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Unlocking the Fortress: Play Therapy at the Gates of Adolescence

CE Hours 6

About this live event

Adolescents often construct formidable emotional fortresses - walls of silence, sarcasm, defiance, and disconnection - designed to protect vulnerable parts of the self that feel too raw for the adult world. Traditional talk therapy frequently bounces off these defenses, leaving both therapist and teen stuck at the gates. This dynamic full-day training invites play therapists into the metaphorical courtyard of the adolescent fortress, where symbols, metaphors, games, art, and sand become the master keys that open heavy doors without triggering alarm. Drawing from developmental, attachment, and neurobiological perspectives, participants will learn how to transform resistance into engagement and chaos into co-regulation. Through experiential exercises, case studies, and live demonstrations, clinicians will gain practical, evidence-informed play therapy interventions that speak the native language of guarded teens—without ever forcing the drawbridge down. Whether the fortress manifests as explosive anger, withdrawal, self-harm, substance use, or digital avoidance, this training equips therapists to meet adolescents exactly where they are and guide them toward greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and relational trust.

Learning Objectives

  • Explain how the adolescent brain’s developmental mismatch between limbic hyperactivity and prefrontal immaturity creates the metaphorical “fortress” of defensiveness, and articulate why play is uniquely suited to bypass these defenses.
  • Analyze how developmental, relational, and neurobiological factors contribute to guarded, resistant, or reactive play patterns in teens.
  • Describe at least three neurobiological and attachment-based reasons why non-directive and directive play therapy techniques lower adolescent threat responses and increase therapeutic alliance.
  • Identify six common “fortress defenses”and match each with at least two developmentally appropriate play-based interventions that transform the defense into a portal for deeper therapeutic work.
  • Evaluate cultural, social, and systemic influences that shape adolescent “fortress” behaviors, ensuring interventions remain culturally responsive and ethically aligned.
  • Develop individualized play therapy treatment plans that integrate the Therapeutic Powers of Play with theory-specific, measurable goals for emotional regulation, identity integration, and relational repair, while meeting ethical and cultural competence standards when working with diverse adolescent populations.

Live event Instructor(s)

  • Alvin Bonds II, Ph.D., NCC, ACS, RPT-S, LMFT, LPC/MHSP-AS

    Dr. Alvin Bonds II earned his doctorate in Counselor Education & Supervision and is dually licensed in Tennessee as a Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Professional Counselor with Mental Health Service Provider designation (LPC/MHSP) with Approved Supervisor (AS) endorsement. Alvin currently owns a group private practice in Jackson, TN where he provides clinical oversight to other clinicians, as well as individually seeing children, men, women, couples, and families with various presenting issues. Alvin is a National Certified Counselor (NCC), an Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS), and is also a Registered Play Therapist - Supervisor (RPT-S). Alvin is committed to the advancement of counselor education and supervision and through his practice offers continuing education opportunities for mental health professionals, having earned Approved Provider status through the Association for Play Therapy (APT) and the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).

CE Process Info

Each professional is responsible for the individual requirements as stipulated by his/her licensing agency. Please contact your individual licensing board/regulatory agency to review continuing education requirements for licensure renewal. Please note: You must attend "live" (in real-time) for the duration of the training to earn CE credits.

After the event, you will receive access to your evaluation and continuing education certificate via a personalized "attendee dashboard" link, hosted on the CE-Go website. This link will be sent to the email account you used to register for the event.

Upon accessing the CE-Go "attendee dashboard", you will be able to:

  • Complete evaluation forms for the event
  • Download your continuing education certificate in a PDF format

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the CE-Go platform, please contact CE-Go at 888-498-5578 or by email at support@ce-go.com Please Note: Emails for this event will come from "support@ceactivities.com".

If you have any continuing education related questions, please contact your event organizer.

Please make sure to check your spam/junk folder in case those emails get "stuck". We'd also suggest "Allowlisting" support@ceactivities.com. This tells your email client that you know this sender and trust them, which will keep emails from this contact at the top of your inbox and out of the junk folder.

