Workshop Title

Rooted Growth: A Three-Day Exploration of Person-of-the-Therapist

Program Description

This immersive and deeply experiential three-day workshop invites play and other expressive therapists to creatively explore their professional and personal development through the metaphor of a tree. Beginning with preparing the soil and foundation, allowing and encouraging branches to reach out, seeing what blooms fiercely, with seasonal regeneration, and relationship with the environment around you, your inner world and core values will shine and the reflection will cultivate the roots of self-awareness. The journey continues with nurturing the growth of self, focusing on emotional, relational, and clinical skills essential for thriving practice as well as keeping ourselves healthy and sustained by authenticity. Finally, the workshop expands into the branches which may represent career growth, decision-making, and leadership in the therapeutic field as well as self-awareness of how we constantly regenerate our passions. We will look at what we choose to prune, provide for and appreciate as we honor that which keeps us growing and address that which does not. Through experiential activities, reflective practices, and group dialogue, play therapists will deepen their connection to their work and envision a sustainable, flourishing professional path.

Facilitators: Eliana Gil & Marshall Lyles

Dates: September 3-5, 2026

Time: 9 am - 3:30 pm daily (Central time)

Location: The Workshop, 300 Allen St., Austin, TX 78702

Objectives

1. Identify and articulate foundational personal values and beliefs about their play therapy practice, analogous to preparing fertile soil.

2. Demonstrate increased self-awareness to strengthen their clinical presence as play therapists.

3. Apply strategies for building resilience and managing professional challenges, fostering strong root systems that support their play therapy practice.

4. Demonstrate reflective practices to deepen understanding of their therapeutic identity as a play therapist and personal growth.

5. Develop play therapy and other expressive skills to nurture client relationships and therapeutic alliances, paralleling the nurturing of growth in a tree.

6. Practice integrating self-care and boundary-setting techniques to sustain ongoing professional development as a play therapist and/or supervisor.

7. Analyze career development opportunities and challenges in play therapy, conceptualized as the branching out of professional pathways.

8. Create a personalized plan for career growth as play or expressive therapists and decision-making aligned with their values and strengths.

9. Apply leadership and consultation skills to support their play therapy role within therapeutic communities.

10. Apply learning from the workshop to articulate a vision for sustainable, ethical, and growth-oriented therapeutic practice as play therapist.

Registration info: The workshop costs $495. Marshall Lyles has applied for CE approval. 

Cancellation policy: Due to the small group nature of this event, refunds cannot afford to be given, but you can secure your own replacement if needed.

Agenda:

Day 1

9 am - 10:30 am

Identify and articulate foundational personal values and beliefs that support ethical therapeutic practice, analogous to preparing fertile soil.

-Opening experiential

-Lecture

10:30 am - 10:45 am

Break

10:45 am - 12:15 pm

Demonstrate increased self-awareness to strengthen their clinical presence.

-Lecture and activity

-Group discussion

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Apply strategies for building resilience and managing professional challenges, fostering strong root systems.

-Creative application project

Day 2

9 am - 10:30 am

Demonstrate reflective practices to deepen understanding of their therapeutic identity and personal growth.

-Opening experiential

-Lecture

10:30 am - 10:45 am

Break

10:45 am - 12:15 pm

Develop skills to nurture client relationships and therapeutic alliances, paralleling the nurturing of growth in a tree.

-Lecture and activity

-Group discussion

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Practice integrating self-care and boundary-setting techniques to sustain ongoing professional development.

-Creative application project

Day 3

9 am - 10:30 am

Analyze career development opportunities and challenges, conceptualized as the branching out of professional pathways.

-Opening experiential

Create a personalized plan for career growth and decision-making aligned with their values and strengths.

-Lecture and activity

10:30 am - 10:45 am

Break

10:45 am - 12:15 pm

Apply leadership and consultation skills to support their role within therapeutic communities.

-Group discussion

-Creative activity

1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Apply learning from the workshop to articulate a vision for sustainable, ethical, and growth-oriented therapeutic practice.

-Small group discussion

-Creative application for wrapping up