CVCALAPT Annual 6.0 CE Event a success!

I’ve been so proud to be a part of the Central Valley Chapter of the California Association for Play Therapy (CVCALAPT). It all started two years ago after hearing that the chapter may close due to lack of officers. Aniesha Kleinhammer, LMFT and myself decided that we couldn’t let that happen, and with no experience we took on the role of President and President Elect to keep the chapter alive in the Valley. We knew that there was a deep love for play therapy in the Central Valley, and we wanted to get the word out about the importance of play and play therapy.

Now, as I am finishing my tenure as the Immediate Past President, I am happy to report that the chapter is alive and well. We had about 25 people at our last event which was kindly hosted by the University of Phoenix in Fresno, CA.

We had lots of fun and laughs. The presenter Angela Boardman, LMFT was a blast! She taught us the power of building and repairing relationships through play.

Best wishes to the new CVCALAPT officers as they continue to offer amazing trainings, outreach and support for play therapy.

For more information on becoming a registered play therapist please visit Association for Play Therapy.

Having a blast at CVCALAPT 6.0 Event!

Back from Scottsdale, AZ

It was a pleasure to be surrounded by like-minded individuals in beautiful Scottsdale, AZ for the Nutritional and Integrative Mental Health Retreat. I had no idea so many people had a passion for finding integrative practices for the treatment of common mental health concerns (120 people from all over the United States were in attendance). It was wonderful to be in the company of nurses, mental health professionals, nutritionists and dietitians who were working in their communities to find comprehensive and holistic ways to serve their clients.

I’ve learned so much from this experience, and feel rejuvenated in continuing to approach emotional health from a holistic perspective. I will continue my professional journey in further developing skills and practices to best serve clients (and clinicians) to have access to a vast array of approaches, interventions and therapies to support and encourage positive life-changes.

As a result of the retreat, I plan to look carefully at my own daily choices, to be sure that I am incorporating the nutrients and supplements needed to support a healthy body and brain.

Free to Learn and Balanced and Barefoot

I’ve recently finished two wonderful books that have really informed my approach to parenting, and educating and supporting children and families. I am so happy to know that researchers, educators and health professionals are taking a serious look at how to best support and nurture children.

Balanced and Barefoot by Angela J. Hanscom

Free to Learn by Peter Gray

An Introduction to Infant-Preschooler Mental Health

I am so excited that the NetCE course, An Introduction to Infant-Preschooler Mental Health has been renewed and is now available through August 31, 2022.

The overview is as follows:

Quality early childhood mental health practices utilize evidence-based, relationship-focused approaches to promote cognitive, developmental, emotional, and social growth. These practices are not specific to any one discipline; infant and preschooler mental health practitioners come from a myriad of professions. Infant-preschooler mental health is often a sub-specialty within a specific discipline, spanning from child development to psychiatry. This course provides a brief introduction to the foundational concepts and principles of infant and preschooler mental health, highlighting the complex and important role of relationships and attachments in early childhood. Course #96281