26th Annual Play Therapy Conference

Join Us for Our 26th Annual NYAPT Conference co-sponsored with Marist University and the Institute for Continuing Education

June 5 & 6, 2026 | Marist University, Poughkeepsie, NY

Building Healthy Relationships for Children through Attachment-Based Play Therapy Principles and Techniques

Presenter Highlight: Dafna Lender, LCSW

Dafna is an attachment specialist and family therapy expert. She is a certified Theraplay® Practitioner, Supervisor and Trainer who directed the Theraplay Institute’s international programming, growth and development. Dafna’s expertise is drawn from 28 years of working with families in many settings: at-risk after school programs, therapeutic foster care, in-home crisis stabilization, residential care and private practice. Dafna is author of Integrative Attachment Family Therapy (2023) and the co-author of Theraplay the Practitioner’s Guide (2020). She teaches and supervises clinicians in 15 countries in 4 languages: English, Hebrew, French and Spanish.
Dafna’s style, whether as a therapist or teacher, is combining the light-hearted with the profound by bringing a playful, intense and passionate presence to every encounter. She is as likely to break out into song as engage in serious intellectual discourse.

Presenter Highlight: David A. Crenshaw, Ph.D., ABPP. RPT–S

Reflective Practice in Supervision: Play Therapist Know Thyself. Dr. Crenshaw is a Psychologist, Registered Play Therapy Supervisor and Diplomate in Clinical Psychology (Board certified) by the American Board of professional psychology. He is a Retired Chief of Clinical Services at the Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie, taught Play Therapy courses at Colombia University and John Hopkins, and has participated in many professional societies and community organizations. Dr. Crenshaw received the Lifetime Achievement awards from NYAPT in 2018 and the Association For Play Therapy in 2021.

His research includes the process of connecting with children who have experienced complex trauma, sexual exploitation of youth, and a proposed protocol for grief and loss. He has explored the healing process with teens, play therapy for children exhibiting aggressive behavior, a framework of resilience for treating child trauma, and reflective practice in Play Therapy and supervision. In June 2024, in honor of his 55 year career devoted to helping troubled children, the Healing and Hope Fund was established in his name by the Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie.

Conference Brochure

Download the conference brochure (PDF)

Register here!

https://pci.jotform.com/form/260644489314058

Accommodations

Option 1
Inn at Bellefield / Hyde Park

20 Rooms held at the group rate
185.00 USD per night (June 4th and June 5th)
Last Day to Book : Thursday, April 30, 2026
Book your group rate for NYAPT 2026 Conference
Make Your Reservation Today!

Option 2

Holiday Inn

40 Rooms held at the group rate
$119 for June 4th and
$189 for June 5th
Last Day to Book: May 14, 2026 11:59pm
The code for making the reservation is PAT (NY Association for Play Therapy) by calling 845-462-4600 or by visiting the hotel website.

Directions

Directions to Dyson Hall, Marist University (PDF)

Check back for more conference and CE information as we near June 5th! See you there!