Play Therapy for School-Related Anxiety, School Phobia, and School Refusal

Description

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School refusal isn’t always about defiance—it can be a cry for help. For many children, the refusal to attend school signals a deeper emotional struggle, one rooted in anxiety, trauma, or a perceived lack of safety. Behavioral health professionals are on the front lines of decoding and addressing these challenges.

This course empowers clinicians with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to intervene effectively—restoring stability, connection, and hope for children and families navigating the hidden complexities of school-related anxiety and avoidance.

Kris Marowski, M.Ed., LPC, RPT-S, ACS, CCMHC, NCC brings over 16 years of experience as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor. Her specialized work with children affected by trauma, divorce, military and first responder families uniquely equips her to guide clinicians through the nuanced process of identifying, assessing, and treating school refusal behavior through the lens of play therapy.

Drawing from a child-centered and trauma-informed approach, Kris integrates existential, Jungian, and cognitive behavioral techniques to teach clinicians how to engage children meaningfully while supporting their caregivers. Her clinical wisdom, personal case examples, and structured tools make this course both inspiring and immediately useful.

Topics covered include understanding the terminology used across educational and clinical settings, recognizing early warning signs and diagnostic criteria, utilizing screening questions and intake methods, applying the DSM-5 framework, and choosing play-based assessment tools. Participants will also learn about intervention strategies that promote regulation and safety, IEP/504 recommendations, and effective collaboration with parents and schools.

Key Takeaways:

• Develop diagnostic clarity: Learn how to identify the most common diagnoses related to school anxiety, phobia, and refusal—and understand the lived experiences behind them.

• Use play therapy with purpose: Apply specific play-based assessments and techniques to address children’s emotional needs and guide treatment planning.

• Support the whole system: Equip parents and schools with tools that foster regulation, connection, and stability, all while maintaining clinical boundaries and effectiveness.

Why this course?

• Taught by an expert in the field: Kris Marowski is a seasoned clinician who not only treats these cases but has built her career around supporting children who struggle with school engagement.

• Rooted in clinical relevance: This course is grounded in both research and lived clinical practice, offering tools you can use immediately.

• Offered by a trusted provider: The Telehealth Certification Institute is committed to equipping behavioral health professionals with high-quality continuing education that makes a real difference in client outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe terms that may be utilized by other professionals and/or parents to describe what is “seen” at home or in school (and what you may observe in the play room while providing play therapy services) when school related anxiety/phobia/refusal is the presenting “problem”

• Distinguish risk factors and early warning signs, related to school anxiety/phobia/refusal, the MH Professional may become aware of during a play therapy assessment or in the course of providing play therapy services

• Name the DSM-5 Diagnoses most commonly associated with school-related anxiety/phobia/refusal

• Develop a lived, clinical perspective for what’s occurring for the child and family receiving play therapy services when school anxiety/phobia/refusal is the presenting “problem”

• Identify questions to ask during a play therapy screening call and intake

• Develop a conceptual frame for information gathered during an assessment for play therapy

• Recognize at least one play therapy assessment method that will assist clinicians in creating an effective treatment plan to address symptoms associated with school related anxiety/phobia/refusal

• Define an introduction to practices that facilitate stability, regulation, and connection in your play therapy practice

• Identify at least 3 play therapy techniques to facilitate security, regulation, and connection in play therapy to create stability for the child and family

If you're ready to help kids feel safe again—and guide their families through some of their most difficult moments—this course offers the clinical guidance and real-world tools to make that possible. Your next client is counting on it.

Add this course to your cart to develop your skills, boost your confidence, and enhance your impact as a behavioral health professional.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study program and consists of 3 hours of video instruction, post-test, and an evaluation.

Course Details

Availability: 

From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: 

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: 

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructor

Instructor

About Kris Marowski, M.Ed., LPC, RPT-S, ACS, CCMHC, NCC 

Kris Marowski is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor. She has worked with children, adolescents and families for over 16 years, providing play therapy, individual counseling, and family counseling. She specializes in working with children that have survived trauma. Kris has extensive experience working with children whose parents are separated or are divorcing, who serve in the military and/or who are first responders. Kris offers parents specific, tangible skills that they can utilize at home to create desired changes and connect with their children in a more meaningful way. She practices primarily from a child-centered perspective, incorporating Jungian, Existential, and Cognitive Behavioral approaches to increase the effectiveness of counseling. She provides a safe, supportive environment where parents, children, and adolescents can process through difficult life experiences and develop a sense of mastery over them.

Kris completed her Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Psychology from Elmira College in 1999 and earned a Masters of Education Degree (M.Ed) in Counseling and Human Development with a specialization in Mental Health Counseling from Lindsey Wilson College in 2005. She went on to become credentialed as a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CCMHC) while completing her Play Therapy certification. Kris is currently working toward becoming a Sandplay Practitioner through Sandplay Therapists of America.

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor(s) for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

Credit Hours:

This course consists of 3 continuing education hours of credit.

Play therapy credit available to mental health professionals & graduate students in a mental health program.

Counselors:

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0048.

Marriage and Family Therapists: 

Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations.  You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.

Social Workers:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 3 clinical continuing education credits.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.

Play Therapists:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC has been approved as a continuing education provider by the Association for Play Therapy: APT Approved Provider 21-633. Per the Association for Play Therapy (APT), play therapy training may not be awarded to non-mental health professionals. APT alone holds the right to accept or deny any continuing education training at its discretion. This course qualifies as 3 non-contact continuing education Play Therapy credit.

Addiction Professionals:

This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

Psychologists:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.

Art Therapists: 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals:

This course qualifies for 180 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations.  Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement