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The Deeper Work in Play Therapy: Identifying, Facilitating, and Resolving Themes in Play Therapy 

*CEs from this workshop will count towards your CCPT/CPRT/CCGPT certification renewal.

Based on her new edition of the seminal book, Advanced Play Therapy, Dr. Ray will be sharing the process of theme work in play therapy. In Child-Centered Play Therapy, the healing factor is identified as the relationship between play therapist and child. Empathic understanding is key to deepening the therapeutic relationship in play therapy and can be enhanced through the identification and facilitation of themes. When a play therapist has identified a child’s play themes, the play therapist can respond more effectively in session, can consult more effectively with parents and teachers, and determine therapeutic progress.  

This workshop will offer a process for identifying common themes in play therapy that will help the play therapist learn to communicate more effectively with the child in session and with parents and schools outside of session. Dr. Ray will lead the participant through a systematic method of identification and use of themes to enhance the play therapy process. Additionally, Dr. Ray will actively engage the participant in using theme skills for practice immediately upon completion of the workshop. In addition, the workshop will facilitate skills on how to use play themes to determine therapeutic progress and ascertain the need for termination.  

Days/Times

Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM CT

Objectives:

  1. Participants will be able to identify at least 20 possible themes in play therapy 
  2. Participants will identify the three main components of identifying themes. 
  3. Participants will be able to track themes to determine progress in play therapy.  
  4. Participants will be able to match themes with observed play.  
  5. Participants will learn to communicate themes through responses in play sessions. 
  6. Participants will learn to communicate themes to parents in parent consultations.  

Meet the Speaker

Dee Ray, Ph.D., LPC-S, NCC, RPT-S, Certified CCPT-S, Certified CPRT-S, Certified CCGPT-S/T is Regents Professor and Elaine Millikan Mathes Professor in Early Childhood Education in the Counseling Program and Emerita of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas.  Dr. Ray has published over 150 articles, chapters, and books in the field of play therapy, specializing in research specifically examining the process and effects of Child-Centered Play Therapy.  Dr. Ray is author of A Therapist’s Guide to Development: The Extraordinarily Normal Years, Advanced Play Therapy: Essential Conditions, Knowledge, and Skills for Child Practice, Child-Centered Play Therapy Treatment Manual, and co-author of Multicultural Play Therapy, Group Play Therapy, and Child-Centered Play Therapy Research. Most recently, Dr. Ray published her book on education, Playful Education: Using Play Therapy Strategies to Elevate Your Classroom which focuses on the significance of teacher-child relationships in the language of play.  She is a founding board member and past president of the Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling, as well as current board member of the Association for Play Therapy. She is founding editor of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, American Counseling Association Fellow, and recipient of the American Counseling Association Don Dinkmeyer Social Interest Award, Association for Humanistic Counseling Educator Award, Association for Play Therapy Outstanding Research Award, Top 25 Women Professors in Texas Award, and many others. Dr. Ray supervises counseling services to community clients at her university clinic and leads a school outreach program providing play therapy to hundreds of children each year. Dr. Ray also co-created and oversees the international certification program for Child-Centered Play Therapy, Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, and Child-Centered Group Play Therapy.  Dr. Ray additionally operates the counseling practice, EmpathyWell, in Highland Village, TX where she facilitates play therapy, training, and supervision.