Getting Grounded in Play Therapy

Progress Notes

This course will teach you how to quickly and confidently write progress notes that contain language to support the play therapy services you provide and satisfy agencies and insurance companies. 

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Documentation shouldn't hinder healing, but empower the healing process.      

If you’re like me, you probably find documentation to be a drain on your brain. Over my last 30 years in mental health, most of the mental health professionals I’ve met, including play therapists, find documentation to be exhausting, overwhelming, frustrating, and/or anxiety producing.

After all, you became mental health professionals to help people not spend hours writing documentation. Documentation can feel like the exact opposite of helping people. You may even avoid writing play therapy progress notes due to your frustration with them. Or put so little information in them that they aren’t even useful.

I’ve heard play therapists tell each other horror stories about progress notes that only increases your anxiety about writing them. Most of the horror story information is not accurate or useful.

Here are some of the questions and struggles I hear from play therapists about writing progress notes:

  • What kind of information do I need to include for a play therapy progress note and how much information do I include? 
  • How do I document play therapy sessions so they make sense and appease insurance companies and my agency? 
  • How do I make them quick and easy, but also effective and actually helpful?  What do I need to include for legal and insurance purposes?  What do I need to include for myself?  
  • What do I want to include or not include as far as patient confidentiality and potential legal stuff? 
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I’ve been in the mental health field for over 30 years.
During that time, I’ve written a gazillion progress notes.

  • As a supervisor, I’ve taught hundreds of play therapists how to write progress notes that support the use of play therapy in their sessions and accurately reflect the services provided to clients throughout their time in treatment.
  • I’ve written and taught progress note writing for services in a variety of mental health settings, including writing progress notes in a private practice setting as well as community mental health agencies. This includes writing progress notes when billing private insurance and Medicaid
  • I’ve also written and taught professionals how to write progress notes for mental health services in a homeless shelter, intensive home-based services, and residential treatment programs.



My motto about writing progress notes:
“work smarter, not harder.”

No one dreams of spending hours every day writing progress notes as their way to help children heal, and yet it’s an important part of your job.  There are certain elements needed in progress notes to support medical necessity while also providing a solid understanding about what types of services were provided and the treatment outcomes. Writing succinct and effective progress notes has been a skill that I’ve honed over the last thirty years in the mental health field and teaching documentation to supervisees and consultees.

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"Cathi's experience and confidence in the model she developed plus her grounding energy helped in learning a whole new model. She brought it to life!"

COOPER S.
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST




If you’re ready to learn skills that will save you time, reduce your frustration, and help you write meaningful play therapy progress notes, then I’ve got good news for you!

INTRODUCING

Getting Grounded in Play Therapy

Progress Notes

Treatment Planning course mockup
Treatment Planning course mockup

Getting Grounded in Play Therapy Progress Notes is an online, self-paced course to show you how to write progress notes for your play therapy sessions quickly that use strategies to ensure your progress notes are succinct using best practices. My goal with this online course is to teach you how to write play therapy progress quickly and effectively so you can focus on what you enjoy doing - helping clients heal, spending time with your loved ones, and enjoying activities that feed your soul.

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"Greatly appreciated Cathi's information and experience."

-Kristie C.
LMFT-S, RPT-S

"I learned the importance of being clear about expectations of therapy and my role as a therapist."

-Nashmia K.
LMFT

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS COURSE

In this self-paced, online course, you’ll learn how to:

Identify what to include in your play therapy progress notes that provide an understanding in the session without writing too little or too much information

Include language in your play therapy progress notes that protect client confidentiality as much as possible while still meeting agency and insurance company requirements, including sessions with parents

Document play behaviors and themes from your sessions into your play therapy progress notes.

Write progress notes quickly so you don’t spend hours writing them and left feeling drained afterwards

Write progress notes that align with your play therapy theoretical model.

BONUS!

Hands-on experience for application of skills learned is an important part of the learning process.


