SC Association for Play Therapy

06/04/2026

04/30/2026

Y’all, we’ve got something to celebrate! 🎉

SCAPT has earned Gold Branch status from APT—an honor given to branches that go above and beyond in training, community outreach, networking, and more.

We’re proud, we’re grateful, and we couldn’t have done it without this amazing community.

Thank y’all for helping us shine! ✨

04/30/2026

Meet our newest SCAPT Board Directors-at-Large! 🎉
✨ Nakendra Kinard — A dedicated RBHS Counselor in Kershaw County Schools and adjunct instructor at Columbia College. She was honored as the 2024 SCCA Outstanding Counselor of the Year and brings a wealth of experience supporting children, adolescents, and families.
✨ Dr. Keeland LoDato — Assistant Professor of Counseling at Lenoir-Rhyne University, LPC-S (SC), and LCMHC (NC). Her work includes private practice and school-based counseling, with a strong research focus on increasing access to mental health services and advancing telehealth, including virtual play therapy.
We're excited to have their expertise and passion leading SCAPT forward! 🎊

03/25/2026

Only 2 days left until the SCAPT Spring Conference! Discover how play therapy can thrive in a virtual world—innovative, connected, and clinically impactful. Register here 👉 https://sc-association-for-play-therapy.ce-go.com/south-carolina-association-of-play-therapy-2026-spring-conference/home #

03/20/2026

🚨 ONE WEEK AWAY 🚨

💻 Play therapy isn’t just in the playroom anymore.

In just 7 days, the South Carolina Association for Play Therapy 2026 Spring Conference is diving into:

🧠 Play Therapy in a Virtual Space

Because let’s be honest—
Telehealth isn’t going anywhere.

The real question is:
👉 Are you equipped to use it effectively with kids?

This conference will help you:
✨ adapt play therapy interventions for virtual sessions
✨ stay engaging through a screen
✨ navigate real clinical challenges of telehealth
✨ build confidence in a rapidly changing field

🗓 March 27, 2026
📍 Columbia, SC
🎓 6 CE Hours

⏳ One week. That’s it.

Don’t wait until you have to figure this out on your own.

👉 Register here:
https://sc-association-for-play-therapy.ce-go.com/south-carolina-association-of-play-therapy-2026-spring-conference/home #

03/02/2026

Can Child-Centered Play Therapy truly work online?

At SCAPT’s Spring 2026 Conference, Dr. Keeland LoDato will walk you through how to:

🧸 Maintain therapeutic presence
🎨 Adapt materials for virtual sessions
🛡 Navigate ethical considerations
👨‍👩‍👧 Collaborate with caregivers

📅 March 27 | Columbia, SC
🎓 6 CE Hours

Registration is open — secure your seat now. 👉 https://sc-association-for-play-therapy.ce-go.com/south-carolina-association-of-play-therapy-2026-spring-conference/home #

02/25/2026

🎉 4 Weeks Until SCAPT Spring 2026! 🎉

🗓 March 27, 2026
📍 LRADAC | Columbia, SC
⏰ 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
🎓 6 CE Hours

SCAPT Spring 2026 Conference:
Play Therapy in a Virtual Space

Join us as Keeland LoDato, Assistant Professor at Lenoir-Rhyne University, LPC-S (SC) and LCMHC (NC), shares practical, research-informed strategies for implementing Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) in telehealth settings.

If you’re working with:
✔ Children online
✔ Hybrid caseloads
✔ Rural or access-limited populations
✔ Caregiver-supported telehealth

This training will equip you with:
✨ Practical virtual playroom strategies
✨ Ways to maintain therapeutic presence online
✨ Ethical & developmental considerations
✨ Hands-on skill building + role play

Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your telehealth play therapy skills.

🔗 Register here:
https://sc-association-for-play-therapy.ce-go.com/south-carolina-association-of-play-therapy-2026-spring-conference/home #

ContinuingEducation

02/23/2026

🎤 Meet the Speaker: Dr. Keeland LoDato

We’re thrilled to feature Dr. Keeland LoDato at the SCAPT 2026 Spring Conference!

Dr. LoDato is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Lenoir-Rhyne University, a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S) in South Carolina, and a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in North Carolina. She provides individual counseling to children, adolescents, and young adults in both private practice and school-based settings.

Her research focuses on increasing accessibility to mental health services, particularly through telehealth. She has conducted two research studies examining the use of play therapy in virtual spaces—helping clinicians thoughtfully and ethically extend the playroom beyond its four walls.

You won’t want to miss learning from her expertise in innovative, accessible play therapy practice! Details: March 27, 2026 at LRADAC in Columbia. 9am - 4pm. 6 hour CE.

🔗 Register here:
https://sc-association-for-play-therapy.ce-go.com/south-carolina-association-of-play-therapy-2026-spring-conference/home #

02/21/2026

Jenn and Palmer were honored to present on behalf of SCAPT at SCCA’s Learning Institute! ✨

Sharing the magic of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) with school-based and community clinicians—covering theory, research, Zones of Regulation integration, and creating meaningful play therapy goals.

So grateful to connect with professionals supporting children every day! 🧸