This is one of the best professional and personal development trainings that I have ever attended.

I love the neurodiversity affirming language and focus that was highlighted.

Brilliant training and everyone in a therapeutic setting should 100% take part in this training. Life changing! 

Course Overview:

This is a live and in-person, 12-hour online training over two consecutive days. 

This is an intensive training that focuses on teaching the AutPlay Therapy protocol, an integrative family play therapy framework for working with neurodivergent children (autistic, ADHD, sensory differences, learning differences, developmental disabilities) and their families. AutPlay Therapy emphasizes a neurodiversity affirming and informed approach and harnesses the therapeutic powers of play to help address mental health issues for neurodivergent children and their families. This training presents an overview of autistic and neurodivergent children. How to build relationship and assess for needs (utilizing several AutPlay inventories) for target goal areas is covered along with parent and child co-change agent processes. Goal areas of connection, regulation, and social navigation are described with example play therapy interventions for each area. The three progressive phases are presented (intake and assessment, structured play interventions, and termination).

Parent/family/child involvement is explained with protocol for working with parents and children as partners in the process. The AutPlay Therapy Follow Me Approach is explained which details how to work with children with little to no engagement and attunement ability creating special play times to improve connection and relationship development. Additional components such as theoretical underpinnings, understanding dysregulation, improving regulation ability, research, and case examples are covered. Several play therapy interventions are explained and demonstrated through session video clips. Experiential activities are presented, and case conceptualization and planning are discussed. Once you have registered for the training, you will be emailed a pre-training form with a few instructions before your training. The instructions include processes for completing the full AutPlay certification program. This includes instructions for purchasing and reading the book The AutPlay Therapy Handbook: Integrative Family Play Therapy with Neurodivergent Children by Robert Jason Grant and watching two recorded webinars prior to your training.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the training you will have the opportunity to:

1) Explain neurodiversity and implementing a neurodiversity affirming approach.
2) Describe the components of AutPlay Therapy including conducting an AutPlay Therapy session,
theoretical underpinnings, phases of therapy, assessment and screening instruments, and goal planning.
3) Describe common mental health goals addressed in AutPlay Therapy.
4) Identify several structured play therapy interventions to use for addressing goals.
5) Discuss how to involve parents and other family members as co-change agents (partners).
6) Describe the AutPlay model of dysregulation
7) Identify play therapy interventions to address dysregulation issues.
8) Implement the AutPlay Follow Me Approach, designed for children with higher needs.
9) Describe how to work with parents in implementing AutPlay Follow Me play times at home.
10) Explain research and evidence-based practices in AutPlay Therapy.
11) Outline the theoretical underpinnings of AutPlay, including seminal play therapy theories and other
integrated methods.
12) Identify at least 6 AutPlay interventions to increase experiential knowledge.

Who Should Attend?

All those working with children and young people in a counselling, case work or education capacity. This training is perfect for mental health and education professionals who work with children with autism and need to gain valuable information for communicating, interacting, and providing care to children with autism. Psychologists, school counsellors, social workers, counsellors, youth workers, case workers, pastoral workers, other allied health professionals and students of these disciplines working with children and young people. 

Workshop Facilitator

Dr. Robert Jason Grant is a licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, and Advanced Certified Autism Specialist. He owns and operates the Robert Jason Grant Ed.D AutPlay Therapy Clinic. Dr. Grant specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families, including working with autistic children, neurodivergent children, and those diagnosed with ADHD and other developmental disorders. He is the creator of AutPlay® Therapy, an integrative family play therapy approach.

Training Dates and Times   

Sydney Dates and Times

Monday 21st - Tuesday 22nd July 2026, 9am - 5pm AEST

Training Details

Included in the training:

• Morning Tea, Lunch, Afternoon Tea
• 12 CPD points/hours 
• All training materials
• AutPlay Therapy Attendance Certificate will be emailed to you upon successful completion of course requirements and post test
• Opportunity for AutPlay Therapy Certification with book reading and free webinar viewing in addition to this training.
• GST

Training Venue

Novotel Sydney Darling Square

17 Little Pier Street Sydney, Darling Harbour New South Wales 2000

Training Cost

Please note, the payment for this course is in Australian dollars. If you are paying in another currency (eg. US dollars), your bank will do the currency conversion for you.

SPECIAL PRICE         $950AUD 

REFRESHER PRICE    $500AUD  

If you would like to attend the AutPlay Therapy Training as a Refresher with the discounted price of $500 AUD, please email through your expression of interest to sydneycentreforcreativechange@gmail.com and admin will confirm with Robert Grant your previous completion of the AutPlay Therapy Certification and assist in registering and invoicing as per your request. PLEASE NOTE - 10 Refresher places available per course. 

CPD/CE Hours

AutPlay Therapy Clinic has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6595. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. AutPlay Therapy Clinic is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Visit nbcc.org to learn more about NBCC.

Robert Jason Grant Ed.D is an APT Approved Provider #12-318 for continuing education. Most trainings are approved for APT continuing education, but each individual training listing should be reviewed to identify the type and amount of continuing education offered. Visit a4pt.org to learn more about APT (Association for Play Therapy).

Robert Jason Grant Ed.D is a Certified Training Partner for IBCCES (International Board for Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards) #CE159432, offering continuing education for the Certified Autism Specialist and Autism Certificate credentials. Most trainings are approved for IBCCES continuing education, but each individual training listing should be reviewed to identify the type and amount of continuing education offered.

Attendees wishing to receive NBCC, APT, or IBCCES continuing education hours must meet the guidelines established by these organizations. This training is relevant for Registered Play Therapists, Licensed Counselors, Licensed Social Workers, Licensed Psychologists, School Counselors, Certified Counselors, and other Mental Health Professionals.

Work Paying?

Lucky you!

Send us an email requesting an invoice via the contact page with your name, the dates and name of course/courses you'd like to do and the name of your organisation who you want us to invoice and we will send you an organisational invoice and a registration form. 

More Course Feedback

The material was well developed and very engaging. I enjoyed the break out sessions and the additional resources that were provided throughout. The presenter was very knowledgeable and approachable.

This topic is particularly relevant to my day to day work with clients. I really enjoyed this experience and will definitely recommend to others. I loved the live format and appreciated that there were no technology challenges.

I loved this training !!!!

I really appreciate the limit-setting and regulation ideas that I can share with families. I know children will appreciate having a range of ideas to draw on so we can work out a more successful and affirming repertoire for them to build on. Thank you for the resources and the discussion. 

Informative and interesting training!

I appreciate the education on appropriate terminology and the examples of how to use these techniques in action!

The biggest thing for me was the practice of interventions and the neurodiversity affirming language in the training.