This online course includes case examples and walks you step-by-step through the process to identify what to look for in play therapy sessions and how to write progress notes that align with your theoretical play therapy model.

I’ll even provide information about types of themes to look for during play therapy sessions!!

You’ll complete experiential activities to practice using a framework for writing play therapy progress notes.  

There are also play therapy progress note templates to practice writing progress notes.  You can use these progress note templates for your client sessions.   

see what you collegaues have said about Cathi's trainings
Cathi has expansive knowledge and experience! She presented excellent material presented and I really enjoyed learning from and with others participating in the activities.

Kathy R.

Cathi gave lots of examples that were helpful. I took away many examples of activities that I can now do with children and teens.

Tiffany S.


“It was great! I love getting a more thorough framework to be able to better structure my sessions. Cathi knows SO much about neurobiology, sometimes I get lost during that part, but it is also so informative and important to know the underlying process of everything. A takeaway for me that was really important was the clinical decision making piece that I need to let parents know what to expect and what is expected of them and be very purposeful in how and when I do or don't use them.”

Jessica B.


"Cathi's personality and use of activities made her training interesting and fun! I am eager to take future courses from her and learn everything I can from her integrated family approach."

Ryan A.


"I learned a lot about how to engage with kids, explain neuroscience behind the treatment and how to identify interventions."

Tenille S.

Writing progress notes for play therapy sessions can be challenging for play therapists unless you know what to look for during sessions and how to write that in a cohesive format that makes sense. There’s an art to writing progress notes that takes skill so you can get them completed quickly and meet agency and insurance requirements. This self-paced, online course will take you through a step-by-step process to master the art of writing progress notes. You’ll learn how to write progress notes that provide a succinct summary of your play therapy sessions and align with your play therapy theoretical model. This course includes case examples and templates along with tips and strategies so you can quickly write progress notes that meet agency and insurance requirements.

Play therapists and mental health professionals will: 

  • Play therapists will recite at least three elements of a play therapy progress note.
  • Play therapists will write play therapy session notes that align with their play therapy theoretical model.
  • Play therapists will identify what aspects of the play therapy sessions to include in a play therapy progress note. 
  • Play therapists will describe at least two strategies for writing progress notes quickly and effectively.

After completing this online course, you’ll:

  • Feel more confident when writing progress notes and get them done quickly so you have time to do the things you enjoy.
  • Learn what you need to include in the progress note and what to leave out Learn what language to use in progress note when documenting what your clients did in their play therapy sessions and how to document sessions with parents.
  • Learn how to support the importance of what your clients did in play therapy sessions to meet “medical necessity” standards.
  • Learn how to write concise play therapy progress notes that capture the essence of the your clients’ play therapy sessions and meet agency and insurance standards.

This course is for you if:

You want to recognize the importance of writing progress notes that accurately reflect client play therapy sessions without compromising the integrity of your progress notes.

You want strategies to help you write progress notes quickly that align with best practices and are culturally sensitive.


Want strategies to write play therapy progress notes that align with your play therapy theoretical model and treatment plan.

Want strategies that save you time and burnout while still meeting agency and insurance requirements.

Want more tips and strategies to write good progress notes.

This course is not for you if:

You like your style of writing progress notes and don’t think you need to do anything differently

You prefer to take shortcuts with the quality of your play therapy progress notes.

You are not interested in using best practices for your play therapy progress notes.

You are not a mental health professional and don’t write progress notes for your play therapy sessions.

Enjoy Flexible Learning

This is a self-paced, online course that you can take when it’s convenient for you and in your time zone. There are recorded videos you can watch and then practice using the skills using a workbook and play therapy session note templates. You can use the templates to save you time writing your play therapy progress notes. How cool is that?! I’ve done the work for you and you just plug in the information to customize them to fit your specific needs. There’s also a bonus module to give you tips and strategies to quickly write play therapy progress notes using an ethical and culturally sensitive lens. 

