At the conclusion of this course, the student will:

1. Overall Learning Objective: 

   • Identify the unique need for play for autistic kids and its role in supporting development.
   • Define strategies for implementing play-based interventions tailored to autistic children.
   • Recognize methods to increase access to and promotion of play opportunities for autistic children across various settings.

For the full learning objectives of each speaker and interview please see this document 

Module 1 : All Play is Okay 

00:00 – 00:08:  (8 minutes) Holly Peretz, OT: Welcome 

00:08 – 01:17: (1 hour 9 minutes) Andi Putt, M.S., CCC-SLP: Understanding Autistic Play: Redefining What It Means to Play 

01:17 – 02:14: (57 minutes) Laura Petix, OTR/L:  Being a sensory detective when it comes to play

02:14 – 03:12: ( 58 minutes) Cari Ebert, MS, CCC-SLP: From Compliance to Connection: How Play-Based Therapy Transforms Practice with Autistic Children

03:12 – 04:10: (58 minutes) Marge Blanc, M.A., CCC-SLP: Understanding GLPs to embrace play-based therapy as a multidisciplinary team 

04:10 – 04:30: Holly Peretz, OT: (20 minutes) Redefining Play: Why All Play is Okay 

4 hours and 30 minutes

Module 2: Play-based therapy 

00: 00 – 00:54: (54 minutes) Kerri Ciskowski, MOTR/L, Certified Expert Level DIRFloortime: DIR Floortime in Action: Case Studies for Clinicians and Families

00:54 – 01:46: (52 minutes) Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC: Neurodiversity-Affirming Goals: From Evaluation to Empowerment

01:46 – 02:37: (51 minutes) Anna Dalziel, R. SLP: Beyond the Buzzword: How to Use Play-Based Therapy in Individual and Group Sessions

02:37 – 03:41: (1 hour, 4 minutes) Nicole Casey, MS, CCC-SLP: Child-Led Therapy in Action: Case Studies and Practical Strategies

03:41 – 04:00: (19 minutes) Holly Peretz, OT: Play-Based Therapy: Research Foundations and Professional Practice

4 hours 

Module 3: Nuances of implementing play-based therapy Autistic Children

00:00 – 01:04 (1 hour 4 minutes) Laura Hayes, MS, CCC-SLP: Embracing play-based therapy for AAC users using co-construction 

01:04 – 02:05: (1 hour, 1 minute) Katie Zelinski, OTR/L: From Flight to Focus: Strategies to Engage Autistic Children Who Avoid Therapy

02:05 – 02:53: (48 minutes) Dr. Brenna Hicks, PhD, LMHC: Sustaining the Spark: How to Be an Engaged Play Partner Without Burning Out 

02:53 – 03:42: (49 minutes) Gráinne Warren: Autistic Burnout and the Buffering Power of Play

03:42 – 04:15: (33 minutes) Holly Peretz, OT: The Heart of Play: Establishing Relationship Foundations

4 hours and 15 minutes

Module 4: Exploring types of play

00:00 – 00:52: (52 minutes) Adina Levy, MSLP (Hons), B.A. (Linguistics): Rethinking Pretend Play: What It Really Means for Autistic Children

00:52 – 01:49: (57 minutes) Alisha Grogan, MOT, OTR/L: Meeting sensory regulation needs through play and movement

01:49 – 02:43: (54 minutes) Victoria Matkowski, SLP: Screens and Special Interests: Leveraging Media for GLP Learners

02:43 – 03:29: (46 minutes) Amanda Mathers, OTR/L: Sensory Play Unpacked: Supporting Autistic Children Through Exploration

03:29 – 03: 45: (16 minutes) Holly Peretz, OT: Full Spectrum of play and course wrap-up 

3 hours and 45 minutes 

Course Evaluation (∼3 minutes) 

Course Assessment (∼27 minutes) 

Total: 17 hours

Our target audience is Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Physical Therapy Practitioners, Speech and Language Pathologists and other allied health professionals who work with autistic children. 

The educational level is introductory.

In order to complete this course and receive the certificate of completion learners must:

1. Complete all hours of training
2. Complete a course evaluation
3. Complete the course assessment, 48-question multiple-choice questionnaire with a minimum of 80% proficiency. Students have unlimited attempts to complete the assessment. 

