You may have heard of PANDAS, and perhaps even the broader term PANS.
But what do these conditions actually look like in the play therapy room and what can you, the play therapist do to help?
Some play therapists work with children whose symptoms feel unusually intense or confusing. A child may develop severe OCD, separation anxiety, emotional dysregulation, rage episodes, or sudden regression that does not respond to typical therapeutic approaches.
In PANDAS, symptoms are often described as having an abrupt onset following infection.
PANS, while sometimes sudden, may present more broadly as extreme dysregulation and psychiatric symptoms that are difficult to explain.
For therapists, this raises important questions. Why did this child change so dramatically? Why are the symptoms so resistant to treatment? Could something medical be interacting with the child’s mental health?
In the book, Childhood Interrupted, Beth Alison Maloney shares the story of her son’s experience with PANS/PANDAS, offering a window into how these conditions can affect children and families.
During the live 2 hour discussion portion of this training, we will connect the book to play therapy practice, exploring how these symptoms may show up in the playroom and how play therapy can support children and their families.
This training is not designed to teach therapists to diagnose PANS or PANDAS. Instead, it helps clinicians recognize patterns that may warrant curiosity, collaboration with medical providers, and thoughtful therapeutic support.
This training helps therapists widen their clinical lens when working with children whose symptoms feel
unusually intense, confusing, or resistant to treatment.
Through reading Childhood Interrupted and participating in the guided discussion, you will:
☀️ Better understand what PANS and PANDAS are and why these conditions are often misunderstood or missed
☀️ Learn common symptom patterns therapists may notice in children experiencing extreme dysregulation, OCD,
separation anxiety, or sudden behavioral changes
☀️ Explore how these symptoms may appear inside the playroom and what therapists may observe through play
☀️ Consider how play therapy can support children and families navigating overwhelming behavioral and emotional changes
☀️ Develop greater clinical curiosity about when collaboration with pediatricians or medical specialists may be helpful
This training is designed to help therapists listen differently, ask better questions, and support families who may be searching for answers.
Read at Home (14 NBCC / 14 APT non-contact CEs)
Participants independently read Childhood Interrupted (book purchase required and yours to keep). To assess the reading portion, participants complete structured reflective writing prompts rather than a multiple-choice exam.
Participants will then join a live 2 hour discussion to further explore how these symptoms may appear in the playroom, how sudden dysregulation can influence a child’s capacity for play and emotional expression, and how play therapists can support the child and family.
Both the structured writing prompts that accompany the reading and the two-hour discussion session connect the material directly to play therapy practice.
The live session combines focused discussion with guided experiential exercises, helping attachment theory become practical and usable within supervision
Live Book Club Meeting Details
Friday, July 17, 2026
9:30–11:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Virtual attendance (2 non-contact CEs) or in person in Loudoun County, Virginia (2 contact CEs)
Cost: $249 total
Includes up to 16 CEs (14 non-contact for reading + 2 contact or non-contact for live discussion)
Narrative case material will be paired with current research to support evidence-informed play therapy practice with children and adolescents experiencing sudden-onset neuropsychiatric symptoms.
After completing this training, participants will be able to:
🍎 Identify how sudden-onset neuropsychiatric symptoms may influence play, playfulness, and expressive processes in
children and adolescents seen in play therapy settings.
🍎 Differentiate between symbolic play themes and behavioral changes that may reflect underlying neurobiological dysregulation.
🍎 Apply play therapy principles to clinical decision-making when a child or adolescent’s capacity for play, imagination,
or emotional regulation shifts rapidly.
🍎 Describe ethical considerations for play therapists, including referral practices, caregiver consultation, and collaboration with medical providers.
🍎 Utilize developmentally responsive play therapy approaches to support children and adolescents whose playfulness,
creativity, or emotional expression is disrupted by acute neuropsychiatric symptoms.
🍎 Describe medical conditions, including inflammatory and infectious processes affecting the brain, that may contribute to sudden psychiatric or behavioral changes in children.
This training is designed for clinicians who work with children and adolescents and want to better understand how sudden or severe behavioral and emotional symptoms may intersect with medical conditions such as PANS and PANDAS.
This training may be especially helpful for:
☀️ Play therapists working with children experiencing extreme dysregulation, OCD, separation anxiety, or sudden behavioral changes
☀️ Child and adolescent therapists who want to better recognize patterns that may warrant collaboration with medical providers
☀️ Clinicians interested in expanding their clinical lens when symptoms appear confusing, intense, or resistant to treatment
☀️ Supervisors supporting therapists who work with complex child cases
This training is appropriate for licensed mental health professionals and graduate-level trainees interested in strengthening their understanding of how neuropsychiatric symptoms may influence children’s play, behavior, and emotional expression.
Agenda (Eastern Time) 9:45 -11:45am
9:30-11:30 Discuss & experiential activities
11:30 Book club is over!