Heartland Play Therapy Institute, Inc.

02/07/2026

We couldn't think of a better way to wrap up International Play Therapy week than to talk about SANDTRAY! We have workshops about utilizing sand with littles, in the school, in the playroom, with caregivers and advanced skills. We even have a new sandtray workshop in the works....stay tuned!
Get your shirt today to represent those Sand Tray Vibes!!!!!

Oatmeal color, super soft, tri-blend unisex t-shirt - Sandtray Vibes multi-color graphic on the front.

02/05/2026

Today we want to focus on YOU! The incredible, playful person who is delivering play therapy and all the amazing pieces you represent in the playroom. We actually made a shirt to remind you (and your clients) of all the amazing things You Are.
Feel free to shout out a personal characteristic (or call another amazing play therapist out) for a fabulous characteristic they bring to the playroom.
And if you don't have this shirt yet....now's the time to order!!!!

Heather Mauve, cotton unisex t-shirt - You Are graphic on front.

02/04/2026

APT has a great Parent Corner resource for all of you amazing humans trying to get parent's on board! This page serves as a great resource for introducing play therapy and child mental health to parents and caregivers.

What is Play Therapy? from the Association for Play Therapy>

02/03/2026

Curious about when our next 2026 program starts at a location near you?

St. Louis.....March 5-6th
New England....March 12-13th
Wichita...April 30-May 1st
Omaha....June 11-12th
KC....August 6-7th
Iowa.....September 3-4th
Arkansas.....Nov 5-6th

Heartland Play offers a Play Therapy Certificate Program that provides 150 hours of play therapy training (structured in 10 fifteen-hour workshops). Workshops are scheduled two weekdays a month, and workshops meet Thursday from 12:30 to 8:30 pm & Friday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.

02/03/2026

Did you know that APT members can get FREE Why Play Therapy? brochures (English, Spanish or French) from the APT website? This is a great addition to your waiting room and to distribute for marketing tools!

The Association for Play Therapy (APT) is a national professional society established in 1982 to foster contact among mental health professionals interested in exploring and, when developmentally appropriate, applying the therapeutic power of play to communicate with and treat clients, particularly....

02/02/2026

Everyone needs to meet Andrew! We might be out of a job if Andrew could communicate his feelings about Tommy in this way!? This short video gives a humorous take on how children do truly communicate and why we implement Play Therapy!
Side note....We do believe that a chocolate milk on the rocks and a long soak in the tub does go a long way!!!!

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

02/01/2026

It's INTERNATIONAL PLAY TEHRAPY WEEK and we are excited to shout from the roof top all things PLAY!!!!! We know Play Therapy Works because we see the results in our playroom. Here's a great video to share with caregivers during intake about the magic of play therapy.

This video introduces and promotes the value of play, play therapy, credentialed play therapists, and membership in the Association for Play Therapy.

01/30/2026

Join us via LW in just ONE week for 3 CE hours of Sandtray: A Dynamic Time for Littles!

Are you a play therapist often repeating the classic lines, “Sand stays in the sand tray,” “Sand is not for eating,” or “Sand is not for sprinkling in my hair”? If this sounds familiar, you are likely working with young clients ages 0-5 in the playroom. This workshop is for play therapis...

01/29/2026

You worked hard to become a RPT and are now ready to add that "S"! Here's a great workshop to get you started and Ready, Set, Supervise!

01/28/2026

Frequent moves, parental deployments, and loss are just a few of the unique stressors military children face. You will leave this workshop with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to work with military children in a way that honors their experiences. Join us to gain practical ideas to create a safe and structured play therapy environment that helps children develop resilience and coping skills in the context of their military lifestyle.

As a play therapist, you want to be prepared to support military children and their families, but you may not know where to start. Frequent moves, parental deployments, and loss are just a few of the unique stressors military children face. This workshop is designed to equip the child therapist with...

01/27/2026

International Play Therapy week is February 1-7th! Order your Play Therapy gear today so you can represent your passion!!!

01/26/2026

When you hear the words documentation, assessments, treatment plans and case notes...does your skin crawl? Join us on February 19th in hopes that you skin doesn't crawl as you learn to tackle documentation from your very own play therapy identity. Follow the link to reserve your spot on the wait list.

How do you define yourself as a play therapist and how does this impact the way you document your work? In this workshop participants will reflect on their practice, personality and cultural/social identity and utilize these reflections to develop a clear definition of a play therapy identity. With....