Queensland Institute of Play Therapy

23/03/2026

📓 We Practice What We Preach at QIPT 🖊️

At the Queensland Institute of Play Therapy, we know the power of journaling and reflection in personal and professional growth. It’s not just something we teach—it's something we do. Regular reflection helps us stay grounded, focused, and always improving our practice.
Whether you're a therapist or simply seeking growth, take a moment to pause, reflect, and write.

Head to our website to learn about our upcoming workshops.

22/03/2026

New Workshop: The Vagal Playground 🧠✨

We are so excited to launch this brand-new workshop for clinicians! The Vagal Playground is a deep dive into polyvagal-informed play (Porges) to help change physiology and strengthen the neuroception of safety.

Learn how to use play-based corrective sensory experiences to rewire limbic responses and restore a felt sense of self for your clients.

What You’ll Learn:

💥 Identify Autonomic States: Link play behaviors to vagal physiology.

💥 Clinical Interventions: 3 practical play-based tools to recruit ventral vagal tone.

💥 Bottom-Up Rewiring: Design 10-minute sequences to support trauma-impacted brains.

💥 Caregiver Coaching: Rituals to help families consolidate safety and reattachment.

Event Details
Date: Saturday, July 25, 2026

Time: 8:30 AM (AEST) / 4-hour online intensive

Facilitator: Sarah Harwood

Early Bird Offer
💸 Save 20% if you book by April 6!

Register Here on Eventbrite

22/03/2026

Empower Parents to Lead the Change 🏠✨

Ready to take play therapy from the clinic to the home? Our Filial Family Therapy Skills Training is a transformative 3-day workshop teaching you how to train parents to conduct therapeutic play sessions with their own children.

Led by Helen Younan-Barrett, this intensive is designed for practitioners with a foundation in Child-Centered Play Therapy who want to support the whole family system.

Workshop Highlights:

💓 The FFT Model: Master the process from intake to termination.
💓 Parent Coaching: Learn to train and supervise parents effectively.
💓 Practical Skills: Live demonstrations and supervised role-play practice.

Details: 📅 Dates: 7th – 9th May 2026 📍 Location: In-person only (Brisbane)

🔥 Early Bird: Save 20% by booking at least one month in advance!
Empower parents to become the therapeutic anchor their children need.

🎟️ Book now: https://qipt.com.au/training/filial-training

22/03/2026

22/03/2026

Queensland Institute of Play Therapy -

We began the month with the launch of our Business Support Group, and it was such a wonderful first hour connecting with like-minded professionals who are seeking a creative, supportive space to nurture and grow their private practices. Private practice can feel isolating at times, so it was incredi...

22/03/2026

Last week we held Workshop 2: The way of being, where we officially welcomed & began the journey with the 2026 cohort.
It was a wonderful week of learning, reflecting, & leaning into the sweet spot of being comfortably uncomfortable. This space where growth, curiosity, self awareness meet is where deep therapeutic change begins.
I feel incredibly privileged to be part of each student’s journey & to witness the ripple of play therapy continuing to spread across local communities, interstate, & into rural & outback regions. The impact of this work reaches far beyond the training room.

20/03/2026

Everyone belongs—and everyone deserves to feel safe. 🧡🤝

On Harmony Day and the National Day of Action Against Bullying, we are focusing on social agency in the playroom.

How do we help children navigate "mean moments"? We play it out! 🎭 Through role-playing, we help children practice:
✨ Social Scripts: Finding the words to say "I don't like that."
✨ Upstander Behavior: Practicing how to stand with a friend who is being left out.
✨ Regulation: Staying grounded when social situations feel "big" or overwhelming.

By "rehearsing" these moments in the safety of therapy, children build the confidence to carry that harmony into the schoolyard.

19/03/2026

Today is a unique alignment of International Day of Happiness and World Storytelling Day—two themes that sit at the heart of everything we do at QIPT and Blooming Heart Therapy.

In the playroom, these two concepts are inseparable. We believe that for a child, "happiness" is often found in the freedom to express their internal world and rewrite their own narrative through play.

"Play is a child’s way of telling their story, and every story told is a step toward joy."

Head to our website to learn more.

16/03/2026

May your day be as magical as the connections we make through play therapy! Today, we celebrate the spirit of joy, laughter, and discovery—just like a lucky four-leaf clover.

🍀💚

16/03/2026

Calling all psychologists, social workers, and counsellors! 📣

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your clinical toolkit, our Workshop 1: An Introduction to Play Therapy is the foundational training that will transform how you connect with your youngest clients.

Join us this October for a comprehensive 4-day dive into the "language of childhood." You’ll gain a robust theoretical safety net and the practical skills needed to begin integrating this powerful modality into your practice immediately.

What you’ll master:
💓 Theory & Models: Child-Centered Play Therapy and Axline’s Principles.
💓 Clinical Skills: Harnessing the core "Therapeutic Powers of Play."
💓 Practical Setup: How to curate a playroom for diversity and cultural safety.
💓 Foundations: The neurobiology of why play works.

Flexible Learning: Choose between In-Person or Online attendance via our signature hybrid model.
📅 Dates: Oct 26–29, 2026 🔥 Status: Early Bird pricing available!

Ready to master the fundamentals? Secure your spot at the link below.

🎟️ Book here: https://qipt.com.au/training/workshop-1

15/03/2026

Are you equipped to support the unique profiles of neurodivergent children in your practice? 🎓✨

During Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we are highlighting the importance of a strengths-based lens in therapy. At QIPT, our training goes beyond standard checklists. we teach therapists how to:

✅ Support ADHD and Autistic profiles through nervous system regulation.
✅ Understand sensory processing as a foundation for play.
✅ Move away from "compliance-based" goals toward authentic connection.

Our 2026 workshops are designed to help you become a truly neuro-affirming practitioner. Join us and shift your perspective from "disorder" to "diversity."

12/03/2026

Beyond grateful to our Play Therapy Community - great connections were made last night, plenty of laughs and valuable knowledge sharing. Swipe 👉🏽 for our silly shot!