The Nurtured Heart Approach® (Component 1)
Core Attachment Therapy-A Prescriptive Play Therapy Model
Core Attachment Therapy© is a therapeutic play-based process used in play therapy to secure the attachment of the adopted child or any child who has had a disruption in attachment development. Not knowing what do to with healthy relationships, children with attachment disruption bring chaos into their homes. Core Attachment Therapy© shows children how to utilize the love of their new parents through therapeutic games while highlighting the attachment power of play.
Core Attachment Therapy© is a two-component process. Component 1 is The Nurtured Heart Approach®. It is a best practice approach for children with intense behaviors. It takes the intensity and channels it to achieve their potential. This shift in intensity is needed to start the seeds of attachment through play therapy.
Component 2 is the attachment games. It is a series of progressive play-based games that replicate the three phases of attachment development. It allows the new parent/child dyad to form their loving bond at the core level. The modality is play therapy based as it is children's natural language and the therapeutic power of attachment is central to change. The play therapy modality also promotes enjoyment of the new relationship which is key to secure attachment. The directive games are followed with non-direct play therapy to help the children process any traumatic memories which may have arisen. The parent is in the playroom while the therapist assists the parents on how to respond in a loving, nurturing, and comforting way. This workshop will allow the play therapist to recognize and utilize neurobiological development patterns to improve attachment relationships through this play therapy approach.
This is a two day workshop. The first day, the participant will receive training in The Nurtured Heart Approach® which is Component 1 in Core Attachment Therapy©. This is a virtual 6 hour training which teaches the important concepts of the Nurtured Heart Approach®, uses in play therapy and its purpose in Core Attachment Therapy©. You may attend this training without attending the March 27th in-person training.
Day 2 is in person (March 27th in Providence, RI) and focuses on the play based attachment games in Core Attachment Therapy©. The learner will discover the importance of attachment games being presented in a developmental process which replicates the natural way children attach to their parents/care givers.
At the completion of this 2 day training, the participant will receive a certificate of completion for Level 1 of Core Attachment Therapy© and will be able to use this process immediately.
Learning Objectives: After successful completion of the Component 1 workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify The 3 Stands™ of The Nurtured Heart Approach®.
- Describe 2 ways to utilize The Nurtured Heart Approach® in a play therapy setting.
- Describe an impact of The Nurtured Heart Approach® in the play therapy setting.
- List 2 ways The Nurtured Heart Approach® can be utilized in play therapy setting.
- Describe 2 ways The Nurtured Heart Approach® has a positive impact on a child's life.
- Identify 2 examples of how the recognitions of The Nurtured Heart Approach® can promote the therapeutic powers of play.
6 APT Non-Contact CE | Advanced | Play Therapy Special Topics
Schedule
09:00AM - 12:00PM - Virtual Training
12:00PM - 01:00PM - Break
01:00PM - 04:00PM - Virtual Training
About our presenter: Dorothy Derapelian, MEd, LCMHC has been in private practice in Meredith, NH since 1986 and specializes in play therapy. She is the creator and author of Core Attachment Therapy©, an advanced trainer for Nurtured Heart Approach®, and is an international speaker on developmental trauma, attachment development, Core Attachment Therapy© and The Nurtured Heart Approach®.
NEAPT Members $100; Guests $120
VIRTUAL: This will be a virtual meeting. NEAPT requests that video cameras be on and participants be visible throughout the presentation to facilitate engagement. Participants will be awarded APT Non-Contact CE upon successful completion of a post test.
NEAPT is approved by the Association for Play Therapy to offer continuing education specific to Play Therapy. APT Approved Provider 02-123. NEAPT maintains responsibility for the program.
Cancellation Policy: All cancellations must be requested in writing and received no later than January 2, 2026. Cancellations are subject to a $15 processing fee. Substitutions (someone else attending) or transfer of registration to another training date may be requested. No refunds or partial refunds after January 2, 2026.
By registering for this training, you are giving NEAPT permission to add your email to our email list and you are giving permission for NEAPT to use any photographs or screenshots that are taken during the event containing your likeness for promotional purposes.
