The Power of Play: Nervous System Care for Practitioners

Date: May 15, 2026
Time: 11 am to 2 pm
Where: The Dr. James K. Bissell Nature Center, 3973 Callender Road, Rock Creek, OH 44084
Registration Limit: 60

Lunch will be provided along with a session of “play” after the one-hour training.

Presenter:
Katie Kurtz, LISW-S

Training Title:
The Power of Play: Nervous System Care for Practitioners

Goals:
Nervous system care is how we build personal and collective resilience by giving us the capacity to show up, connect, and relate. Accumulated stress and vicarious trauma can make spontaneity, joy, and connection feel threatening rather than restorative, narrowing our capacity as individuals and communities. This workshop explores play as a powerful pathway for regulation and co-regulation, and how trauma-informed practitioners, educators, and community leaders can intentionally integrate play-based approaches to expand resilience across individuals, groups, and the systems we exist in.

Objectives:
1. Identify how nervous system care builds personal and collective resilience capacity.

2. Explain why play is an effective pathway for regulation and co-regulation.

3. Apply at least three play-based strategies that support nervous system regulation.

4. Develop a trauma-informed lens to the facilitation of play-based nervous system care.

About the Presenter:
Katie Kurtz (she/her) is an internationally recognized and award-winning trauma-informed thought leader, speaker, and consultant. Through a trust-centered, trauma-informed approach, Katie helps socially conscious professionals and companies close the gap between intention and action, so culture becomes a true competitive strength, not a statement on paper. Her work blends neuroscience, systems thinking, and practical skill-building to help people create environments where trust, collaboration, and resilience can thrive. Katie brings over 15 years of experience advancing trauma[1]informed care, relational leadership, and trust-based organizational strategies. She has partnered with recognized institutions and mission[1]driven companies, including: University of Southern California, LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland, The State of Ohio, OhioHealth, and Diabetes UK. In 2025, Katie was honored with the Ohio Trauma-Informed Care Award for exemplary leadership and her contributions to advancing trauma-informed practices statewide.

Ravenwood Health is an approved provider through the Ohio CSWMFT Board for Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage Family Therapists.

This course is approved for 1.0 CEU:

• RCX129102-Counselor Provider
• RSX089102-Social Worker Provider
• RTX011901- Marriage & Family Therapy Provider