A Deep Dive into Solidifying Presence for Play Therapists

    Description: Play therapists have long known about the importance of the therapeutic relationship and about the critical roles that presence and authentic attunement play in clients’ healing journeys. However, what do these values look like in real play therapy practice? And how does a play therapist monitor their own professional development and growth in a manner that keeps presence alive? In this workshop, Eliana and Marshall will support clinicians to monitor and articulate their evolving professional identities so that they remain clear about the play therapy they are capable of authentically offering. By the end of the three days, the hope is that participants will better know and trust themselves and be able to accurately describe their mission as play therapists. 

    Learning Objectives:
    1. Discuss the role of presence in play therapy.
    2. Describe the interaction between authenticity and your utilization of a play therapy clinical theory.
    3. Describe your personal mission statement as a play therapist.
    4. Apply your mission statement to your chosen play therapy client population.
    5. Describe the meaning of person-of-the-play-therapist.
    6. Apply expressive art tools to monitoring person-of-the-play-therapist.
    7. Apply play therapy tools and techniques to growing your personal connection with intuition.
    8. Discuss how to develop reflective capacity for monitoring changes in self that could impact play therapy client relationships.

    Hours: Marshall Lyles is seeking approval to offer continuing education credit to counselors. Please check our website for updates. APT hours are available

    Presenters: Eliana Gil, PhD, LMFT, RPT-S, RST-C/T and Marshall Lyles, MA, LPC-S, LMFT-S, RPT-S, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, RST-C/T

    Dates/Times: September 26-28, 2025; 9 am - 3:30 pm daily (Central time)

    Registration information: The registration fee is $600. If a payment plan or support is needed, put that in the questions section of the registration form and you will be contacted with details about how to proceed. The training will occur at The Workshop (300 Allen St., Austin TX 78702). Participants will secure their own lodging and meals (many AirBNBs are in the neighborhood), but light breakfast and snacks are provided.

    ​Cancellation policy: Registration is non-refundable, but registrants can secure their own replacement.
    Registration