4th Annual Alabama Association for Play Therapy Conference
Friday, June 12 - Saturday, June 13, 2026
Lifeline Children’s Services | Birmingham, AL
Up to 12 CEs Available
Featuring Keynote Presenter:
Tracy Turner-Bumberry, LPC, RPT-S™
Join us for two days of learning, connection, and professional growth.
This annual conference brings together mental health professionals, play therapists, students, and related professionals for high-quality continuing education and connection.
Attendees may register for:
Full Conference (Friday + Saturday)
Friday Only
Saturday Only
Friday Keynote Session
Featured Keynote Presenter
Tracy Turner-Bumberry, LPC, RPT-S™
Tracy is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor at her private practice, Seva Counseling LLC, in Milledgeville Georgia. Prior to private practice, Tracy was an elementary school counselor, and worked as a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor in a children’s psychiatric hospital. In addition to private practice, Tracy is a national speaker and author of several books relating to play therapy topics.
Tracy is a Certified Animal Assisted Play Therapist, and often brings her Certified Therapy Dog, Carly, to client sessions. Carly has been an important piece of her therapy practice, providing a great deal of comfort to her clients. Tracy is also a Dialectical Behavior Therapy practitioner, and incorporates many DBT techniques into Play Therapy sessions.
Although Tracy works with clients of all ages, she specializes in young adult to older adult clients who have recently discovered they are/may be neurodivergent. She is knowledgable in the IEP/504 process, and works closely with parents to ensure their child’s educational needs are being addressed. Tracy works with neurodivergent children as well, incorporating PlayTherapy; AutPlay Therapy specifically into her client sessions.
We are excited to welcome Tracy as our keynote presenter and look forward to a weekend of connection, growth, and professional learning. Below is an overview of the conference schedule and featured events.
2,4,6,8 This is How We Regulate- Play Therapy Techniques to Help with Dysregulated Clients
6 CEs | 8:30AM-4:15PMMaster the science of regulation with this timely training on managing dysregulation in play therapy. Participants will learn to differentiate between antecedent and response-focused interventions while mastering ‘intentional practice.’ You’ll walk away with a toolkit of ‘instant regulator’ techniques and four replicable interventions designed to create an immediate sense of safety and calm for your most dysregulated clients.
Learning Objectives:
Assess and describe key dysregulation issues therapists may see in play therapy settings.
Review the Gross Model of Emotion Regulation and how this applies to clients in play therapy.
Investigate the differences between antecedent focused and response focused play therapy interventions.
Interpret "intentional practice" and explain its role with play therapy interventions.
Practice "instant regulator" play therapy interventions to help create an immediate calm therapy environment.
Employ 4 play therapy interventions that can easily be replicated to reduce client dysregulation.
Focus Area: Play Therapy Special Topics
SATURDAY Keynote Session
Featured Keynote Presenter
Tracy Turner-Bumberry, LPC, RPT-S™
Self-Care for the Play Therapist
3 CEs | 8:30AM- 11:45AMSelf-care isn’t selfish—it is a professional and ethical necessity for play therapists. This training examines research on the decline of therapist wellness and demonstrates how your personal mental health can directly impact your role as a play therapist. Participants will feel recharged after designing a personalized, self-care plan that protects your career and enhances the healing environment for the children they serve.
Learning Objectives
Explain current research on the decline of self-care among mental health therapists, including play therapists.
Demonstrate the effectiveness of self-care on the play therapist's own mental health, as well as competence with positive client outcomes.
Design a self-care plan to improve their own mental health, as well as improve client outcomes in the play therapy room.
Focus Area: Play Therapy Special Topics
SATURDAY BREAKOUT SessionS
BREAKOUT SESSION OPTIONS
3 CEs | 1:00-4:15PMChoose One of Four Interactive Breakout Sessions
(Selection completed during registration)
Breakout #1
Portable Play Therapy
Tracy Turner-Bumberry, LPC, RPT-S™
So often play therapy sessions happen outside the traditional play therapy room, anywhere from schools to hospitals to home visits. Some play therapists need to provide quality play therapy sessions in a variety of spaces at any given time! This 3-hour session focuses on identifying the critical need for portable solutions in diverse environments and demonstrates how to curate an all-in-one play therapy kit. Participants will leave this training with specific ways to enhance play therapy sessions without the need for a dedicated playroom.
Learning Objectives
Assess and describe the need for portable play therapy in various settings.
Demonstrate appropriate toys and materials to incorporate in portable play therapy sessions.
Design a plan to create therapeutic space in portable play therapy sessions.
Focus Area: Play Therapy Special Topics
Breakout #2
Unspoken Stories: Attachment, Development, and Language Deprivation in Deaf Children’s Play
Teresa Powers, LPC, RPT™, ACS
Learning Objectives
Focus Area: Play Therapy Cultural and Social Diversity Topics
Breakout #3
Beyond the Sandbox: Advanced Supervision Strategies for Developing Play Therapists
Kori Babel, PhD, LPC, CPCS, ACS, NCC, RPT-S™ & Ashley Garrett, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S™, NCC
Designed for experienced supervisors, this advanced session explores innovative approaches to supervising play therapists. Participants will examine parallel process, developmental attunement, and play-based supervision interventions. Through experiential learning and case application, attendees will strengthen supervisee growth, clinical insight, and ethical decision-making to support competent, culturally responsive play therapy practice across settings.
