Richard L. Gaskill, Ed.D., RPT-S
Richard L. Gaskill, Ed.D., RPT-S
March 4-5, 2016
Blockade Runner
Wrightsville Beach, NC
NCAPT focuses on continuing the educational needs of Play Therapy Professionals, informing interested individuals about Play Therapy and linking students with professionals in the field.
Program Description
Play therapists have long been cognizant of the importance of the child-parent attachment in
child development. Today, play therapists are increasingly aware of the fundamental role of
this attachment relationship in health brain development, as well as the negative impact of
social and emotional trauma on the developing brain. Healthy, as well as pathological,
development are the result of this most important parent-child relationship.
With the advent of behavioral neuroscience play therapists must ask themselves, “What
neural systems am I wanting to stimulate healthfully, which systems are mediating the
dysfunction, and how do I support relational attachments to facilitate play therapy
interventions?” The incorporation of this information for parents, therapist, and
community is central to effective intervention design. While all brain regions learn, they all
do not respond to language, logic, or insight. Knowing which play therapy techniques or skills
are most impactful in a given circumstance and what the duration and frequency are key intervention design in any attachment system to be fully effective.
Speaker Information
Dr. Gaskill has worked in community mental health for over 40 years. He is currently the Executive Director of Sumner Mental Health Center in Wellington, KS. Rick also served as Children’s Director and Clinical Director before becoming the CEO. He is a Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, and an Infant Mental Health Clinical Mentor. Rick was a founding member and past president of the Kansas Association for Play Therapy and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the national Association for Play Therapy.
Dr. Gaskill has been on adjunct faculty at Wichita State University, teaching play therapy and supervising play therapy practice since 1995. He was a cofounder of the WSU Approved Play Therapy Center in 2010. Dr. Gaskill has published 4 book chapters (3 with Dr. Bruce Perry), a research article, and magazine articles regarding the neurobiology of play therapy and NMT guided play activities. Over the past 10 years Rick has lectured on these topics throughout the US, Canada, and Australia.
He received the Chairman’s Award from Future’s Unlimited in 1997 for his work with at risk children and was named the Kansas Head Start Partner of the Year in 2005 for his work with therapeutic preschools. Dr. Gaskill was named a Fellow of the Child Trauma Academy in Houston, Texas, in 2004. In 2006, he was named one of the Regional Administrator’s Leadership Award Winners for ACF Region VI of the Department of Health and Human Services and in 2013 served on the Governor’s Mental Health Task Force for the State of Kansas. In 2014, Dr. Gaskill was honored with the Exemplary Service to Children and Families Award at the Kansas Governor’s Conference for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.
Friday, March 4th
Schedule: 6.00 CE contact hours available
8:00-9:00 am Registration
9:00-12:15 pm Morning Session
12:15-1:30 pm NCAPT Annual Board Meeting
Lunch is provided
1:30-4:45 pm Afternoon Session
Learning Objectives: March 4, 2016
1. Cite key, current research on attachment and the neurobiology of relationships
2. Explain key neurobiological concepts critical to intervention design
3. Explain key neurobiological concepts critical to play therapy work
4. Assess functional neural disorganization in traumatized children
5. Cite examples of children's behavior who have suffered trauma
6. List functional indicators of children suffering from social emotional maltreatment
Saturday, March 5th
Schedule: 6.00 CE contact hours available
8:00-9:00 am Registration
9:00-12:15 pm Morning Session
12:15-1:15 pm NCAPT Annual Board Meeting
Lunch is on your own
1:30-4:30 pm Afternoon Session
Learning Objectives: March 5, 2016
1. Explain what is meant by relational attachments and how parent-child therapy impacts
the parent-child relationship
2. Identify important developmental play and attachment activities impacting specific
brain regions
3. Describe the integrate brain region activities into play therapy therapeutic web of treatment
4. Describe examples of appropriate activities
5. Develop play therapy protocol listing dosing, social ratios, and play activities for
therapists, family, and community partners
6. Apply information and skills acquired to clinical work with the child population
Conference Information
Conference Venue:
Blockade Runner Beach Resort
275 Waynick Blvd.
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Phone Number :(910) 256-2251
Conference Volunteers:
A limited number of conference volunteer opportunities are available. If you are interested, please contact Conference Chair/NCAPT Vice President Kim Williams at .
Continuing Education:
Continuing education credit for this event is co-sponsored by the North Carolina Association for Play Therapy and The Institute for Continuing Education. The program offers 6.00 contact hours per day with full daily attendance required. If you have questions regarding continuing education, the program, grievance issues, please contact The Institute at: 251-990-5030; e-mail:
Psychology: The Institute for Continuing Education is an organization approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Institute for Continuing Education maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Counseling: For counselors seeking credit The Institute for Continuing Education will submit a co-sponsorship application to NBCC for this program.
Social Work: The Institute for Continuing Education is approved as a provider for social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), though the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. The Institute for Continuing Education maintains responsibility for the program. ASWB Provider No. 1007. Licensed social workers should contact their individual state jurisdiction to review current continuing education requirements for license renewal.
Marriage-Family Therapy: The Institute for Continuing Education is recognized as a provider of continuing education by the Florida Dept. Health, Division MFT, Counseling, Social Work, Provider BAP 255, expiration 03/2017.
Play Therapy: The Institute for Continuing Education is approved by the Association for Play Therapy to sponsor continuing education specific to play therapy. The Institute maintains responsibility for the program. APT Provider 98-040.
Teaching Methodology: May include lecture, audio-visual, demonstrations, video clips, large and small group discussions.
Skills Level: Due to the interdisciplinary nature of this activity, the workshops are approved for beginning, intermediate, and advanced skills level. Attendees are encouraged to consult workshop descriptions for appropriateness for professional skill level.
Conference Registration Available Online
Online Registration On- Find the link at our website… www.ncapt.org
Registration Fee
Includes Conference, Friday lunch, and snack breaks
BEST DEAL! Before Jan 12th
Fees: One Day (Fri or Sat) Both Days
APT Members $110 $225
Non-Members $160* $280*
Students $40 $65
Between Jan 13th –March 3rd
Fees: One Day (Fri or Sat) Both Days
APT Members $140 $270
Non-Members $180* $310*
Students $50 $80
Online registration ends on March 3rd. Onsite registration available the date of conference for additional $20 fee. A$25 administrative fee will be charged for cancelled registrations. No cancellations offered after February 27th!!
*Join now as a new member and save! Professional Annual membership to APT & NCAPT is $95 and includes Play Therapy Magazine and International Play Therapy Journal and much more!
Total Registration Fee Due: $______
Online registration can be accessed via our website: www.ncapt.org.
If you have questions or any ADA special needs please contact Kim Williams,