2026 Fall Play Therapy Conference
Presented by the NW Center for Play Therapy Studies
George Fox University: Portland Center
Registration coming soon.
Family Play Therapy: Enlivening Family Sessions and Strengthening Emotional Connection
Friday, November 6, 2026
Presented by Eliana Gil, PhD, LMFT, RPT-S™
This workshop will demonstrate the use of family play therapy by providing a variety of techniques designed to create interactional novelty and increase emotional connection between family members. The overriding goal of this workshop is to highlight the pivotal role of family dynamics when working with children’s problem behaviors and strengthening positive parental/caregiver responses that can contribute to the continuation or amelioration of behavioral concerns. Although individual therapy with children is useful and promotes overall growth and health, working separate from attachment figures tends to dilute its impact. Thus, some forms of dyadic and family work with a focus on establishing or enhancing parent/child attachment, is critical to a family’s willingness to make successful changes. Family play therapy is a hybrid approach that merges systems theory with attachment-enhancing play therapy approaches. Family members will benefit from activities designed specifically to establish, enhance, and support family cohesion. In addition, individual visibility will set the stage for increased empathy and emotional connectedness. Participants will have opportunities to use experiential learning (either during the course or afterwards) in order to practice and learn the applicability of several family play therapy activities including Solution Circles, Family Aquariums, Family Play Genograms, Puppet Stories and others. Family play therapy by definition includes more active, dynamic, and physical connection and sparks creativity and
playfulness, which has been shown to build a sense of well-being.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- List two basic principles of family play therapy.
- Describe primary reason that systems theory and play therapy approaches go hand in
hand. - Name three benefits of family play therapy and list three family play therapy activities.
- Provide two guidelines for the active observation of family dynamics as parents engage
in play-therapy activities. - Name three important ways that family play therapy increases emotional connection.
- Describe how “shifting perspective” can help family members change their behavior.
Dr. Eliana Gil is a Founding Partner of Gil Institute for Trauma Recovery & Education, LLC, a group private practice in Fairfax, Va, where she currently works as a Senior Clinical Consultant. She is an Approved AAMFT Supervisor as well as a Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor, a Registered Art Therapist, a Registered Sand Therapist-Teacher/Consultant, and a Registered Expressive Arts Therapist. Dr. Gil provides specialized trainings on an array of topics involving trauma, attachment, and treatment options, with an integration of expressive therapies (art, sand, play). She has served on the Board of Directors of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children and the National Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse. She received APT’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011, as well as special recognition from the American Family Therapy Association, and the CA Governor’s award.
Dr. Gil has written numerous chapters, journal articles, and books on child abuse and related topics and has participated in educational videotapes that feature her work through Guilford Press, as well as a self-published DVD on Family Play Therapy. Her most recent books include Post-Traumatic Play: What Clinicians Should Know and the second edition of Play in Family Therapy. She also co-authored a book with Dr. David Crenshaw on Termination Challenges in Psychotherapy. Her classic book Outgrowing the Pain has been translated into many languages. Dr. Gil is a well-known international lecturer, author, and clinician. She is bilingual and bicultural with Ecuadorian parents. Since 2014, she has been semi-retired and continues to supervise, consult and teach.
Eliana has dreamed of being a grandmother since she was a young child and cherished her relationship to her own grandmothers, Emilia and Teresa. She now has four grandchildren under the age of 18. She loves watching her adult children, Eric and Teresa as they have grown into loving, smart, patient, and creative parents.
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.
Association for Play Therapy [APT] Approved Provider 03-134
National Board of Certified Counselors [NBCC] Approved Provider 4447
Cost
- General Public: $169
- Students: $109 - Verification of student status is required
Registration coming soon.
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.