These must be completed within the time frame of 3/1/2025- 2/28/2026 

Partial credit will not be awarded under any circumstances.

It is the policy of Holly Peretz dba. Precision CPD to disclose any financial and non-financial interest the provider or instructor may have in a product or service mentioned during an activity. This is to ensure that the audience is made aware of any bias of the speaker.

1. Holly Peretz, OT: Hostess

Holly Peretz is the owner of the Precision CPD brand and the Play Conference. She owns and earns through any sales made through these websites. She have no non-financial interest in this topic.

2.Andi Putt, M.S., CCC-SLP: Understanding Autistic Play: Redefining What It Means to Play 

Andi Putt, M.S., CCC-SLP, is the owner of MrsSpeechieP LLC. Andi will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Andi Putt, M.S., CCC-SLP, sells “The Autism Handbook”, “Understanding Autism Together”, and “The Autism Handbook for Kids” products and distributes “Autistic Play Handout” as a free resource. 

Andi Putt, M.S., CCC-SLP is autistic and therefore has personal experience as an autistic individual which informs their perspective and expertise on this topic.

3. Laura Petix, OTR/L:  Being a sensory detective when it comes to play

Laura Petix, OTR/L, is the owner of The OT Butterfly LLC. She will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz course sales made through her affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Laura Petix, OTR/L sells “Sensory Detectives Bootcamp”, and distributes “Sensory Profiles 101 Cheat Sheet” as a free resource. 

Laura Petix is neurodivergent and has a neurodivergent daughter, so her lived experience with ADHD, anxiety and sensory processing differences informs their perspective and expertise on this topic.

4. Cari Ebert, MS, CCC-SLP : From Compliance to Connection: How Play-Based Therapy Transforms Practice with Autistic Children

Cari Ebert, MS, CCC-SLP, is the owner of Summit Speech Therapy, LLC/dba Cari Ebert Seminars. She will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through her affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Cari receives royalties from all product sales on her website including books and digital downloads.  sells “Sensory Detectives Bootcamp”, and distributes “Compliance-Based vs. Play-Based Therapy for Autistic Kids” as a free resource. 

Cari has an Autistic son and shares personal experiences in her trainings.

5. Marge Blanc, M.A., CCC-SLP: Understanding GLPs in order to embrace play-based therapy as a multidisciplinary team 

Marge Blanc, M.A., CCC-SLP, is the founder and director of the non-profit Communication Development Center (CDC) in Madison, WI, and receives compensation commensurate with a half-time salary. Marge is the author of the book, “Natural Language Acquisition on the Autism Spectrum: The Journey from Echolalia to Self-Generated Language.” She does not receive direct royalties from the sale of her book or related courses, but the Communication Development Center does. 

6. Kerri Ciskowski, MOTR/L, Certified Expert Level DIRFloortime : DIR Floortime in Action: Case Studies for Clinicians and Families

Kerri Ciskowski, MOTR/L, Certified Expert Level DIRFloortime, is the owner of Therapy Keeper LLC. She will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through her affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Kerri sells DIR Floortime practitioner mentoring program and Keepers of Autism course for parents. She distributes the DIR Floortime framework handout. 

Kerri Ciskowski is a certified DIR Floortime expert. Her certification and professional expertise in DIR Floortime inform her presentation on this topic. 

7. Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC : Neurodiversity-Affirming Goals: From Evaluation to Empowerment

Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC, is the owner of Destiny Huff Consulting. She will  receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Dr. Huff distributes a “Neuro-Affirming Goal IEP Checklist” as a free resource. 

Dr. Destiny Huff, LPC is autistic has an autistic son which informs their perspective and expertise on this topic.

8. Anna Dalziel, R. SLP : Beyond the Buzzword: How to Use Play-Based Therapy in Individual and Group Sessions

Anna Dalziel, R. SLP, is the owner of Dalziel Communication Services Ltd. She will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Anna sells the Play-Based Speech Therapy Course and distributes the “Why We Play in Therapy” free resource.  

Anna Dalziel has no relevant non-financial disclosures. 

