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Seminal Theory Series
Filial & Adlerian Play Therapy
December 18, 2026 | Live Zoom Webinar
Discover Our Pop-Culture Infused Seminal Theory Series
The Seminal Theory Series brings together the ten foundational theories that have shaped play therapy, exploring their history, core principles, clinical application, contemporary relevance, and lasting influence on the field - all through engaging pop-culture lenses.
The series will appeal to clinicians who want to strengthen the theoretical foundations behind their work, newer play therapists and students building a broader understanding of the field, experienced practitioners looking to refresh or compare approaches, and anyone who enjoys learning through familiar stories and fandoms. It is especially relevant to therapists working toward the RPT credential.
Join us for a playful tour through the approaches that built the field of play therapy.
First Session
Breaking the Curse: Teaching Filial Therapy Skills to Caregivers
With Jennifer Shivey, LPC, RPT-S
Many play therapists are skilled in direct child-centered work but have limited structured training in filial therapy — the evidence-based model, developed by Bernard and Louise Guerney, in which the therapist trains and supervises caregivers to hold child-centered play sessions with their own children at home.
Survey and consultation trends within the field consistently show that clinicians want to extend treatment gains beyond the playroom and into the home, but report uncertainty about how to teach caregivers the core skills, structure a Special Playtime session, and manage common barriers such as caregiver resistance or cultural mismatch.
With reference to The Descendants, this workshop addresses that gap by moving participants from conceptual familiarity with filial therapy to guided, hands-on practice they can apply immediately in session — helping the caregivers they serve write a different story than the one they inherited.
1. Describe the theoretical foundations and evidence base of filial therapy as an extension of child-centered play therapy.
2. Demonstrate the four core filial therapy caregiver skills - structuring, empathic listening, child-centered imaginary play, and limit-setting - through guided role-play.
3. Apply a structured protocol for training caregivers to conduct in-home Special Playtime sessions as outlined in Filial Play Therapy.
4. Analyze play therapy case examples to identify culturally responsive adaptations and common barriers to caregiver engagement in filial play therapy.
First Session Learning Objectives
Second Session
BELIEVE: Exploring Adlerian Play Therapy Through the Lens of Ted Lasso
With Melissa Winterscheid, LPC-S, RPT-S,
What can a struggling soccer club, a handmade “BELIEVE” sign, and a box of biscuits teach us about Adlerian Play Therapy? Quite a lot, actually. This two-hour training uses the characters, relationships, and memorable moments of Ted Lasso as a playful lens for exploring the foundations and contemporary practice of Adlerian Play Therapy (AdPT).
Together, we will travel from Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs to Terry Kottman’s development of Adlerian Play Therapy, exploring how concepts such as belonging, private logic, purposeful behavior, social interest, encouragement, and the Crucial C’s come to life both on the pitch and in the playroom. Through discussion, clinical examples, and experiential activities, participants will consider how an Adlerian play therapist looks beyond behavior to understand the beliefs, goals, and needs underneath it. Come curious, bring your play therapy spirit, and perhaps leave believing a little more deeply in the power of encouragement, connection, and play.
Second Session Learning Objectives
1. Describe the historical development of Individual Psychology and its evolution into Adlerian Play Therapy (AdPT).
2. Explain core Adlerian Play Therapy concepts and assumptions, including purposeful behavior, lifestyle, private logic, social interest, encouragement, and the Crucial C’s.
3. Apply key Adlerian Play Therapy principles to case conceptualization and intervention selection using clinical examples and illustrations from Ted Lasso.
Details & Registration
Date: Friday,
Time: 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM Mountain Time (See how this translates into your timezone).
Location: Online Zoom Training (MST Timezone)
Pricing:
$110 Full Professional Rate
$85 Mid-Level Professional Rate
$55 Student / Accessible Professional Rate
*Pricing includes CE Certificate
Schedule:
December 18, 2026
8:50
Check In/Sign in
9:00
First Presentation Begins
11:00
30 Minute Break
11:30
Second Presentation Begins
1:30
Presentation Ends
What if I can't make the training live? We've got you covered! With this event, you can register to attend live or for the recording only and watch it whenever it works for you. All registrants will receive access to the recordings, which will be available for 30 days.
Continuing Education Credits: Following successful completion of a post-test with a score of at least 80%, this training will provide:
• 4 NBCC Contact CE Hours if you attend live, and 4 NBCC Non-Contact CE Hours if you attend by recording.
• 4 APT Non-Contact CE Hours. The Association for Play Therapy (APT) classifies both live and recorded webinars as non-contact continuing education, and participants may apply these hours toward RPT™ credentialing requirements.
A New Hope Therapy Center, our sister organization and partner for trainings and workshops, is an Approved Provider for the Association for Play Therapy (APT) - Approved Provider 20-631. A New Hope Academy has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7816. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. A New Hope Academy is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Presenters
Melissa Winterscheid, LPC-S, RPT-S,
Melissa Winterscheid, LPC-S, RPT-S, is a play therapist, supervisor, and educator with more than 15 years of experience and a professional heart rooted in Adlerian Play TherapyTM. She creates experiential, practical trainings built on the belief that continuing education should be useful, encouraging, engaging,
and fun.
Melissa’s professional happy place is convincing teens and adults that they’re not too old to play, then watching what happens when they believe her. When she’s not training, sword fighting, or in the Sandtray, you’ll find her trading Disney pins, chasing waves, or recharging along Route 66. Above all, she believes that when therapists grow, the people they serve grow right alongside them.
Jennifer Shivey, LPC, RPT-S
As a Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered Play Therapist-SupervisorTM, and Approved Clinical Supervisor, Jennifer Shivey has spent her career helping children, teens, and families move through life's messy moments with compassion, creativity, and a healthy dose of humor.
She specializes in working with gender-expansive and LGBTQ+ youth, using play, conversation, creativity, and connection to help young people discover their strengths and feel more at home in themselves.
