CONFERENCE PROGRAM AND SPEAKERS
July 11, 2026, Saturday morning |
July 12, 2026, Sunday morning |
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8:15-8:45 Registration
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8:00 – 9:30
Intersection of Sexual Abuse and CBPT, 1.5 CE Sueann Kenney-Noziska MSW, LCSW, RPT-S™ |
8:15-8:50 Poster sessions (video)
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9:30-10:30 Gender- bias in CBPT, 1 CE Kristen Ullrich, Psy.D and Anna Kiesnowski, MSW, LCSW |
8:50 Welcome & Introductions- Knell/Geraci
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10:30-10:45 Break
(Poster sessions available during the break)
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9:00-12:15 Foundations of CBT & CBPT, 3 CE Judith Beck,Ph.D., Meena Dasari, Ph.D., Susan M. Knell,Ph.D., Lisa Remey MEd, LPC-S, RPT-S™ |
10:45 –12:15
Clinical Applications of CBPT with specific populations,1.5 CE Meena Dasari, Ph.D., Didem Altay, Ph.D. |
10:30-10:45 Break
(Poster sessions available during the break)
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Lunch 12:15 – 1:15
(poster sessions available during lunch)
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Lunch 12:15 – 1:15
(poster sessions available during lunch)
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July 11, 2026, Saturday afternoon |
July 12, 2026, Sunday afternoon |
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1:15-2:15 - Case Conceptualization in CBPT, 1 CE Maria Geraci, Ph.D. and Meena Dasari, Ph.D. |
1:15-4:30 Creative integration of Play in CBT with older children, 3 CEU
Eva Feindler, Ph.D., Robert Friedberg, Ph.D., Sandra Pimentel, Ph.D.
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2:15-3:15 Supervision of CBPT, 1 CE Athena Drewes Psy.D, MA, MS Ed, RPT-S™ |
3:30-3:45 Break
(Poster sessions available during the break)
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3:15-3:30 Break
(Poster sessions available during the break)
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4:30-4:45 International Development of CBPT, Maria Geraci, Ph.D.
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3:30-6:00 Empirical Foundations of CBPT
Research and its implications for CBPT, 2. 5 CE Sandra Russ, Ph.D., Karla Fehr, Ph.D., Ornella Argento, Psy. |
4:45-5:00 CBPT: State of the art and future directions, Susan M. Knell, Ph.D.
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Session Information and Learning Objectives
Saturday
Foundations of CBT and CBPT, 3 CE
Judith Beck, Ph.D
Meena Dasari, Ph.D.
Susan M. Knell, Ph.D.
Lisa Remey,MEd, LPC-S, RPT-S™
This presentation will review important developments in CBT from the past decade. It will discuss the foundations and challenges of Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT), which was created as a developmentally sensitive psychotherapy, integrating CBT and Play therapy. Two different but complimentary approaches to CBPT will be reviewed. Both approaches balance unstructured and structured play to effectively treat young children. Case examples will be used demonstrating integrating relaxation, positive self talk, emotion regulation skills, and exposure within play therapy sessions.
- Identify several recovery-oriented strategies
- Describe several novel delivery formats
- List at least two techniques to strengthen the therapeutic relationship
- Describe CBPT and its foundation in CBT and PT
- Explain the ways in which CBPT differs from traditional CBT as used with older individuals
- Discuss how modeling is used in CBPT
- Describe how to develop, integrate, and balance both structured and unstructured cognitive behavior play therapy approaches
Case Conceptualization in CBPT, 1 CE
Meena Dasari, Ph.D.
Maria Geraci, Ph.D
Case conceptualization is integral to effective treatment outcomes in any psychotherapy, including Play Therapy. For CBPT, Persons (2008) work provides guidelines for integrating diagnostic assessment, monitoring progress, and collaborative treatment planning. This process evolves during treatment which is similar to assembling a puzzle.
- Describe the role of diagnostic assessment and progress monitoring in treatment planning.
- Identify the 3 components of the presenting problem to better understand a child’s clinical presentation in play therapy sessions.
- Analyze the key “factors” to develop a CBPT case conceptualization that are useful for treatment planning and goal setting.
Supervision of CBPT, 1 CE
Athena Drewes, Psy.D, MA, MS Ed, RPT-S™
This experiential/didactic workshop, for beginning and advanced play therapy supervisors, will focus on best practices and methods of self-reflection by the supervisee and supervisor, relevant research, and differences of CBPT supervision from other theories. Participants can share cases as time permits.