9. Nicole Casey, SLP : Child-Led Therapy in Action: Case Studies and Practical Strategies

Nicole Casey, SLP , is the owner Connections Speech Pathology and The Child Led Therapy Center, a private practice, where she receives a salary. She will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Nicole Casey sells The Great Language Partner Program and Workbook and distributes the Child-Led Play Guide as a free resource. 

Nicole Casey has no relevant non-financial disclosures. 

10. Laura Hayes, MS, CCC-SLP: Embracing play-based therapy for AAC users using co-construction 

Laura Hayes, MS, CCC-SLP, is an employee and owner of AAC Innovations, LLC. She has received an honorarium speaking fee for this presentation and will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference. She receives royalties for authorship of the Meaningful Speech course. 

Laura Hayes has no relevant non-financial disclosures.

11. Katie Zelinski, OTR/L: From Flight to Focus: Strategies to Engage Autistic Children Who Avoid Therapy

Katie Zelinski, OTR/L, is the owner of The Well-Balanced OT website and will receive financial compensation from course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Katie sells a webinar about Child-Led Therapy and distributes guide on the therapeutic use of self as a free resource. 

Katie Zelinski has no relevant non-financial disclosures. 

12. Adina Levy, MSLP (Hons), B.A. (Linguistics) : Rethinking Pretend Play: What It Really Means for Autistic Children

Adina Levy, MSLP (Hons), B.A. (Linguistics), is the owner of the Play.Learn.Chat website. Adina will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference.

Adina Levy sells a course and distributes the Neurodiversity Affirming Social Support Checklist as a free resource.

Adina Levy is autistic and therefore has personal experience as an autistic individual, which informs her perspective and expertise on this topic.

13. Amanda Mathers, OTR/L : Sensory Play Unpacked: Supporting Autistic Children Through Exploration

Amanda Mathers, OTR/L, is the owner of PURPOSEFUL PLAY PEDIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPY, LLC. She will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Amanda distributes a free resource Potty Training Essentials Guide.

Amanda Mathers, OTR/L has no relevant non-financial disclosures. 

14. Alisha Grogan, MOT, OTR/L : Meeting sensory regulation needs through play and movement

Alisha Grogan, MOT, OTR/L, is the owner of Your Kid’s Table, LLC. She will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Alisha Grogan sells the “RISE with Sensory” Course and distributes the “Sensory Essentials Pack” as a free resource. 

 Alisha Grogan has no relevant non-financial disclosures. 

15. Victoria Matkowski, SLP : Screens and Special Interests: Leveraging Media for GLP Learners

Victoria Matkowski, SLP, is the owner of the Playtime with Tor website. She will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Victoria also mentions her YouTube channel Playtime with Tor and earns revenue from ads as a YouTube partner. 

Victoria distributes a resource library as a free resource. 

Victoria Matkowski has no relevant non-financial disclosures.

16. Dr. Brenna Hicks, PhD, LMHC-S, RPT: Sustaining the Spark: How to Be an Engaged Play Partner Without Burning Out

Dr. Brenna Hicks, is the owner of owner of The Kid Counselor Center. She will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Dr. Hicks sells memberships access to CCPT Collective and distributes the “Birth Order Workshop” as a free resource. 

Dr. Brenna Hicks, has no relevant non-financial disclosures. 

17. Gráinne Warren, Accredited Play Therapist: Autistic Burnout and the Buffering Power of Play

Gráinne Warren will receive financial compensation from Holly Peretz for course sales made through their affiliate link for the Play Conference. 

Gráinne Warren is Autistic/ADHD/PDA and therefore has personal experience as an Autistic/ADHD/PDA individual which informs her perspective and expertise on this topic.

This course is made available to all Early Child Development Proffessionals on a non-discriminatory basis.

This course is an independent/self-study / asynchronous course delivered via video inside the Thrivecart Learn+ course platform and podcasts such as iTunes.

Closed captions are provided on the video as well as a full downloadable transcript. 

For special needs access  requests please email info@precisioncpd.com 

Lecture, case studies, and self-reflection activities

If this course were to be cancelled please see our cancelation policy here (link)

If you have concerns or complaints about this course please contact us at info@precisioncpd.com. You can find our full complaint resolution policy here (link)