ECE Professional Development

The therapists at Play Therapy i.n.c (integrate, nurture, connect). are committed to support the education of professionals that interact with children and families. Our presentations are research based on a wide range of topics sharing knowledge and insight to nurture the connections between children, families, and community. Our presentations are experiential and can be custom designed for parents, care providers, educators, mental health, medical, and spiritual professionals. Training and consultation services for educators and care providers are also provided by the Therapists at Play Therapy i.n.c. We recognize that social emotional challenges arise in childcare and school settings. We offer coaching and consultation to empower care providers, administrators and teachers by providing research based training focused on supporting children’s emotional development and competency. Our teacher and provider education programs are customized to meet your specific needs. We offer a range of one-time presentations, workshops series, program consultation and hands on coaching.

Whole Brain Classroom Management

This training is typically 2-3 hours and great for early childhood centers who provide care to children birth to 6 years. The training is interactive and engaging allowing participants to see how social emotional development builds from infancy. Giving staff confidence for supporting mental health and wellness in their classroom at all ages.

Basic brain structure, function and development
Integration
Mental Health and Wellness
Classroom Strategies for supporting the Developmental tasks for children birth-6
- Is the World Safe?
- Am I ok?
- What can I do?

Meeting the Needs of the Developing Brain

This training is typically 1.5-2 hours and perfect for any caregiver working with children. Early childhood professionals and parents walk away with better knowledge of child development and how to use brain science to reduce challenging behaviors.

Basic brain structure, function and development
Horizontal Integration (Right/Left Brain)
Vertical Integration
Integration of memory
Integration of self
Integration of self and others

Discipline, Consequences, and Punishment, Oh My!

This training is a minimum of 3 hours geared towards professionals, teachers, and parents who are curious about effective discipline. Caregivers will learn the difference between discipline, consequences, and punishment leaving with more confidence and understanding of how to change behaviors.

The difference between discipline, consequences, and punishment
How the 3 C’s (Changing, Changeable, Complex) of the brain help caregivers establish effective discipline
Proactive parenting
Establishing a connection to self and their child in the discipline process
- The “NO Drama Connection Cycle”
How discipline today helps shape Insight, Empathy, and Mind sight for the future

Flipping Your Lid: Detours On The Road To Classroom Management

This training is 2-3 hours and ideal for school age or early childhood teaching staff. Educators will leave with an understanding of how to work with challenging behaviors in the classroom without losing control of the class.

Supporting Social Emotional Developmental Tasks
Preventing Challenging Behaviors
Creating Empathetic Relationships, Expectations, and Boundaries
Redirecting Challenging Behaviors
Understanding the body’s STRESS response
Providing Regulation Activities throughout the day

From Chaos To Brainy: Schedules, Routines, and Transitions

This training is 1.5-2 hours and is geared for any early childhood or school age program where transitions, following schedules, and routines are difficult. Participants will learn how to apply brain science to successful transitions, schedules and routines.

Understand basic brain development and structure and how it helps us in:
- Preventing Challenging Behaviors
- Creating Empathetic Relationships, Expectations, and Boundaries
Understanding how integration of the whole brain helps us in understanding the body’s STRESS response
- Creating smooth transitions
- Redirecting challenging behaviors

Ready, Set, Learn: Understanding and Supporting Regulation

This training 3 or more hours and is geared toward school age classroom staff and professionals. Participants will learn how to optimize learning in the classroom by applying brain science to when our brains are ready to learn and receive information.

Review of brain structure, function, and developmental tasks
Whole brain engagement-Horizontal and Vertical Integration
Stress and its effect on the body and brain
Stress in the classroom and its effect on engagement
Apply whole brain engagement to help assess learning readiness in the classroom
Identify what messages you are sending to the brain to supporting engagement in the classroom

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What our clients have to say

“I cannot speak highly enough of Kelly Miller and the rest of the staff of Play Therapy Inc. Both my [children] have enjoyed, and benefited greatly from their therapy sessions with Kelly over the last year. Their appointments at Play Therapy have become a highlight of their week, and something they look forward to immensely. I have seen firsthand the changes in my [children], and will forever be grateful.”

- Parent

“To say that I am thankful for Kelly Miller and Play Therapy is an understatement. My [child] has been seeing Kelly for the past few years and the growth he has experienced is tremendous. She has supported both my [child] and me as we have navigated through grief and helped us to develop skills and tools to cope with life’s many unexpected circumstances.”

- Parent

“I’m writing regarding Matt Canale. He worked with my [child] around supporting [my child] during a time when a lot of change was happening at home. He helped [my child] to learn how to regulate emotions, express needs, and have a safe place to process what [my child] was experiencing. Matt worked with [my child] through age-appropriate activities, communicated progress to me weekly, and I saw a drastic improvement in the way [my child] was able to understand and express emotions in a healthy way. [My child] became very connected to Matt, which is a testament to his loving supportive and safe space that he provided. We worked with several therapists but never before had seen such a connection as [my child] had with Matt. It has been over a year and [my child] still uses the skills that he taught and remembers Matt very fondly. I highly recommend him to anyone who wants real support for their children.”

- Parent

“Hi Matt! We just wanted to let you know that since our last session with you, [my child] has been doing remarkably well!!! He has been going to school in person and he seems to be just fine. All those feelings of shame […] ….all those feelings are gone.

We’re so proud of him and honestly can’t believe how well he’s doing. 2 years ago was complete agony and we never thought life would ever go back to normal for him. You have been so amazing, an angel sent from God, to help him heal and love himself again.”

- Parent

“Kelly was exactly what I needed as a supervisor. She is incredibly knowledgeable, comforting, and caring. I’m very grateful for all the insights she shared with me.”

– SPT therapist, Mandy

“Kelly supervises with fierce knowledge, wisdom, and warmth. I feel comfortable to be vulnerable with her while she encourages me to reach further and dig deeper in practice and perspective.”

- Grace

"He [Matt] helped my daughter learn how to regulate her emotions, express her needs and have a safe place where she can process what she was experiencing during a big transition at home."

- Parent C

"I saw drastic improvement in the way my daughter was able to understand and express her emotions in a healthy way."

- Parent C

"We are so proud of our child and can't believe how well he's doing. Two years ago we were in complete agony and we never thought life would go back to normal. You [Matt] have been so amazing to help him heal and love himself again!"

- Parent T