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"I enjoyed the workbook where we intentionally wrote the reasons why behind play therapy. Having a statement to give to the parents is valuable when explaining what play therapy is."

- Dani G.
Marriage and Family Therapist

"I especially enjoyed looking at the art interventions and the discussion."

-Donna C.

Answers to Your Questions

Mental health professionals use play therapy with their child and adolescent clients – clinical social workers, school social workers, counselors, school counselors, marriage and family therapists, child psychologists.

This is a self-paced course that you can complete in your own time zone and when it’s convenient for your schedule. You’ll watch the recorded training videos, read handouts, and complete the hands-on activities to apply the information learned in the modules. You’ll complete a quiz with 85% accuracy and course evaluation.

This course is appropriate for beginner play therapists as well as intermediate play therapists. This course teaches foundational skills for writing play therapy progress notes. Writing play therapy progress notes that align with your play therapy theoretical model is a core competency for play therapists.

Yes, this course is approved for the following play therapy CE hours. Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training sponsored by Renewing Hearts Counseling & Consulting is an approved provider #20-621 for the Association for Play Therapy.

5 Non-Contact CE hours, APT Approved Provider #20-621
• CEs only available for mental health professionals
• This training does not meet APT’s definition of a Live Webinar

*You may be able to use this course for your licensing board CEs specific to your discipline. Contact your licensing board to determine how to use this course for your licensing requirements.

There are no refunds for this course.

By registering for this training, you are giving permission for Renewing Hearts Counseling & Consulting (RHCC) to use any photographs (screenshots) that are taken at the event containing your likeness for as long as RHCC deems appropriate and desirable. Photographs may be used on the RHCC website, social media pages, and/or newsletter for any purpose. By completing the registration, you are also consenting to waive any rights to the photographs indefinitely. You also agree to allow your feedback and comments in the chat and evaluation form may also be used for future promotions as deemed appropriate and desirable by RHCC. If you do not wish to have your photo used, it is your responsibility to notify RHCC of your request to be omitted.

Yes, this course will help you develop a strong fou

For mental health professionals pursuing a Registered Play Therapist (RPT) credential this training fits into Primary Area 3: Play Therapy Skills & Methods. This course discusses the skills needed to write effective play therapy progress notes that align with play therapy theoretical models. This course discusses the role of using a seminal or historically significant play therapy modality when writing play therapy progress notes. This course discusses cultural sensitivity and recognizing biases writing play therapy progress notes. Play therapy credit may not be awarded to non-mental health professionals. 

This course is $107 and you have unlimited access to the course even after you completed it as long as the course is being offered. Since your access is unique for you, please don’t share your access information with others. However – feel free to share the love with your colleagues and let them know how they can purchase this training for themselves (and get their play therapy CEs).

There are no refunds for this course.

By registering for this training, you are giving permission for Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training (RHPTT) to use any photographs (screenshots) that are taken at the event containing your likeness for as long as RHPTT deems appropriate and desirable. Photographs may be used on the RHPTT website, social media pages, and/or newsletter for any purpose. By completing the registration, you are also consenting to waive any rights to the photographs indefinitely. You also agree to allow your feedback and comments in the chat and evaluation form may also be used for future promotions as deemed appropriate and desirable by RHPTT. If you do not wish to have your photo used, it is your responsibility to notify RHPTT of your request to be omitted.

Are you ready to level up your play therapy skills?

By enrolling in this play therapy progress note writing course, you’ll embark on a transformative journey that empowers you to quickly write succinct progress notes that accurately reflect your clients’ play therapy sessions and meet agency and insurance requirements.

The time you save writing progress notes will allow you to do the things you enjoy - helping children, adolescents, families as well as have more time with loved ones and doing things that refresh your soul to avoid burnout.

ENROLL TODAY!

Don't miss this opportunity to revolutionize your practice and make a profound difference. Join us today and unlock the power of play for lasting therapeutic success! 

GETTING GROUNDED IN PLAY THERAPY

Progress Notes

$107

With Continuing Education Hours

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