Every parent, teacher, and therapist knows that anger in children is not just loud; it can be overwhelming, confusing, and sometimes even alarming. Research shows that children under four years old experience an average of nine tantrums a week, often involving kicking, biting, yelling, or pushing, lasting up to ten minutes each. While most young children eventually outgrow these intense emotional outbursts due to social norms and effective parenting, for many, the problem only intensifies over time, spilling into school years, adolescence, and beyond.

Recognizing and addressing anger early is critical, and this is where specialized play therapy techniques make all the difference. If you are a mental health professional, the upcoming live in-person course in Baltimore, MD, by Core Wellness, "Defuse the Flame: Play Therapy Anger Management Techniques," offers an invaluable opportunity to sharpen your skills and make a real difference in your clients’ lives.

Led by the beloved Beth (Batsheva) Hartstein, MSW, LCSW-C, RPT-S, this is a must-attend event that counts toward Association for Play Therapy (APT) Contact Hours. You can also access the recorded version of this course instantly, on-demand, or watch the live broadcast to access from anywhere.

Understanding the Core of Childhood Anger

Despite pediatricians being the first point of contact for concerned parents, many report feeling ill-equipped to manage the complex anger concerns brought to their attention. In fact, unresolved anger issues are now the leading cause for referral to mental health professionals. Beneath the surface, anger can mask deeper struggles like anxiety, depression, ADHD, and even biological and genetic predispositions.

Parents, in their frantic effort to "fix" the issue, sometimes inadvertently escalate the behavior, leaving children feeling misunderstood and unsupported. Without early intervention, these children often grow into adolescents whose anger becomes more volatile, destructive, and harder to manage. Addressing these concerns early with developmentally appropriate strategies is not just beneficial but essential.

This training empowers clinicians to understand anger not simply as “bad behavior,” but as a complex, nuanced emotional response that can be reshaped through empathetic, targeted therapeutic work.

Why Play Therapy for Anger?

Harnessing the power of play therapy allows therapists to meet children at their developmental level, engaging them creatively while simultaneously teaching critical emotional regulation skills. Hands-on activities, therapeutic games, videos, worksheets, and role-playing become tools through which anger is externalized, understood, and managed.

In this course, participants will experience firsthand a range of practical and engaging interventions designed specifically to help children ages 3 to 14, with select techniques adaptable for teens as well. Whether a child is oppositional, resistant, or unaware of their own anger, therapists will learn how to make meaningful connections that foster insight, accountability, and lasting behavioral change.

Course Highlights: What You Will Learn

live in-person training is not another dry lecture. It is a vibrant, interactive experience designed to leave you equipped, energized, and empowered

Participants will:

Conduct meaningful assessments that uncover anger triggers and patterns.
Enhance self-awareness in clients through playful yet powerful interventions.
Use psychoeducation creatively to teach emotional literacy and regulation.
Instill accountability in even the most resistant clients.
Employ hands-on play therapy techniques (including games, activities, videos, and worksheets) that translate therapeutic goals into real-world skills.
Tailor interventions for a wide range of children, from those openly angry to those in complete denial of their emotional struggles.
Gain techniques applicable to both children and adolescents, acknowledging that emotional regulation challenges often evolve, not disappear, with age.

By the end of the course, clinicians will have a toolbox of effective strategies to help clients express anger healthily, develop lasting coping skills, and live calmer, more fulfilling lives

Learn from the Expert in Play Therapy

Guiding this transformative experience is Beth (Batsheva) Hartstein, MSW, LCSW-C, RPT-S, a passionate and highly experienced clinical therapist. With a background from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and extensive clinical experience, Beth brings a rare combination of empathy, clinical excellence, and deep expertise in play therapy modalities.

Throughout the course, Beth’s holistic, person-centered philosophy shines through. She seamlessly blends play therapy, sand tray, and art therapy techniques with evidence-based practices like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). This blend ensures that participants learn interventions that are both creatively engaging and clinically sound.

Her warm, collaborative teaching style will make this live in-person event an inspiring and enriching experience you’ll carry into your work for years to come.

Why This Course Is Essential for Therapists Today

Today's young clients face pressures unlike those of previous generations. Social media, academic demands, family stress, and an increasingly uncertain world have led to heightened anxiety, frustration, and dysregulated emotional responses.

For therapists and mental health professionals, there is an urgent need for specialized, developmentally informed techniques that go beyond traditional talk therapy. Play therapy provides that bridge, allowing children to express what they cannot yet verbalize.

This course focuses on leveraging play therapy to:

Increase emotional literacy.
Develop healthy emotional expressions.
Build emotional regulation and resilience skills.
Foster stronger, healthier connections with caregivers and peers.

Play therapy offers a developmentally sensitive and deeply effective approach to anger management, and this course ensures that you not only understand the "why" but master the "how."

You will not only expand your clinical toolbox but also develop a deeper understanding of how anger serves a purpose and how to honor that purpose while guiding children toward healthier outcomes

Why Choose In-Person Over Virtual?

While Core Wellness also offers a Live Webinar and On-Demand option, attending in-person remains the premier choice for several reasons:

Full engagement: No screen fatigue—full presence, active learning, and real-time practice.
Direct interaction with Beth Hartstein: Get your questions answered on the spot, receive personal feedback, and observe live demonstrations.
Networking: Meet other passionate professionals, exchange ideas, and build relationships that can support your career long after the event.
PT Contact Hours: Fulfill your continuing education requirements while maximizing your learning experience.

The live environment fosters deeper understanding, more dynamic participation, and a stronger sense of community that online learning just can’t replicate.

Can’t Make It In Person? We Have You Covered.

While the in-person course is the gold standard, we understand that not everyone can attend due to geography, scheduling, or personal needs.

That’s why Core Wellness also offers:

Live Webinar

Participate virtually and still engage with Beth and fellow learners in real time.

Instant On-Demand

Learn at your own pace, on your own schedule, with our comprehensive recorded option.

These flexible options ensure that wherever you are, you can access Beth Hartstein’s expert instruction and enhance your therapeutic toolkit. However, only live in-person attendees earn APT contact hours.

Ready to Defuse the Flame?

As a therapist and mental health professional, you have the opportunity to equip children with the tools to manage their emotions, foster resilience, and rewrite their stories.

Play therapy is your bridge, and this course is your roadmap.

If you’re ready to grow your skills, earn APT Contact Hours, and revitalize your practice with powerful new interventions, don’t miss the chance to join Defuse the Flame: Play Therapy Anger Management Techniques live in person course, held in Baltimore, MD. Choose to learn to live in person for the richest, most rewarding experience.

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