TRAINING
Live and Virtual Trainings to Grow Your
Therapeutic Practice
"Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world
better than you found it.” - Marian Wright Edelman
Welcome to the intersection of passion and professional growth! At our workshops and training sessions, we don't just teach skills — we ignite your potential through the lens of pop culture.
A New Hope Therapy Center, our sister organization and partner for trainings and workshops, is an Approved CE Provider for the Association for Play Therapy™ (APT™) - Approved Provider, and our President Maria Laquerre-Diego is an Approved Provider for the New Mexico Counseling and Therapy Practice Board.
"Maria trainings have always been a must! She is so interactive and playful, and just shows her genuine, kind spirited personality. You will leave her trainings learning so much, feeling empowered and ready to apply new techniques to your practice. My favorite thing about her trainings is after every training I have attended she really focuses on building a support system, and is always first to volunteer to be our cheerleader, pep coach or motivator! "
—SITH Conference Attendee
Live Trainings and
Workshops
Our innovative in-person and virtual workshops focus on imparting skills and actionable insights that are essential for professional growth, while gaining those all-important CE points.
Pop culture is a goldmine of creativity, and we harness its power to inspire innovation and fresh perspectives. Even if you're not a pop culture buff, our workshops will ignite your creative spark and help you think outside the box.
"The hands on interventions were creative and easily understood. They were insightful and could be used for any treatment population dynamic. This training was immensely entertaining, relevant and useful. I definitely hope we ask you for future out of the box trainings!"
— 'Villains in Play Therapy' training attendee
Want to Become a Registered Play Therapist? Join our Play Academy!
Our Play Academy's comprehensive training program provides clinical professionals with the education and supervision needed to become Registered Play Therapists™ (RPT™s).
The program is designed to meet the requirements of the Association for Play Therapy™ (APT™) and can be completed in two years.
"I have learned so much in the past year through the Play Academy and I am so excited to actually be close to becoming a registered play therapist. The trainings, the supervision, and the general sense of belonging offered though this program is unmatched and I am so happy that I took this journey!"
— Thomas Sanchez, LCSW
"Every training was rich and packed full of incredibly useful information. I feel as though this conference re-ignited so much passion and drive for this field of work both in me and in others."
— Disneyland Conference 2024 Attendee
Book Us To Speak At Your Next Training Event
A self-described geek, Maria Laquerre Diego, LMFT, RPT-S is a therapist turned President of A New Hope Academy. In addition to supporting mental health providers, Maria takes an active role in addressing the continued stigma of mental health services through the use of pop culture – everything from movies and television shows to superheroes and Disney characters.
Maria has spoken about mental health at several local events, has served as an officer on professional boards, and has provided training to clinicians all over the country. Book Maria to speak at your next event!