Learning Objectives
Analyze the role of parallel process and developmental attunement in play therapy supervision and apply these concepts to enhance supervisee growth.
Implement at least three advanced supervision interventions (e.g., play-based supervision techniques, experiential processing, or live/recorded session review strategies) to deepen supervisees’ clinical skills.
Evaluate supervisee development using developmentally and culturally responsive frameworks to support ethical, competent play therapy practice.
Focus Area: Play Therapy Special Topics | Supervision
Breakout #4
Play Therapy in School Counseling: Easy as 1 2 3
Amy Davis, Ph.D., SB-RPT™, LPC
Applying play therapy concepts to the school setting can be as easy as 1-2-3. This session will present current research to help clinicians who work in school settings advocate for the inclusion of play therapy techniques in their work with students. Additionally, the session will focus on specific play therapy techniques that can be used for therapy with students in the classroom, groups, and individual settings
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to use research results to advocate for the use of play therapy in the school setting.
Participants will be able to apply play therapy techniques for individual counseling sessions in the school setting.
Participants will be able to apply play therapy techniques for group counseling and classroom counseling lessons in the school setting
Focus Area: Play Therapy Special Topics
Visit Our Vendors
Explore products, services, resources, and tools that support therapists, educators, and families.
Interested in being a vendor?
We welcome vendors serving mental health professionals and families.
Scholarships
Scholarships to attend the AAPT workshop will be offered to full-time students who volunteer.
Must be available to assist with the conference:
Thursday evening, June 11th
Full day- Friday, June 12th
Full day- Saturday, June 13th
Volunteer duties may involve working registration, assisting with setup before the event, cleaning up after the event, selling books for the presenter, and preparing materials for the workshop.
Students interested in volunteering for the event should contact Hannah Finley at studentrep@alabamaplaytherapy.org and submit proof of enrollment in a counseling or related program (SW, MFT, etc).
Staying overnight?
Special room block available at:
Drury Inn & Suites Birmingham Grandview
3510 Grandview Pkwy, Birmingham, AL 35243
$119/night | June 12-13, 2026
Conference Shirts
Pre-order your conference t-shirt!
Suggested donation: $20
Available for pickup at the conference
👉 Select your size during registration.
Conference FAQ Section
WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE FOR THE CONFERENCE
Friday, June 12, 2026 (All times are CDT)
8:00AM Registration + Exhibit Tables Open
8:30AM - 11:45AM | Tracy Turner-Bumberry- 2,4,6,8 This is How We Regulate
11:45AM - 1:00PM | Lunch on your own!
12:45PM - 1:00PM | AAPT Member Meeting - All are welcome!
1:00PM - 4:15PM | Tracy Turner-Bumberry cont.
4:45PM | Exhibit Tables Close
Saturday, June 13, 2026 (All times are CDT)
8:00AM Registration + Exhibit Tables Open
8:30AM - 11:45AM | Tracy Turner-Bumberry - Self Care for the Play Therapist
11:45AM - 1:00PM | Lunch on your own!
1:00PM - 4:15PM | Breakout Sessions
4:45PM | Exhibit Tables Close
What are the registration fees for the conference?
AAPT/APT MEMBER -
Early Bird - FULL CONFERENCE | $250
Early Bird - ONE DAY | $150
REGULAR - FULL CONFERENCE | $360
REGULAR - ONE DAY | $260
NON-MEMBER-
Early Bird - FULL CONFERENCE | $325
Early Bird - ONE DAY | $225
REGULAR - FULL CONFERENCE | $435
REGULAR - ONE DAY | $335
STUDENT
Early Bird - FULL CONFERENCE | $200
Early Bird - ONE DAY | $100
REGULAR - FULL CONFERENCE | $310
REGULAR - ONE DAY | $210
(EARLY BIRD UNTIL MAY 8TH at 11:59pm)How many continuing education hours are available?
6-12 Live Contact Hours will be awarded for a full two days of attendance.
Counselors: Alabama Association for Play Therapy (AAPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6211. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are identified. Alabama Association for Play Therapy is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Marriage and Family Therapists: The Alabama Board of Examiners in Marriage and Family Therapy (ABEMFT) automatically approves NBCC-approved courses for CE credit.
Play Therapists: AAPT is approved by the Association for Play Therapy (APT) to offer continuing education specific to play therapy. APT Approved Provider No. 98-045.
Do you offer group discounts?
A discount of $10.00 per registrant for groups of 3 or more registering together. Email the Treasurer (treasurer@alabamaplaytherapy.org) to complete a Group Registration. Credit Cards are accepted if registering online. No purchase orders accepted.
HOW DO I REQUEST ACCOMMODATIONS OR SPECIAL ASSISTANCE?
Please contact CE & Registration at ceandregistration@alabamaplaytherapy.org
What is the cancellation and refund policy?
Registrants canceling up to 48 hours before a workshop will receive a tuition refund less a $20 administrative fee (per day). All requests must be made in writing or by email. No refunds will be issued for any reason after June 10, 2026. In the unlikely event the workshop cannot be held, registrants will receive complimentary admission to a rescheduled workshop or a full value voucher, good for one year, for a future workshop.
How do I become an AAPT member?
To join the Association for Play Therapy, click here.
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