2025 Fall Play Therapy Conference
Presented by the NW Center for Play Therapy Studies
George Fox University: Portland Center
Neurosequential Therapeutic Approach to Play and Play Therapy for Children Suffering Traumatic Experiences
Friday, November 7, 2025
Presented by Richard Gaskill EdD, LCPC, RPT-S
Over the past two decades, research has clearly documented the vulnerability of the developing brain and the negative impact of social and emotional trauma on brain functioning. It is now apparent that traumatic and neglectful developmental experiences alter normal brain development in all parts of the brain depending on the nature of the maltreatment, developmental stage of the child, and the quality of the nurturing environment. Science now informs us that these factors cause disorganization in specific areas of the brain and that play therapy interventions are not equally effective in all brain regions. While play therapy embodies many neurobiological principles, a “one size fits all” therapeutic approach will be less effective than one designed for the brain regions affected. As play therapists learn and apply a few fundamental concepts of brain development, brain organization, and the impact of trauma we are better able to identify play therapy interventions likely to be effective treatment options.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify neurobiological concepts vital to understanding brain processing
- Discuss misperceptions of brain functioning which impair treatment outcome
- List the six key neurological concepts (6 R’s) present in successful play therapy interventions
- Identify crucial play therapy intervention strategies for trauma encoded in different brain regions
- Integrate treatment strategies into play therapy using the regulate, relate, reason paradigm
- Design patterned and repetitive play therapy activities into episodes into successful treatment outcomes
Dr. Rick Gaskill retired from community mental health in 2021 after 47 years. He is a founding member and past president of the Kansas Association for Play Therapy, past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Association for Play Therapy [APT], and the 2022 recipient of the APT Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dr. Gaskill continues teaching play therapy at Wichita State University (Approved Play Therapy Center, 2010). His numerous publications explore the neuroscience of play therapy. He has consulted and lectured on children’s therapy, therapeutic preschools, trauma informed schools, and school based mental health services throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia for over 30 years.
He was named a Fellow of the Child Trauma Academy (2004) and given the Wichita State University College of Education’s Champion of Education Award (2017), and WSU Hall of Fame in 2020. Dr. Gaskill was given the Alice Eberhart-Wright Visionary Award in the field of early childhood mental health by the Kansas Association of Infant Mental Health (1917) and named a Phyllis Rae McGinley Champion of Children by the Child Trauma Academy in 2018. Kansas Association for Play Therapy named Dr. Gaskill the first recipient of the Rick Gaskill Luminary Award for his contributions to play therapy in the State of Kansas in 2018.
Daily Schedule
- 8 a.m. - Check-in and Walk-in registration opens
- 8:30 a.m. - Conference starts
- Noon - 1 p.m. - Lunch
- 4 p.m. - Conference ends
Continuing Education
Six (6) contact hours of CE are offered for attending the full session.
APT Approved Provider 03-134
NBCC Approved Provider 4447
Cost
- General Public: $159
- Students: $109 - Verification of student status is required
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Registration cancellation refund requests should be submitted to the NW Center for Play Therapy Studies (NWCPTS) in writing. The registration fee, minus a $25 administrative fee, will be refunded only if the request is emailed or postmarked one full week prior to the scheduled workshop/conference.
The NWCPTS reserves the right to cancel this conference in the event of unforeseen circumstances. If this occurs, the NWCPTS will attempt to notify registrants as soon as possible prior to the conference and refund all registration, workshop, and continuing education fees. Please note, the liability of the NWCPTS is limited to refunding such fees.