Course Description
Play therapy supervision is an environment where supervisors and supervisees can not only explore neurodiversity-affirming and trauma informed care with their clients, but also in their relationship and within themselves. There are many ways our brains diverge, and the neurodiversity paradigm views those differences as meaningful, if not critical, to human existence. A neurodiversity-affirming practice includes not only honoring brain and processing differences and perspectives of our clients, but also seeks to identify and celebrate the unique differences within the play therapist. 
This training will explore how humanistic or child-centered supervision emphasizes the conditions provided and facilitated in play therapy supervision that plays a crucial role in guiding the supervisee toward increased self-awareness and growth. Video examples will highlight important considerations for neurodivergent play therapists. Through the lens of humanistic supervision and using the LISTEN model, we will explore how to help support your neurodivergent supervisees and provide a space where they can authentically express the self, further allowing the play therapist to unmask in supervision and the playroom. 


Learning Objectives:

  • Through PowerPoint lecture, supervisors will review the main tenets of Humanistic and Child Centered Supervision and its application to neurodivergent play therapists.

  • Through video examples, supervisors will hear from neurodivergent play therapists about what qualities are important to them in play therapy supervision and how the process can be supportive and affirming. 

  • Through PowerPoint lecture, supervisors will review what neurodiversity means and the importance of honoring and affirming supervisee's individualized ways of learning, processing, and applying their play therapy skills.


Instructor Katie Bassiri, LPC, RPT-S

Katie Bassiri is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and a Registered Play Therapy Supervisor (RPT-S). She owns and operates a mental health agency called The Treehouse, in Albuquerque, New Mexico which works to provide multidisciplinary support to neurodivergent individuals and their families. Katie provides supervision for counselors and is an interdisciplinary supervisor for Social Workers for the state of New Mexico. Her greatest passion is to provide trainings and supervision to professionals and businesses to better support autistic people in therapeutic, work and school environments. She is also an advocate for play across the lifespan. She has presented locally, nationally, and internationally on the topics of play therapy, autism, neurodiversity, and trauma. Katie's professional work is heavily influenced by her experiences working in residential treatment and home-based therapy with non-speaking autistic children who have trauma histories. Most importantly, Katie is a mom to three autistic children who have made a strong impact on who she is and how she supports families. She co-authored the children's book, "Congratulations You're Autistic" with her husband, Alex, to provide a more positive and affirming message for caregivers to talk about autism with their children. When she is not playing at The Treehouse, you will find her swimming and adventuring with her autistic family and their dog Lucky Jack.

Course curriculum

    1. Supervision for the Neurodivergent Play Therapist PowerPoint

    2. Module 1: Orienting and Disclosures

    3. Module 2: Main Characteristics of Humanistic and Child Centered Supervision

    4. Module 3: Neurodiversity Movement: Knowing Self and Others

    5. Module 4: Common Struggles and Emotional Supports

    6. Module 5: LISTENing in Supervision

    7. Module 6: Strengths Based Supervision

    8. Sensory Motor Preference Checklist (Adults)

    9. One Page Profile

    10. MASH Supervision

    11. References

    1. Evaluation (Required)

    2. Quiz (Required)

About this course

  • $75.00
  • 14 lessons
  • 3 hours of video content