CCPT Professional Foundations
CCPT Professional Foundations is your introduction to Child-Centred Play Therapy, one of the most widely researched and practised therapeutic approaches for working with children aged 3–12.
This one-day live online workshop is designed for allied health professionals, counsellors, educators and anyone interested in exploring play therapy as a career direction or adding it to their existing practice. No prior play therapy experience is required.
It is also the required first step for anyone wishing to enrol in the Advanced Certificate in Child-Centred Play Therapy Studies.
What You’ll Learn
Origins & Theoretical Framework
- History and development of CCPT
- Key influences and child-centred play therapy theory
- The role of play in children’s emotional processing and self-expression
Core Principles of CCPT
- Unconditional positive regard
- Empathic understanding
- Congruence and authenticity
- The child leads and the therapist follows
- Freedom within consistent, therapeutic limits
Skills Introduction & Development
- Tracking behaviour
- Reflecting feelings
- Facilitative responses
- Limit setting using the ACT model
- Maintaining presence and emotional attunement
Delivery
One day online workshop delivered live via Zoom.
Upcoming Workshop Dates
- Friday 17th July 2026
8:30am to 4pm QLD Time - Friday 14th August 2026
8:30am to 4pm QLD Time - Friday 25th September 2026
8:30am to 4pm QLD Time - Friday 9th October 2026
8:30am to 4pm QLD Time - SA / NT - 8am to 3:30pm
- WA - 6am to 2:30pm
Please note the below times adjusted for CST and WST:
Daylight Savings Times
Please note the below times adjusted for daylight savings states, October to April only:
- NSW / VIC / TAS - 9:30am to 5pm
- SA - 9am to 4:30pm
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites to Module One. Anyone interested in child-centred play therapy is welcome to enrol.
Who should attend?
This workshop is open to anyone interested in learning about child-centred play therapy. It is particularly well suited to:
You do not need a formal therapeutic background to attend Module One. It can be taken as a standalone professional development day or as the first step toward full CCPT certification.
What is Child-Centred Play Therapy?
Child-Centred Play Therapy is a developmentally responsive, evidence-based therapeutic approach grounded in the belief that play is a child’s natural language and primary mode of self-expression.
Developed from the humanistic tradition of Carl Rogers and pioneered by Virginia Axline in the 1940s, CCPT has over 70 years of research supporting its effectiveness with children experiencing anxiety, trauma, behavioural difficulties, grief, family breakdown and a wide range of emotional and social challenges.
Unlike directive approaches, CCPT follows the child’s lead. The therapist creates a safe, consistent and accepting therapeutic relationship in which the child directs the play, allowing natural emotional healing and self-regulation to occur at the child’s own pace.
Your pathway starts here
Module One is the gateway to the full Advanced Certificate in Child-Centred Play Therapy Studies.
Experience the CCPT approach first-hand.
Build skills across a five-module pathway.
Develop confidence for child-centred practice.
What happens after Module One?
Many practitioners attend Module One first to experience the approach before committing to the full certificate. Others come with a clear goal of full qualification and use Module One as the foundation for their broader training pathway.
Either way, you’ll leave the day with a clear understanding of whether CCPT is the right fit for your practice and what the pathway to full qualification looks like.
Start your journey in Child-Centred Play Therapy
Build the foundations for a meaningful and impactful career working with children.