what truly sustains you in this work
• Permission to be curious, compassionate and honest about your own needs
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach – it’s an invitation to trust your own internal compass and rediscover what genuinely restores your energy and passion.
Come away feeling grounded, re-energised and reconnected with why you do what you do.

Learning Outcomes:

- Understand self-respect as an ethical foundation for well-being.
- Reflect on and challenge dominant narratives around self-care.
- Identify personal values and needs that support sustainable self-care.

Presenter Bio:

I am an Accredited Play Therapist, Trainee Clinical Supervisor and Certified Filial Play Coach. I am also a singer / performer in a professional A Cappella group. I spend most of my time persuading people that A Cappella and therapy match up perfectly… Facilitating training is one of my favourite parts of being a therapist and I’m delighted to be part of a team developing and delivering CPD at PTUK. I love exploring unique topics and absorbing a variety of perspectives from a room or zoom of different intellects. Clinically, I have a particular passion working with neurodiversity. I believe expression through play is the key to unconditional acceptance of diverse brain functions in our children. Additional to therapy, I work as a supervisor for teachers and support staff at SEMH schools. I believe that staff well-being has a direct impact on their ability to support children through trauma responses and attachment needs. All staff deserve reflective practice, a celebration of their achievements and emotional support.

Archetypes in Sand

Dates: March 19, 2026

Training Times: 18:30-20:30

Venue: Online

Fees: £45.00

Entry Requirements: Any grade, must be a current PTUK / PTI member

PTUK CPD Points: 2

Presented by: Joe Jardim-Hinds

Mandatory Course: No

Synopsis:

This Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training offers Play Therapists an opportunity to explore the rich symbolic world of archetypes within sand tray work. We will begin by revisiting the concept of archetypes and how they may appear through symbolic play and sandtray images. Drawing on Carl Jung’s four major archetypes; the Self, the Shadow, the Anima/Animus, and the Persona. We will reflect on how the expression of these universal patterns may support children (and therapists) in navigating identity and self-acceptance. Participants will also be invited to explore how cultural narratives, personal context, and lived experience shape the meaning of symbols, and how traditional archetype definitions may be expanded, challenged, or reimagined in the therapy space.

Learning Outcomes:

-Deepen understanding of archetypes and their appearance in symbolic sand tray play, with a focus on Jung’s four core archetypes.
-Explore how engagement with archetypal themes in sand can support emotional expression, integration, and self-acceptance in clients.
-Consider the impact of culture, identity, and individual context in shaping the meaning of archetypal symbols, and how to hold these narratives with curiosity and care.

Presenter Bio:

I am an Accredited Play Therapist, Trainee Clinical Supervisor and Certified Filial Play Coach. I am also a singer / performer in a professional A Cappella group. I spend most of my time persuading people that A Cappella and therapy match up perfectly… Facilitating training is one of my favourite parts of being a therapist and I’m delighted to be part of a team developing and delivering CPD at PTUK. I love exploring unique topics and absorbing a variety of perspectives from a room or zoom of different intellects. Clinically, I have a particular passion working with neurodiversity. I believe expression through play is the key to unconditional acceptance of diverse brain functions in our children. Additional to therapy, I work as a supervisor for teachers and support staff at SEMH schools. I believe that staff well-being has a direct impact on their ability to support children through trauma responses and attachment needs. All staff deserve reflective practice, a celebration of their achievements and emotional support.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) with PTUK and APAC

Bright beginnings: New year wellbeing session

A Deep Dive into Attachment Theory and Impact on Play - Jan 26 therapy work

Anxiety and Separation Anxiety in Children

Eating Disorders and Play Therapy - Feb 26

Neuroscience and Play Therapy

Introduction into Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing - Feb 26

Using Humour and Fun in the Play Room

Neurobiology of Play

Sensory Play

Holding the Holder

Archetypes in Sand

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Why CPD Matters

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