Special Presentation Workshop: Stacking, Structures, and Storying

Speakers

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  Dr. Karen Stagnitti Guest Presenter - PhD
  

  Dr. Karen Stagnitti

  Guest Presenter - PhD

  Dr. Karen Stagnitti, PdD is an Emeritus Professor in the School of Health and Social Development at Deakin University, Australia. Her previous position was Professor, Personal Chair at the School of Health and Social Development at Deakin University, Victoria, Australia. Her area of research is children’s play. She graduated with a Bachelor degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Queensland. In 2003 she was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy from LaTrobe University, Australia. For 25 years she worked in early childhood intervention programs in community-based or specialist settings as part of a specialist paediatric multidisciplinary team. For 26 years she has worked in universities as a researcher and teaching academic. At Deakin University she also ran a research lab on Learn to Play Therapy seeing families and children.

  Karen has over 120 national and international papers published as well as 36 book chapters, 9 books, and 4 play assessments. Her norm referenced standardized play assessment, the Child-Initiated Pretend Play Assessment was revised in 2024. Throughout the year, she is invited to present her work on the play ability of children nationally and internationally.

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  Mary Anne Peabody Guest Presenter - Ed.D., LCSW, RPT-S
  

  Mary Anne Peabody

  Guest Presenter - Ed.D., LCSW, RPT-S

  Mary Anne Peabody, Ed.D., LCSW, RPT-S, is a Professor at the University of Southern Maine, USA. She teaches undergraduate courses on play and child development, as well as graduate courses in play therapy. She has a clinical career conducting play therapy in a variety of settings, including private practice, elementary schools, pediatric hospitals, and non-profits. Dr. Peabody has been actively involved with the Association for Play Therapy across her entire career, serving as a past Director of the Board, on numerous committees, and receiving the 2019 APT award for Outstanding Service. She currently chairs the APT Foundation Board and is on her second term on the editorial advisory board for the International Journal of Play Therapy. She is also a member of the International Consortium of Play Therapy Associations. She presents internationally on topics such as play pedagogy in higher education, play therapy supervision, and Seriously Therapeutic Play (STP) using LEGO®. Dr. Peabody has authored or co-authored numerous book chapters and journal articles on play therapy and play therapy supervision. Most recently, Dr. Peabody co-authored the book “Serious Therapeutic Play with LEGO®” with Kristen Klassen and Alec Hamilton, and she is working on a new book, “Playfulness in Play Therapy,” scheduled for release in the upcoming year. She enjoys incorporating play into her teaching practices and educating, training, and supervising others to promote high-quality play therapists.