Clair Mellenthin

Playful Healing: Integrating Attachment Centered Play Therapy and Emotionally Focused Family Therapy 2026
2026-05-08 - 2026-05-09 | St George UT
Get ready to dive into a hands-on, heart-centered workshop! Join us for TWO DAYS as we blend the powerful approaches of Emotionally Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) and Attachment-Centered Play Therapy (ACPT) in a fun, immersive experience. Perfect for mental health professionals, psychotherapists, and play therapists, this workshop will deepen your skills in culturally sensitive play therapy. Discover new ways to use ACPT techniques—like Family Play Therapy and EFFT—while embracing the richness of diverse cultural perspectives. Come ready to learn, play, and connect!
You will leave with a toolbox full of new play therapy interventions, ways to incorporate parents into the playroom, and an understanding of the nuances of relationship patterns that exist within families.

Learning Objectives:

Conceptualize core tenets of EFFT, highlighting its fundamental principles and techniques. Particular focus will be on understanding emotional responses within family systems.
Explore how EFFT can be adapted and integrated into the context of play therapy for a holistic healing experience.
Develop insight into the fundamentals of Attachment-Centered Play Therapy (ACPT), emphasizing the significance of secure attachment in childhood development.
Evaluate the four key concepts of attachment theory and how these concepts apply to attachment-centered play therapy.
Practice three practical play therapy techniques for incorporating play as a medium for expression, exploration, and healing within the therapeutic process.
Implement play therapy interventions with a cultural lens to suit EFFT and Attachment-Centered Play Therapy (ACPT).
Address potential complexities in play therapy when combining EFFT, ACPT, and cultural adaptations.
Utilize practical play therapy strategies for navigating areas of intersectionality within the family play therapy process.
Conceptualize how attachment theories apply across different cultural contexts, including recognizing attachment style variations and behavior influenced by cultural norms and family dynamics.
Ascertain and respect cultural differences in therapeutic environments, including the playroom.
Develop skills for building cultural competence, including awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary for effective cross-cultural communication and intervention.
Enhance the professional development of play therapists by emphasizing the importance of ongoing learning and ethical practice in culturally informed play therapy.

Presented by: Clair Mellenthin LCSW, RPT-S &amp and Liliana Baylon, LMFT-S, RPT-S, ICEEFT EFT Supervisor
About Clair:

Clair Mellenthin, LCSW, RPT-S is an international speaker, award winning author, and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor. She is the creator of Attachment Centered Play Therapy. Throughout her career, she has specialized in providing play therapy to children, teens, and their families. Ms. Mellenthin frequently presents professional play therapy and family therapy nationally and internationally.
Ms. Mellenthin is the Past-President of the Utah Association For Play Therapy. She is the author of several books including Attachment Centered Play Therapy; Play Therapy: Engaging & Powerful Techniques for the Treatment of Childhood Disorders; and My Many Colors of Me Workbook. In addition, she has authored several chapters and articles. Ms. Mellenthin frequently appears on local and national television and radio as an expert on children and family issues.

About Liliana:

Liliana Baylon, LMFT-S, RPT-S, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, MBA, is a bilingual (English/Spanish) and bicultural therapist holding a Master’s Degree in Counseling & Marriage, Family, & Child Therapy from the University of Phoenix. With extensive speaking, training, and consulting experience spanning a range of organizations and topics, Liliana is particularly sought-after for her specialist expertise in mental health and its links to cultural diversity and social justice in a global context.
Liliana brings a unique cultural lens to her therapy, supervision, workshops, and presentations drawing on over a decade of in-depth clinical experience primarily treating LatinX community members, and providing bilingual therapy and supervision in English and Spanish. Liliana has become a well-respected expert and thought leader in the specialist fields of treating families, couples, and children with experiences of global migration along with trauma, abuse, and multicultural issues.
