Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training

03/31/2026

You’re not stuck — you might just be focusing on the wrong problem in play therapy sessions.

Without a clear case conceptualization, it’s easy to chase behaviors instead of understanding what’s underneath them.

And your play therapy theoretical lens? That’s what determines what you see — and what you do next.
When you get clear on the why behind the play in the playroom, everything shifts and you feel confident that you’re on the right path to help your young clients heal.
Even seasoned play therapists get stuck. The key is knowing how to get unstuck.

Want to learn more about using play therapy with your clients?

Check out my website for information about play therapy training, membership programs, podcast episodes, blog articles, and free resources!

Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S
Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training
Rhplaytherapytraining.com

03/31/2026

One of the biggest struggles for new (and experienced) play therapists is learning to identify themes in play therapy sessions and understand what they mean.

I’ve often heard play therapists in my consultation programs wonder if their client is “just playing” or if there is a therapeutic purpose to what’s happening in the playroom.

Learning to distinguish between recognizing “just playing” and therapeutic processes unfolding in the playroom is a skill learned over time.

The best way to develop the skill to recognize themes in play therapy takes practice and the support of a strong play therapy community.

Want to learn more about using play therapy with your clients?

Check out my website for information about play therapy training, membership programs, podcast episodes, blog articles, and free resources!

Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S
Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training
Rhplaytherapytraining.com

03/31/2026

Before you ask how to help, understand your client's situation. Grounding your approach in a theoretical model prevents confusion and overwhelm. Learn the key to effective client support.

This video includes a case study using a fictitious client and fictitious therapist. The information is NOT based on a real client or therapist.

🎧 Listen to the full podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2021678/episodes/18890544

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/live/jooQGr3-vsc?si=dcCA6gPRuAe6Ra1G

03/30/2026

Ever feel like you’re stuck on repeat in your play therapy sessions working with children and teens who have experienced trauma?

Not sure how to help your young clients who’ve experienced trauma and not sure what’s happening in your play therapy sessions?

Feeling confused about the best way to help your traumatized clients heal?

Or maybe you’re feeling burned out carrying the weight of the work with your clients and need a community of like-minded play therapists to feel rejuvenated and gain new ideas?
Join us for a one-day play therapy training: Healing Trauma Through Play Therapy: A Neuroscience & Attachment Approach
This specialized play therapy training in neuroscience and attachment theory is designed just for play therapists like you, offering new insights and structured approaches to crack the tough cases wide open.

Are you ready to transform your practice and elevate your impact?

Join us, and let’s get started on this exciting path together!
Date: June 06, 2026
Location: St. George, UT or Attend Virtually from Anywhere!
Early Bird Special: Register by April 30, 2025, for just $157!
After that, the cost will be $187 until registration closes on June 04, 2026.
Registration includes 60-days free access to Play Therapy Elevation CIRCLE (new members only) for continued support so you don’t have to do this work alone.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to elevate your play therapy skills at an unbeatable price!
Sign Up Today!
Reserve your spot and be part of a community of dedicated play therapists focused on helping traumatized children and teens heal.
For more information and to register - hop over to my website to register today
Or type in the comments to get the link or feel free to message me

Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S
Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training
Rhplaytherapytraining.com

03/30/2026

Learn how establishing safety and security is paramount for client progress, especially in complex family systems. We explore building trust, even with withdrawn clients, and navigating loyalty divides.

This video includes a case study using a fictitious client and fictitious therapist. The information is NOT based on a real client or therapist.

🎧 Listen to the full podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2021678/episodes/18890544

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/live/jooQGr3-vsc?si=dcCA6gPRuAe6Ra1G

03/28/2026

Imagine a child in your playroom, trying so hard to hold back an emotional tsunami.

Now picture that same child heading home to a parent who knows exactly how to help them ride the wave instead of getting swept under it.

That’s the real magic of the play therapy change process — the kind that keeps working long after the session ends.

Your play therapy theoretical model shapes how you see parents:

Are they just watching from the sidelines…

or are they the co-healers, the stabilizers, the nervous system whisperers?

When you weave an attachment + neurobiology lens into your play therapy work, everything shifts.

You’re not just helping kids regulate — you’re giving parents the blueprint to become their child’s safest place.

Parents who understand their child’s cues…

who co-regulate instead of escalate…

who reconnect instead of retreat…

become the ones who turn therapeutic gains into everyday healing.

Because the truth?

Play therapy is the spark.

Parents are the ones who keep the fire going.

And if you’re ready to deepen your confidence in partnering with parents — from your play therapy theoretical grounding to your play therapy session strategies —

Play Therapy Academy has a couple of openings right now.

It’s where we take these ideas from “sounds amazing” → to “I’m actually doing this with my clients.”
✨ Ready to step into your next level of clinical clarity?

Schedule your free 30-minute video call to see if Play Therapy Academy is the right fit for you.

Write in the Comments and I’ll send you a link to schedule your free 30-minute video call to see how Play Therapy Academy can be the map you’ve been looking for.

Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S
Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training
Rhplaytherapytraining.com

03/27/2026

This one feels loving in the moment… and risky in practice.

A child looks up from their sand tray and asks you,
“Can I show my mom?”

Of course you want to say yes. You want connection. Transparency. Family involvement.

But the sand tray making process is not a show-and-tell.

It’s a nervous system workspace.

