Dr. Robert Jason Grant
Dr. Robert Jason Grant specializes in working with children, adolescents, families and adults primarily serving neurodivergent individuals (autism, ADHD, sensory difficulties, learning disorders, and developmental disabilities). He is the creator of AutPlay® Therapy, an integrative family play therapy framework designed to help address the mental health needs of neurodivergent children and adolescents. He is a supervisor, consultant, and life coach and he utilizes several years of advanced training and his own lived neurodivergent experience to provide affirming services to children and their families. He has infused his experience and love for education and mental health care to create training programs for professionals and caregivers. In 2015, he was awarded Play Therapist of the Year by the Missouri Association for Play Therapy and in 2017, he was presented with the APT Service Award by the National Association for Play Therapy. He is currently serving as past chair on the board of directors for the Association for Play Therapy and is a board member for the Digital Play therapy program.
Conference Workshop Overview:
Day 1: AutPlay® Therapy: Introduction and Foundations
This training will present the foundations of the AutPlay Therapy framework, a neurodiversity informed and affirming understanding for implementing play therapy approaches when working with Neurodivergent children. The neurodiversity paradigm, neurodivergent spectrum of presentation, and affirming neurodivergent play will be explained. The three overarching play therapy phases will be covered. Several play therapy interventions designed for addressing the mental health needs of Neurodivergent children will also be presented through experiential participation, session clips, and case examples.
Day 2: Family Play Therapy: Approaches and Interventions
This training will focus on the process and implementation of conducting play therapy with families. Participants will gain information on how to work with families utilizing play therapy intervention and processes from a general perspective which includes intake, family play observations, family goals, and various considerations when working with the whole family versus an individual child. Participants will also gain an overview of established family play therapy approaches such as Child Parent Relationship Therapy, Filial Therapy, and more along with resource information to acquire furthering training in each of these models. Participants will learn about research related to using play therapy with families and participate in several play therapy interventions that can be implemented with families.
Ethics training is during Lunch on June 20th
Heather Maritano, LCSW, RPT-S
Heather Maritano, founder of Inner Resources Counseling & Training, has been supporting the growth and healing of clients, colleagues, and community for over 25 years through therapy, education, mentoring, and advocacy. She creates soothing spaces, relationships, and experiences that invite exploration and discernment through steady presence. Heather has clinical specialties in play, sandtray, & expressive arts therapies. She has traveled and trained throughout the world. She maintains a sense of awe, regularly practices her belief in the healing powers of play, and is particularly fond of dancing.
Continuing Education
This event is sponsored by the Indiana Association for Play Therapy. The program offers 12.00 contact hours (6.00 hrs. per day), with full attendance required. The program also offers 1.00 of ethics training on Day 1, with full attendance required.
There is no additional fee to submit an application for CE credit. CE forms will be made available to participants by the Indiana Assn. Play Therapy. CE verification will be emailed to CE applicants following the event. If you have questions regarding continuing education, contact The Indiana Association for Play Therapy at inapt4u@gmail.com
Important: It is the responsibility of participants to determine if CE credit offered by The Indiana Association for Play Therapy will meet the regulations of their licensing/certification board.
Indiana Board Counseling/ Social Work/ MFT: The Indiana Association for Play Therapy is currently in the process of being approved provider for CE credits for the Indiana Professional Licensing Board.
Play Therapy: The Indiana Association for Play Therapy is approved by the Association for Play Therapy to sponsor continuing education specific to play therapy. The Indiana Association for Play Therapy maintains responsibility for the program. APT Provider 23-716.
Recap of the 2023 Conference
For the first day of the 28th Annual Conference, there was a presentation by Dr. Eric Green utilizing Jungian techniques of mandalas and storytelling.
On the second day, we were rescued by Indiana members Heather Maritano and Davi Stein-Kiley with presentations on Sand Tray Therapy.
Here are some photos of the 2023 Conference.
Recap of the 2022 Conference
The 2022 Indiana Play Therapy conference was held at Valle Vista Conference Center In Greenwood Indiana on June16 and 17. Kara Holt, Ph.D, LPC, RPT-S, CCPT-S, CPRT-S presented information on strategies and tools for effective parent consultations within the play therapy process and use of Humanistic Play Therapy to heal relational trauma and attachment. The conference also provided Ethics training by Davi Stein-Kiley, LCSW, LMFT, LCAC, RPT-S with a focus on ethical considerations in providing family play therapy with children and family members.
Not only was a lot of information consumed by those who attended but there was also time to network and re-establish friendships. The Self Esteem Shop provided plenty of play therapy books and tools to use in any Play Therapist office.
Our annual meeting was held and new bylaws were approved. We celebrated those members who recently received their RPT and presented the 2022-2023 board members.
Here are some photos of the 2022 Conference.