- Define self-reflection as used specifically in CBPT treatment and supervision
- Learn and apply at least two play-based techniques for use in supervision and with clients in therapy
- Understand the necessity for personal and client self-care and be able to apply at least two skills or methods for increasing self-reflection
Empirical Foundations of CBPT, 2.5 CE
Ornella Argento, Ph.D
Karla Fehr, Ph.D.
Sandra Russ, Ph.D.
This presentation will review current empirical findings in pretend play and its implications for play therapy. Empirical findings in CBPT and CBPI will be reviewed, and recommendations for future research will be discussed.
- Identify areas for future research needs and initiatives needed within the field of CBPT.
- Use research findings to develop techniques in practice in play therapy with different children.
- Describe play therapy research, including intervention targets and main outcomes of research conducted with Cognitive-Behavioral Play Intervention (CBPI)
Sunday
Intersection of Sexual Abuse and CBPT, 1.5 CE
Sueann Kenney-Noziska, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S™
Using a trauma-informed cognitive behavioral play therapy (CBPT) lens, this workshop will explore the intersectionality of play therapy and childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Play therapy intervention to address the deleterious effects of CSA on children and adolescents will be presented.
- Apply current research findings and dynamics of childhood sexual abuse to play therapy practice.
- Describe areas of clinical need for children & adolescents who have been victims of childhood sexual abuse & discuss ways in which play therapy can be utilized to meet these needs
- Utilize trauma-informed cognitive behavioral play therapy (CBPT) interventions in clinical practice with victims of childhood sexual abuse
Gender Bias in CBPT, 1 CE
Kristen Ullrich, PsyD
Anna Kiesnowski, LISW
Participants will learn about best practices using Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy for supporting gender diverse young people. Discussion will include a review of current social impacts and raise awareness of clinician and supervisory biases to create strategies for meaningful change.
- Define and differentiate terms related to fundamental language, terminology, and current definitions of sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression to form a shared language of respect.
- Explain Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy (CBPT) best practices in response to the unique challenges and health disparities experienced by LGBQ and transgender and gender diverse people (research, practice)
- Identify factors impacting gender and sexuality identity development/emergence, and ways in which CBPT can support youth and their families toward better mental health (skills)
- Analyze practical strategies to create affirming and competent clinical spaces and play therapy rooms (practice, supervision)
Clinical Applications of CBPT with specific populations, 1.5 CE
Didem Altay, Ph.D.
Meena Dasari, Ph.D.
This presentation will provide an overview of research and clinical applications of Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy with two clinical populations: Children of divorce and children with anxiety diagnoses.
- Demonstrate the application of at least one behavioral strategy in play therapy with preschool-aged children of divorce.
- Identify at least two-family dynamic risk factors that impact play therapy outcomes with children of divorce.
- Describe 5 key techniques of Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy when treating anxiety disorders in young children
Creative integration of Play in CBT with older children, 3 CEU
Eva Feindler, Ph.D.
Robert Friedberg, Ph.D
Sandra Pimentel, Ph.D
This presentation explores the creative use of play in cognitive behavioral interventions with older children. Several areas are discussed, including anger management, improvisational theatre exercises, and the incorporation of pop culture. All involve playful strategies to boost youth engagement.
- Identify 3 ways improvisational theatre is a form of play therapy that can decrease intolerance of uncertainty.
- Identify at least 3 strategies for incorporating pop culture references into CBPT case conceptualization and teaching youth about the CBPT model, including psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, and exposures.
- Explain the CBT model of anger regulation as it applies to young children.
- Identify key emotion regulation strategies that children can learn to control their aggression and express their emotional experience within play therapy sessions.
International Development of CBPT
Maria Geraci, Ph.D
CBPT: State of the art and future directions
Susan M. Knell, Ph.D.
This presentation will review the current field of CBPT from a clinical, training, and research perspective. Contributions that CBPI research has made to our understanding of CBPT will be discussed. Future directions will be considered as the field continues to develop.
Italian participants can request credits for the event through the Psicologia.io platform. Credits issued by Psicologia.io are authorized by Age.na.s (National Agency for Regional Health Services) for ECM (Continuing Medical Education). These credits are only available for the conference presentations that are eligible. No credits will be issued for the preconference workshops.