The Relationship is the Intervention: Deepening Therapeutic Connection with Children

Meaningful and lasting change for children does not begin with strategies or techniques—it begins with relationship.

In this 3-hour live webinar, we explore a powerful and often overlooked truth: that healing, growth, and emotional regulation are shaped through connection. This session is designed for professionals who want to deepen their relational practice and better understand how therapeutic presence, play, and co-regulation support children’s development.

Grounded in Child-Centred Play Therapy (CCPT), neuroscience research including Jaak Panksepp’s work on emotional systems, and bottom-up approaches to regulation, this webinar offers both a strong theoretical foundation and practical, relational skills that can be applied immediately.

What You’ll Learn

Participants will gain understanding and practical insight into:

• Why relationship—not technique—is the primary agent of change

• Child-led (non-directive) practice and how this approach supports growth and healing

• The neuroscience of play and its role in emotional development and regulation

• Bottom-up processing and why connection and co-regulation must come before reasoning

• How therapeutic relationships shape and reshape children’s internal working models

• Understanding behaviour as communication

• Supporting emotional regulation through relational connection

• Core CCPT relational principles, including empathy, attunement, and unconditional positive regard

Who This Is For

This session is designed for counsellors, social workers, therapists, educators, and others supporting children and families across Aotearoa.

Professional Development:

This webinar provides 3 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). A certificate of attendance will be available for participants who attend the live session.

Presenters

Melanie Gilbert-De Rios
Child-Centred Play & Filial Family Therapist | Registered Social Worker
Founding Director, Play Therapy Tauranga

Melanie brings over 30 years’ experience across health and social services. She is a supervisor and trainer for ChildPlayWorks, training play therapists across New Zealand, and has facilitated parenting workshops using Theraplay and Filial Family Therapy.

She holds a BSc (Hons) in Social Science and has postgraduate training in Play Therapy, Theraplay, Systemic Family Therapy, Trauma-Focused CBT, and Professional Supervision. Melanie is deeply committed to supporting children and families through challenging experiences and strengthening parent–child relationships.

Judi Jacobsen
Founding Director, ChildPlayWorks

Judi has worked alongside children professionally for over 40 years. Her background spans education, clinical therapeutic practice, professional supervision, and training. She brings both depth of experience and a strong commitment to professional standards and accessibility in play therapy.

Judi holds postgraduate qualifications in counselling, play therapy, and professional supervision, and is passionate about equipping professionals with practical, evidence-informed skills that can be readily applied.