  • National Board for Certified Counselors

    National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

    Revelation of Hope Counseling Services has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7203. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Revelation of Hope Counseling Services is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

  • Association for Play Therapy

    Association for Play Therapy (APT)

    Revelation for Hope Counseling Services has been approved by APT as an Approved Provider of Play Therapy Continuing Education, APT #21-653. Play therapy credit may not be awarded to non-mental health professionals.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY

Revelation of Hope Counseling Services offers three types of continuing education training opportunities. The cancellation and refund policy is dependent on the delivery method of your training.

All training events have these policies in common:
  • All trainings are subject to sufficient registration.
  • If a live event is cancelled due to insufficient registration, weather related emergencies or extreme technological difficulties, all paid registrants will be given the choice to either attend a rescheduled event at no additional charge or be issued a full refund.
  • Should Revelation of Hope Counseling Services need to cancel or reschedule training, all efforts will be made to contact registrants via the email that was provided during the event registration.
  • No partial CE credit is available. Attendees must be present for live events for the entire duration or complete an entire online course (with quiz) to obtain any credit.
  • Live events may be recorded for future non-contact training opportunities. Attendees will be given prior notice of any recording; however, participation in the event implies consent to the recording and consent for any educational or commercial use without compensation.
  • Play therapy credit will be awarded to mental health professionals only per the guidelines of the Association for Play Therapy. It is the responsibility of all participants to obtain appropriate supervision and/or consultation when learning new therapeutic techniques and to operate within their scope of practice and professional regulations.
  • Continuing education credits for state or professional licensing boards are not available unless specifically indicated on the training announcement. Contact your state board or professional organization for guidance.
  • Revelation of Hope Counseling Services is responsible for the administration of the training only. Any other costs for participation are the responsibility of the registrant.
  • Quiz answers and participant information are stored for audit purposes for a period of five years.
  • No exceptions will be made to these policies.
  • No refunds will be given for any course in which a certificate has already been issued.
For LIVE Training With No Registration Fee:

This includes all traditional face-to face events and any virtual events where the presenter and the attendee have the opportunity to ask questions in real time.
  • Participants with verified attendance throughout the event are given the opportunity to obtain continuing education credit by completing the required training assignments (i.e. quiz and course evaluation).
  • Participants without verified attendance for an entire event may complete the required training assignments (i.e. quiz and course evaluation) and have an opportunity to receive continuing education credit as a non-contact/home study program.
For LIVE training WITH a Registration Fee:

This includes all traditional face-to face events and any virtual events where the presenter and the attendee have the opportunity to ask questions in real time.
  • Cancellations received at least 7 days before a scheduled live training will be refunded 100%.
  • Cancellations less than 7 days before a scheduled live training will receive no refund or credit.
For all pre-recorded, distance learning or asynchronous training:

This includes online courses or recordings from live events and virtual summits where the attendee does not have the opportunity to ask questions in real time.
  • Courses have a 30-day, no questions asked full refund policy. However, no refunds will be given for any course in which a certificate has already been issued.
  • Course fees are advertised prior to purchasing the course but may vary based on coupon offers, promotions or other discounts available. Course fees will not be changed or refunded after purchase due to the availability of a course promotion or offer available at a later time.
  • Online courses utilize a course database that requires a course registration login (username and password). Course materials can only be accessed through the course registration link and are available immediately upon registration of the course. The course administrator can restrict access to the course and limits to access are noted in the course registration.
  • Upon registration, the course administrator has the ability to track document downloads and course activity. Upon course completion, participants are required to complete an exam (70% needed to pass) before being issued a certificate for the course.
  • There are no course refunds issued due to a participant’s failure to complete the course.
  • Participants will be notified via their registration email of any changes to course access and be provided with at least 30 day’s notice of any planned course removal.

Participants with questions about the cancellation or refund policy should contact Support at info@rohcs.org

Refer to the Course Grievance Policy for additional terms and conditions.

Unlocking the Fortress: Play Therapy at the Gates of Adolescence
You Have Completed This course
$150.00
You are enrolled
  • CE Hours
    6
  • Type
    In-Person Event
  • Location
    theCO (541 Wiley Parker Rd, Jackson, TN 38305)
  • Date
    Fri Mar 20th, 2026
  • Time
    09:00am - 04:00pm CDT

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