Hybrid Level One Theraplay® & MIM | Chicago, IL
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 Export to Your Calendar 11/3/2025 to 11/14/2025
When: Virtual half days: November 3-6, 2025
In-Person: November 13-14, 2025
Where: Individual Family Connection
1806 N Damen Ave
Chicago, Illinois  60647
United States
Contact: Emma Vanderwall
[email protected]
847-256-7334


Online registration is available until: 11/3/2025
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Hybrid Level One Theraplay & MIM

CEs Available: 25      |      Six Day Training      |      Hybrid      |      $1,125

To register for a Theraplay® training, you’ll first need to create an account with a login and password. This step helps us keep your training records, certificates, and registrations all in one secure place. Once your account is set up, you’ll be able to easily register for trainings and access training materials.


Theraplay is a child-focused, adult-led model of play therapy. Participants in this training will learn how to support caregivers to build a healthy relationship with their child through predictable, fun, connected play activities. Strong parent-child relationships serve as a foundation for the child’s self regulation, which allows the child to develop optimally and build resilience. After completing training, participants will have the skill and experience to begin applying Theraplay principles in their work with children and families. Participants will have the opportunity to deepen their knowledge by joining the Theraplay community through observation of supervision sessions and participation in networking workshops.


Schedule

This is a hybrid training split between virtual and in-person days. The virtual days are November 3-6, 2025 from 8:30 am - 12:00 pm Central Time Zone. The in-person days are November 13 8:30-4:30
November 14 8:30-3:30pm Central 
Time Zone. View agenda.


Required Text

Theraplay: The Practitioner’s Guide is required for this training. Read Chapters 2, 4 and 6 of your book prior to the training, and bring it with you for reference each day.  Digital and paper versions can be purchased from Amazon using the following link: https://a.co/d/8LODnxu

All other materials will be provided via email and on the first day of training.

Trainer

Ritamaria Laird, LCPC, RPT, NCC is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Certified Theraplay Therapist and Trainer.  Ritamaria completed her graduate training at Roosevelt University and has spent her professional career as a pediatric therapist, clinical supervisor, and as the clinical director of a child and family private practice, Individual and Family Connection, located in Chicago, IL and River Forest, IL.Ritamaria’s areas of expertise and passion include building healthy attachments and bonds between children and their caretaker. She has experience working with children who have had relational trauma, abuse, neglect, loss, “BiG T” traumas, and medical trauma.   Ritamaria is also focused in supporting parents by helping them understand the meaning behind their child’s behavior.   Ritamaria uses a strengths-based approach and in addition to Theraplay, Ritamaria is trained in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and EMDR.Ritamaria has a warm, supportive presence.  Her clients and supervisees share they feel at ease when they meet Ritamaria for the first time. Ritamaria is able to connect with some of the most ‘hard to reach’ clients by validating their struggles and taking the time to understand the unique way they experience the world. She is often quick to identify her client’s strengths (even when they can’t find them for themselves) and is able to help them utilize these strengths to reach their personal goals. Ritamaria views therapy and supervision as a collaborative effort to create positive change and strengthen family systems and relationships.



 
 
 
Trainer
Dafna Lender, MSW, LCSW is a Clinical Social Worker Certified Theraplay Practitioner, Supervisor, and Trainer. She is a child and family therapist with over 20 years of experience. She is a certified trainer, supervisor, and consultant in Theraplay® and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, and coauthor of  Theraplay: The Practitioner’s Guide. 

Summary    

  • Principles of attachment theory on an intellectual and experiential level   
  • The Four Dimensions of Theraplay   
  • The Theraplay protocol   
  • An introduction to the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM): administration, analysis and as a guide for treatment planning   
  • Adapting Theraplay for working with children and families impacted by complex trauma and other populations    
  • Managing resistance throughout the treatment process   
  • Managing countertransference in your work  with children and families   
  • Implementing Theraplay into your practice

Learning Objectives     

  1. Identify three play, attachment-based theories and how you could use them to support the Theraplay modality.
  2. Define how children with various attachment styles present in play therapy sessions.
  3. Explain the benefits of the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) assessment
  4. Prepare the MIM play therapy assessment tool.
  5. Analyze an MIM with an eye towards curiosity and non-judgment to support caregivers in Theraplay activities.
  6. Plan a play therapy treatment based on an MIM analysis
  7. Identify at least three play therapy goals for an MIM feedback session with parents
  8. Name the four dimensions of Theraplay, a modality of play therapy
  9. Describe how the four Theraplay dimensions promote healthy  attachment 
  10. Recognize one play-based activity from each of the four dimensions: Structure, Engagement, Nurture and Challenge
  11. Understand ways of adapting Theraplay to meet the needs of a child with complex trauma; list three of them
  12. Demonstrate clear ways of guiding parents to participate in Theraplay
  13. Specify how to prepare parents to use Theraplay techniques at home
  14. Identify how various parent attachment styles present in play therapy sessions 
  15. Support parents in understanding their attachment history 
  16. Demonstrate adapting Theraplay techniques for three different populations of families
  17. Apply Theraplay techniques to work through dysregulation in play therapy sessions
  18. Adapt Theraplay activities for children of different ages and developmental stages
  19. Describe process for termination of Theraplay treatment
  20. Describe at least 2 common examples of countertransference in Theraplay treatment
  21. Describe 2 ways to effectively address countertransference 
  22. Identify two types of clients for whom Theraplay would not be an appropriate play therapy modality.

Who Should Attend?

People who work with children and families in many different capacities will benefit from training programs offered by The Theraplay Institute. Visit our Who Should Attend page for more information. This course’s Content Level is Intermediate.


Bibliography

View this training’s bibliography for books and other materials referenced in the development of the content for this program.


 

For information about our CE process, cancellation policy, and how to contact us with questions and concerns visit our  FAQ  page. Attendance of the entirety of a program (in-person or virtual) is required in order to receive continuing education or a letter of completion.

 

There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.

 

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