Playful Partners: Animals in Child-Centered Play Therapy Practice

Playful Partners is a 1-Day, workshop designed for mental health professionals and students working with children, and equine specialists in mental health, who want to expand their work with children utilizing the power of play. This workshop integrates the principles of child-centered play therapy with the unique animal human bond. This workshop provides 6 Contact Play Therapy Training Hours.

Join us for a lively, hands-on workshop for play therapists of all levels—whether you work in schools, agencies, non-profits, residential programs, or private practice—who want to bring the magic of animals into child-centered play therapy. We’ll explore the heart of child-centered theory and practice, build practical animal-assisted competencies, and show how to weave the child-centered model into animal-partnered sessions. Plus, we’ll cover essential ethics and safety so you can create joyful, healing experiences that are safe and effective for both kids and animal partners.

Participants will effectively integrate the power of play into a relationship building experience with animals. Experiencing the human animal bond partnered with the skills and practice of child centered play therapy participants will learn to integrate the “be with” attitudes in a child centered play session with animals. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the ethics of animal work in child centered play therapy.

This training is designed for mental health professionals and equine specialists in mental health who have completed introductory CCPT training, including LPCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, psychologists, school counselors, ESMHL professionals and graduate students seeking advanced skills in play therapy. This training may also be applied toward continuing education requirements for LPCs, LMFTs, LCSWs, and other licensed professionals, in accordance with individual licensing board guidelines.

For more information email:

Saturday 6/13/2026 10:00 - 5:30 PM
Breaks, light snacks, drinks and lunch provided onsite. Please email Amy at [email protected] with any dietary restrictions.

2701 County Road 415, Cleburne, TX 76031

Important: Drive down the long driveway and park in the circle.

By the end of this 1-day training, participants will be able to:

Learning Objectives:

1. Define child centered play therapy and key constructs.
2. Demonstrate basic skills in child centered play therapy.
3. Develop working knowledge of Animal-Assisted Therapy in Counseling Competencies including knowledge, skills and attitudes
4. Correlate equine behavior and nature to “be with” attitudes in child centered play therapy
5. Apply child centered play therapy framework to an equine session, session with goats and chickens
6. Explore ethical considerations in partnering animals with humans

Amy Andra, LPC-S, RPT-S, is an Approved Provider of Play Therapy Continuing Education by the Association for Play Therapy (APT Approved Provider #25-779). This program is co-sponsored by Mansfield-Arlington Play Therapy Training Center (MAPT). Amy Andra maintains full responsibility for the content, quality, conduct, and awarding of play therapy credit for this program in accordance with APT Approved Provider Standards

Speakers:

Amy Andra, M.S., LPC-S, RPT-S™ , Certified CCPT-S

Amy is the co-founder of Spirit Therapy, PLLC in Midlothian, Texas, where she provides counseling for children, adolescents, and families. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor ™, Certified Child-Centered Play Therapy Supervisor (CCPT-S) and EMDR certified practitioner. She specializes in working with all ages integrating Play, activity based interventions, somatic interventions, Internal Family Systems interventions and animal assisted therapy. With extensive experience in both school and private practice settings, Amy brings warmth and expertise to her work with children and to her supervision of LPC-Associates and Registered Play Therapist™ candidates. As co-founder of the MAPT Training Center, Amy enjoys equipping counselors with the skills and confidence to integrate Child-Centered Play Therapy into their practice.

Heather Pina-McGhee, M.A., LPC-S, RPT-S™ , Certified CCPT-S

Heather is the owner and clinical director of Life Chapters Counseling, PLLC in Mansfield, Texas. A Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™, Certified Child-Centered Play Therapy Supervisor (CCPT-S), EMDR Certified Practitioner and TBRI® Practitioner, she specializes in helping children, teens, and families through play therapy, sandtray, EMDR, and trauma-informed approaches. Heather’s background includes experience as a classroom teacher, school counselor, and child protective services worker, which gives her a unique perspective on the systems that impact children’s lives. She provides supervision for LPC-Associates and Registered Play Therapist™ candidates and is passionate about mentoring the next generation of play therapists. As co-founder of the Mansfield-Arlington Play Therapy Training Center (MAPT Training Center, LLC), Heather is committed to making high-quality, practical play therapy training accessible to mental health professionals.

Barbara Thompson, Equine Specialist in Mental Health, Equine Director for Spirit Therapy Services

Babs is a PATH certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health & Learning and has studied natural horsemanship for over 30 years. Babs is committed to providing a physically and emotionally safe environment for human and equine interaction. Babs believes the therapeutic value in human/equine relationships is fully realized when equines have choice in whether to interact with humans.

CANCELATION/REFUND POLICY

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to [email protected]

Requests received by 11:59 p.m. on May 29, 2026 will be eligible for a refund of the registration fee, less a $50 administrative processing fee.

No refunds will be issued for requests received after this date.

MAPT Training Center reserves the right to cancel or reschedule this training due to unforeseen circumstances. In such cases, every effort will be made to notify registered participants in advance, and all registration and continuing education fees will be fully refunded.

Please note: MAPT Training Center’s financial responsibility is limited solely to the amount of the registration fee paid.

MAPT Training Center is committed to providing accessible learning experiences. Please contact us at [email protected] by May 29,2026 to request accommodations

If you have concerns or grievances regarding this training, please contact MAPT Training Center at [email protected]. We will make every effort to resolve complaints in a fair and timely manner.

Play Therapy credit is only awarded to mental health professionals.

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Host or Publisher Mansfield-Arlington Play Therapy (MAPT) Training Center