Kentucky Association for Play Therapy 33nd Annual Conference

About This Event



Presenter Introduction: Dora Henderson, MA is a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S™) and Licensed Mental Health Counselor Qualified Supervisor (LMHC-QS), specializing in integrating the power of play with EMDR and the integration of neuroscience with play therapy. She is also a TraumaPlay™ Supervisor and an EMDR Consultant-in-Training, and the co-host of the Neuroscience of Play Therapy Summit at the Beach. Dora is passionate about helping individuals of all ages heal from traumatic experiences and move towards a happier, healthier life. She has training and certifications in various areas, to include Sand Tray Therapy, TraumaPlay™ , Theraplay®, MAP, Adlerian therapy, as well as the Safe & Sound Protocol. Dora is also the creator of beautiful puppets and books, to including Neuro & the Ception Force Friends™ series, Polly Vagale, Neuro & The Ception Force Friends and The Vagus Nerve Super Highway, as well as the Adventures of Sandi & Clammy series. Her trainings, consultations and supervision, and professional work integrates play, puppetry, expressive arts, and neuroscience in easy-to-use and family-friendly ways.

Course Description:

This two-day experiential training integrates play therapy theory, neuroscience, and creative interventions to support clinicians in deepening their understanding of the nervous system and its role in emotional regulation and trauma healing. Through engaging activities such as expressive arts, sand tray, sensory stations, and movement-based play, participants will explore the relationship between the autonomic nervous system and clinical play therapy.

Participants will discover how concepts from polyvagal theory and somatic psychology can be translated into developmentally appropriate play therapy practices that support neuroception of safety, co-regulation, and healing. This training offers a blend of hands-on learning and scientific exploration, grounding play therapy interventions in contemporary research. Emphasis is placed on nervous system-informed care, bottom-up integration, and playful approaches to trauma-informed treatment.

By the end of this course, participants will have a strong working knowledge of how to incorporate play therapy tools to support nervous system regulation in children and families, using accessible language, creative techniques, and a clear understanding of the neurobiological foundations of play.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the components and functions of the autonomic nervous system through engaging discussions and interactive play therapy activities
2. Explore the principles of polyvagal theory and how they relate to emotional regulation and safety within the context of play therapy
3. Demonstrate an understanding of neuroception by participating in play therapy activities that explore how safety is perceived in the nervous system
4. Create brain hats as a visual and hands-on play therapy tool to represent different brain functions
5. Use playful animal representations in the Neurozoo activity to illustrate how brain systems interact in relation to trauma and behavior
6. Apply play therapy techniques that support the rewiring of trauma responses through co-regulation and creative expression
7. Integrate somatic practices within play therapy sessions to support emotional healing and healthy attachment
8. Identify basic neuronal structures and functions through developmentally appropriate play therapy activities
9. Participate in sensory-based experiential learning stations designed to support nervous system regulation through play
10. Utilize sand tray techniques as part of a play therapy approach to processing nervous system states and trauma narratives
11. Demonstrate movement-based play therapy activities that support co-regulation and help clients embody polyvagal principles
12. Reflect on personal and professional experiences throughout the training and identify ways to apply play therapy interventions grounded in nervous system science in clinical practice

The Great Nervous System Adventure An Expedition of Bottom-Up, Top-Down Play and Beyond

Day One Agenda

8:00–8:30 Registration and Check In Arrival

(music, sensory settling, raffle entry)

8:30–10:15 Opening the Adventure

Welcome and orientation

Overview of the autonomic nervous system

Polyvagal states and blended states through movement and discussion

Guided body scan and neuroception of safety activity Learning

Objectives Addressed Describe components of the autonomic nervous system

Explore principles of Polyvagal Theory

Demonstrate neuroception of safety

10:15–10:30 Break and Giveaway

10:30–12:00 Brain Hats and the NeuroZoo

Creative construction of brain hats representing brain regions and functions

NeuroZoo activity using animal figures to model brain system interactions Introductory neuron structure and function through hands-on play

