Using Puppets in Child and Play Therapy

Presenter:  Ellen Maranca, LCSW, RPT-S 
Date:  Friday April 17, 2026, 12:00 – 2:00 PM EDT on Zoom    
Fee:  $35 Members,  $55 Non-members,   $10 Students

Register here by credit card (PayPal) or Check

https://form.jotform.com/260643126738156 

Per APT requirements this live online training will be limited to 50 attendees.  The first 50 registrants will be enrolled. 

This continuing education activity is co-sponsored by the New York Association for Play Therapy and Integrative Mental Health Counseling Services, PLLC. A total of 2 continuing education/ clock hours will be offered through Integrative Mental Health Counseling Services, PLLC. Registered Play Therapists: Integrative Counseling Services, PLLC is approved by the Association for Play Therapy to offer continuing education specific to play therapy. The provider number is 06-168. The Integrative Counseling Services, PLLC maintains responsibility for the program.

Cancellation Policy

Refunds will be made ONLY if requested up to 15 days prior to the webinar and will be subject to an administrative fee of $40. NYAPT, Inc. reserves the right to cancel the conference in the event of rare, unforeseen circumstances. In the event of cancellation, registrants will be notified and will receive a full refund of registration fees. In all instances, the liability of NYAPT, Inc. is limited to the refund of registration fees only.

About the Webinar

In addition to being lots of fun, puppets allow children the freedom for self-expression by offering psychological distance and safety. Regardless of which theoretical approach a therapist employs, puppets can help a child feel loved and valued, gain self-acceptance, and increase self-understanding within the context of their connection to others whether they be family, peers, or the larger community.

In this Webinar the therapeutic value of puppets will be discussed and demonstrated. Participants will learn how to help children express and manage big feelings, build confidence, problem-solve, and more. Clinical techniques, as well as how to choose and use puppets, will be addressed in both theoretical and practical terms along with some ethical considerations.

Specifically, this online Webinar will discuss using puppets through the lens of Adlerian Play Therapy, Child-Centered Play Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy. It will be delivered (with the help of several puppet friends) through the lens of the presenter, who uses an integrative approach in her work with children.

About the Presenter

Ellen Maranca, LCSW, RPT-S is a licensed clinical social worker in private practice in Ithaca, NY. She is a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor and enjoys supervising those working towards their RPT. She began using play therapy in school settings, including a clinical treatment program. One thing she loves about play therapy is that it allows her to be creative and spontaneous. She also has a love of learning, and greatly appreciates the insights and inspiration she gets from using her puppets with children in her playroom.

Objectives

At the end of the training, participants will be able to

1. Discuss how puppets can be used in clinical settings to help children manage big feelings, build confidence, and problem-solve.
2. Identify different ways that puppets are used according to different theoretical approaches.
3. Describe some practical and ethical considerations in using puppets with children in a clinical setting.

References

Bromfield, R. (1995). The use of puppets in play therapy. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 12 (6), 435 – 444.

Butler, S., Guterman, J. T. & Rudes, J. (2009). Using puppets with children in narrative therapy to externalize the problem. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 31 (3), 225 – 233.

Chen, S., Roller, K., & Kottman, T. (2021). Adlerian family play therapy: Healing the attachment trauma of divorce.

International Journal of Play Therapy, 30 (1), 28 – 39 

Chung, R. K., Ray, D. C., Aguilar, E. V., & Turner, K. K. (2023). The multicultural play therapy room: Intentional decision making in selecting play therapy toys and materials. International Journal of Play Therapy, 32 (4), 197 – 207 

Dickinson, R. & Kottman, T. (2021). Using the Crucial Cs in Adlerian Play Therapy. The Journal of individual Psychology, 77 (2), 154 – 164.

Drewes, A. A. & Schaefer, C. E. (Eds.) (2018). Puppet play therapy: A practical guidebook. Routledge.

Hartwig, E. K. (2021). Puppet play therapy. In H. G. Kaduson & C. E. Schaefer (Eds.), Play therapy with children: Modalities for change (pp. 107–124). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000217-008

Hulburd, C. (2021). Puppet-assisted play therapy: Theory, research, and practice. Routledge.

Landreth, G. L., Ray, D. C., & Bratton, S. C. (2009), Play therapy in elementary schools. Psychology in the Schools, 46 (3), 281 – 289

Linn, S. (2020) It’s not me! It’s him! Interactive puppet play to help children cope. Journal of Applied Arts & Health, 11 (1/2), 103 – 108.

Weir, K. N., (2007). Using integrative play therapy with adoptive families to treat reactive attachment disorder: A case example. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 18 (4), 1 – 16.

For questions and ADA accommodations, email playtherapyfun123@gmail.com.