When a parent walks in too soon, the energy shifts instantly. The child scans the room. The meaning of the symbols changes.

What was emerging organically can collapse under a single comment.

Even well-intended questions can feel like evaluation. Or correction. Or exposure.

And sand tray therapy only works when it feels protected.

Holding that boundary isn’t excluding parents. It’s protecting the process.

You can honor the child’s work by documenting it, keeping it secure, and sharing themes thoughtfully at the appropriate stage of treatment.

That preserves safety and supports parent understanding.

Private. Sacred. Safe.

When you protect the therapeutic container, the child’s nervous system can keep doing the brave work of healing.

If you want deeper guidance on how to navigate sand tray with clarity and confidence—especially in family systems—explore my trainings, memberships, and free resources on the website

Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S
Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training
Rhplaytherapytraining.com

03/27/2026

What do you do after you’ve identified the symptoms in a struggling teen?
Failing grades. Emotional withdrawal. “I don’t care.”
High-conflict divorce. Estrangement from a parent. Identity confusion.
It’s one thing to recognize the patterns.
It’s another to know how to turn that understanding into a clear, effective plan to help your teen clients heal.
In this week’s podcast episode, I walk through a case example of “Ethan,” a 16-year-old navigating academic decline and emotional shutdown in the aftermath of parental conflict and attachment rupture.
Using a neuroscience and attachment-informed lens, we explore how case conceptualization directly shapes clinical decision making in adolescent play therapy.
You’ll learn:
How your play therapy theoretical model influences what you prioritize in treatment
How to sequence expressive arts interventions instead of reacting to symptoms
What progress actually looks like when working with withdrawn teens
How to avoid pulling random expressive arts activities “hoping something works”
I’ll also share two attachment-based sand tray interventions designed specifically for adolescents — grounded in nervous system regulation and identity integration.
Because effective treatment planning isn’t about doing more play therapy techniques.
It’s about choosing expressive arts interventions that align with your clinical hypothesis.
Join me for this week's podcast!
When your play therapy theory guides your decisions, your sessions become intentional, strategic, and far more impactful.

What do you do after you’ve identified the symptoms in a struggling teen?Failing grades. Emotional withdrawal. “I don’t care.”High-conflict divorce. Estrangement from a parent. Identity confusion.It’s one thing to recognize the patterns.It’s anoth...

03/27/2026

Unlock the power of case conceptualization to truly understand client struggles. Learn to identify missing information and decipher symptom meanings before deciding on treatment. Elevate your practice with expert insights.

This video includes a case study using a fictitious client and fictitious therapist. The information is NOT based on a real client or therapist.

🎧 Listen to the full podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2021678/episodes/18859811

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/live/VtQ4EPCLoJ4?si=wmaK24ePvNeM0mti

03/26/2026

Your sand tray shouldn’t feel like chaos in miniature form.

If you’ve ever felt stuck wondering what to buy, how to arrange it, or whether your collection even makes sense — this one’s for you.

My free guide, Must-Have Sand Tray Miniatures, gives you everything you need to curate your collection with confidence:
🌱 Which types of miniatures help clients express emotions and experiences
🧩 Simple organization ideas that make sessions flow smoothly
💡 Smart shopping tips to grow your collection without draining your wallet

Because your sand tray should feel intentional, not intimidating.

Grab your free copy today and bring clarity — not clutter — to your sand tray miniatures shelves.

Hop over to my website to download your copy today!

Write in the Comments and I’ll message you the link. You can also message me for the link.

Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S
Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training
Rhplaytherapytraining.com

03/25/2026

Picture this: a quiet room, sand under your fingers, and a story unfolding without a single word.

That’s sand tray magic—and it hits different when you really know how to hold it. 🏖️✨

Sand Tray in Play Therapy with Children & Teens is a 2-day, in-person immersive training where you won’t just learn about sand tray—you’ll create, process, and deepen your clinical intuition through hands-on experience.

Over two rich days, you’ll:
Learn how to introduce sand tray in a way that feels safe and grounded

Practice holding the process, not rushing the story

Identify and track themes that reveal what words can’t

Build confidence in knowing when to step in and when to stay still

This is intentionally small (10–12 play therapists max) so the learning goes deep, not wide.
Think retreat-level focus, not conference chaos.

📅 April 18–19, 2026
📍 In-person only
🎓 CEs

If you’ve been craving a slower, more intentional way to strengthen your sand tray work—this is your sign.
Your learning doesn’t stop when the training ends.
As a new member, you’ll receive 60 days of complimentary access to Play Therapy Elevation CIRCLE—so you can keep refining your skills, ask questions, and get real-time support as you begin applying what you’ve learned.
Spots are limited, and once they’re gone… they’re gone.

👉 Save your seat now and come experience sand tray the way it was meant to be learned.

Hop over to my website on the Training page for more information and to register.

Feel free to message me or write in the Comments and we’ll message you the link.

Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S
Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training
Rhplaytherapytraining.com

03/25/2026

Explore the crucial role of cultural influences in family case formulation. We delve into how religious affiliations and cultural norms, like negative perceptions of divorce in Middle Eastern cultures, shape family dynamics and therapeutic approaches.

This video includes a case study using a fictitious client and fictitious therapist. The information is NOT based on a real client or therapist.

🎧 Listen to the full podcast here:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2021678/episodes/18859811

📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/live/VtQ4EPCLoJ4?si=wmaK24ePvNeM0mti