Learning Objectives Addressed

Create brain hats

Illustrate brain system interactions Identify neuron structures and functions

12:00–1:00 Lunch and Raffle

1:00–2:30 Rewiring Trauma Through Play

Polyvagal-informed play sequences

Co-regulation and corrective emotional experiences

Somatic resourcing and attachment-based exercises

Learning Objectives Addressed

Rewire trauma through play techniques Integrate somatic practices

Demonstrate movement activities for co-regulation

2:30–2:45 Break and Door Prizes

2:45–4:30 Sand Tray and Integration Nervous system-themed sand tray experiences

Clinical processing and reflection

Learning Objectives Addressed

Apply sand tray techniques

Reflect on learning and clinical application

Day Two Agenda

8:00–8:30 Registration and Morning Regulation

Sensory warm-up and raffle drawing

8:30–10:00 From Neurons to Networks Review of Day One

Neural communication and plasticity through expressive arts and movement

Learning Objectives Addressed

Describe autonomic nervous system components

Identify neuron structures and functions

10:00–10:15 Break and Giveaway

10:15–11:45 Passport through the senses/Sensory Stations and Neuroception

Rotating sensory stations focused on interoception, proprioception, vestibular, tactile, and auditory systems

State shifts and safety cues in play

Learning Objectives Addressed

Demonstrate neuroception of safety

Utilize sensory stations

Demonstrate movement for co-regulation

11:45–1:00 Lunch and Kentucky APT Business Meeting

1:00–2:30 Integrating Polyvagal Play in Clinical Practice

Designing bottom-up and top-down play sequences

Caregiver coaching and co-regulation rituals

Learning Objectives Addressed Explore Polyvagal Theory principles

Rewire trauma through play Integrate somatic practices

2:30–2:45 Break and Final Raffle

2:45–4:30 The Great Integration and Closing

Full experiential sequence combining sand tray, sensory play, movement, and expressive arts Reflection, clinical translation, and closing circle

Learning Objectives Addressed

Apply sand tray techniques

Demonstrate co-regulation strategies Reflect on learning and integrate into practice

Questions-reflection-time of connection 

Explore the nervous system through Play! Dive into experiential activities using movement, art, rhythm, and sensory play to understand how safety, mobilization, and shut down manifest in the body and therapy room.

Make Neurobiology Tangible: From building "brain hats" and creating neuron models to story telling with Neuro & the Ception Force Friends™, expressive arts, and sand tray work - complex treatment ideas like neuroception and co-regulation will be explored.

Experience Regulation - Don't Just Learn About It! Through rhythm activities , body scans, and sensory stations, you will embody what it feels like to regulate from the inside out. Feel the difference between ventral connection, sympathetic activation, and dorsal withdrawal in a way that is intuitive and useful.

Apply and Integrate: The second day focuses on deeper application. Rotating through sand tray and sensory stations you will model how symbolic play and somatic processing work.

Additional Conference Details:

APT Approved Provider No. 00-081

CE information:

Continuing Education Credit: 12 contact hours are available for this 2 day event upon completion of the evaluation and signing in and out via Google Forms each day. No partial credit will be given. The evaluation will be provided at the end of the presentation.

NBCC CE's - Kentucky Association for Play Therapy has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5789. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Kentucky Association for Play Therapy is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Play Therapists - KY-APT is approved by the Association for Play Therapy (APT) to offer continuing education specific to play therapy. APT Approved Provider No. 00-081.

Play Therapy credit available to mental health professionals & graduate students in a mental health program

Cancellation Policy:

All correspondence regarding cancellations, credits, refunds, transfers, etc. must be made in writing to CE.Director@ky4apt.org. Written cancellation requests that are emailed before Thursday, February 12, 2026 will be provided with a refund minus a $75 processing fee or may be transferred to another person without penalty only if the original registrant notifies KY APT before the expressed deadline. After Thursday, February 12, 2026 registrants can choose to apply their 2026 registration fee to their 2027 registration fee. A credit will only be given for the amount paid and it must be used for the 2027 conference or the fee will be forfeit by the registrant.

It is recommended for attendees to make travel reservations that are one hundred percent refundable. KY APT reserves the right to cancel this conference in the event of unforeseen circumstances. If such occurs, KY APT will attempt to notify registrants at least ten calendar days prior to the conference and refund all registration fees. In all instances, the liability of KY APT is limited to refunding such fees, and KY APT is not responsible for any other lost monies, cancellation fees, deposits, etc. for travel expenses.

Hotel Information

The Kentucky Association for Play Therapy has partnered with Tempo by Hilton Louisville Downtown to offer a block of rooms at a discounted rate. The hotel is located at 710 East Jefferson Street in Louisville, KY. Book your room now to save!!