Getting Unstuck: Integrating Play Therapy & ERP for Pediatric OCD
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Play Therapy Training
APT Approved Provider 15-439
“Getting Unstuck: Integrating Play Therapy & ERP for Pediatric OCD”
In a small group so that you have time for practice and questions!
Friday, April 17, 2026
9:30 am – 4:30 pm
Presented by: Meg Clark Soriano, LPC, ACS, RPT-S
In-Person Training:
Center for Counseling and Education
50 S. Maple Ave. Marlton, NJ 08053
Training Fee: $225
6 Contact Play Therapy CEs
APT Approved Provider #15-439
This program is approved to provide 6 contact APT and NBCC CEs
Center for Counseling and Education, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7528. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Center for Counseling and Education, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
APT Approved Provider 15-439
Program Description:
Are you tired of “talking circles” with anxious children who are stuck in the grip of OCD? Does the “gold standard” of treatment—Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)—feel too clinical or intimidating for your younger clients?
It’s time to move from the lecture hall to the Bravery Lab.
Join us for a dynamic, hands-on workshop designed to bridge the gap between evidence-based OCD treatment and the developmentally sensitive world of Play Therapy. Learn how to turn “Sticky Thoughts” into “Slippery Brains” and transform scary exposures into “Bravery Challenges” that children actually want to complete.
What You Will Learn:
- The Neurobiology of the “Glitch”: How to explain OCD to kids using metaphors that stick.
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Externalization Mastery: Using puppets, sandtray, and art to separate the child from the disorder.
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The Gamified Hierarchy: Transforming the fear ladder into a “Level-Up” game board.
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Experiential ERP: Hands-on practice with “The Messy Olympics,” “The Wrong-Way Race,” and more.
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Parent Coaching: Strategies to move families from “co-conspirators” to “co-coaches.”
Who Should Attend:
Psychologists, LCSWs, LPCs, School Counselors, and Registered Play Therapists looking to deepen their expertise in treating pediatric anxiety and OCD.
Stop fighting the “Worry Weasel” alone. Come learn how to help your clients outsmart their OCD through the power of play!
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this 6-hour training, participants will be able to:
1. Differentiate pediatric OCD from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
2. Assess and categorize pediatric OCD symptoms into at least four major subtypes (Contamination, Responsibility/Harm, Scrupulosity, and Symmetry/Just-Right) using developmentally appropriate play-based tools.
3. Construct a “Bravery Hierarchy” (Fear Hierarchy) that utilizes gamification and child-friendly Subjective Units of Distress Scales (SUDS).
4. Implement at least three “Slippery Brain” inhibitory learning techniques to help children tolerate uncertainty without engaging in compulsions.
5. Design age-appropriate Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) interventions that integrate play therapy principles to increase child engagement and treatment adherence.
6. Formulate a parent-coaching plan to identify and systematically reduce “family accommodation” (reassurance-seeking and ritual participation) in the home environment.
Registration fee: $225
(Register before March 1, 2026 for a discounted rate of $190)
Registration may be canceled with a full refund (minus credit card processing fees) by contacting info@cfcenj.com with this request a minimum of 30 days prior to Day 1 of the workshop series.