2025 VSOF Conference
2025 VSOF Conference Session DetailsAnnouncing the 2025 Violet Solomon Oaklander Foundation (VSOF) Conference
The Violet Solomon Oaklander Board is excited to announce our biannual conference. The 2025 VSOF Conference theme is: Building Relationships with the Oaklander Approach. Violet Oaklander’s approach to Gestalt Play Therapy was always rooted in relationships: “Without at least the thread of relationship,” she stated, “nothing much can happen.” This conference is designed to help practitioners and students from various disciplines (e.g. LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs) explore the many kinds and levels of relationships that are facilitated using the Oaklander approach. The overall educational goals of the conference include:
- Participants in the conference will gain knowledge from practicing therapists from around the world regarding how the Oaklander approach helps establish and develop a helpful working relationship with particular children, families and groups, even when working with a specific population or culture different than their own.
- Participants in the conference will gain skills in using the Oaklander approach to facilitate and develop helpful relationships with a broad spectrum of clients.
- Participants in the conference will gain skills in using the Oaklander approach to help clients we work with to develop a better relationship and contact with themselves and others.
How to Attend
This year’s conference will take place both online and in-person. Participants can register to attend online only or to attend both online and in-person. No refunds are available if registrants cancel, however access to the video recordings of the conference will be available.
Online Conference Presentations
The online portion of the conference, using Zoom, will be held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 27th, 28th, and 29th 2025, from 8 AM to 1:40 PM PDT. Online conference fees are $200 USD ($100 USD for students). Each online presentation (See table below) will include theoretical information, practical tips, and first-hand experiences pertaining to the Oaklander approach of psychotherapy for children and adolescents. Participants in all time zones around the world may attend presentations, and/or view recordings after the conference. Participants will have the opportunity to enhance and expand their knowledge, understanding, and skill regarding the Oaklander approach, as well as contribute to this bi-annual fund raiser for the VSOF Scholarship Fund, thus helping people around the world get training in the Oaklander approach. Each presentation will be in English. Additional language interpretation is offered for Spanish, Portuguese, Bulgarian, and Ukranian with possible other options. Please contact the following email with any language requests which we will try to accommodate: vsofcertification@gmail.com.
In-Person Conference Events
The in-person conference events will be held in Carpinteria, California starting Thursday evening June 26th with a welcome dinner and continuing each afternoon when the online sessions have concluded. In-person conference fees are $125 USD. There is no housing available at the event site, to participants will need to find their own housing in the area. Local housing options will be included here soon (see table below for the theme and outline of the in-person conference events).
Continuing Education Credits
The Violet Solomon Oaklander Foundation, VSOF, (CAMFT Provider #141473) is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs. VSOF maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. The Online Conference meets the qualifications for 15 hours of continuing education for LMFT’s and LCSW’s as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and 15 hours of continuing education towards certification from the Violet Solomon Oaklander Foundation (VSOF).
The In-Person Conference meets the qualifications for 8.5 hours of continuing education for LMFT’s and LCSW’s as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and 8.5 hours of continuing education towards certification from the Violet Solomon Oaklander Foundation (VSOF). The In-Person Conference is approved by APT Approved Provider 21-640 for 8.5 contact hours of continuing education for the Association for Play Therapists. Play therapy credit may not be awarded to non-mental health professionals. Conference completion certificates will be issued when the participant completes the Conference Assessment and Evaluation form which will be sent to each participant prior to the start of the conference.
Additional Information
Cancellation policy: Although no refunds can be made in the case of a participant needing to cancel their attendance (in either the online or in-person events), video recordings of each online presenation can me made available upon request. Accomodations for disability: Participants may request accommodations (for either the online or in-person events) or grievances by emailing vsofcertification@gmail.com.
Schedule for Online Conference Presentations
Schedule for In-Person Conference Events
| Schedule for In-Person Conference Events | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date | Time & Event | Location |
| Thursday, June 26 | 6:00pm – Welcome dinner (pay your own way, location to be announced) | To be announced |
| Friday, June 27 | 2:30pm – 6:00pm – Sandtray session (refreshments provided by VSOF) | Carpinteria Women’s Club |
| 6:00pm – Dinner provided by VSOF | ||
| Saturday, June 28 | 2:30pm – 6:00pm – Sandtray working session | Beach (Location TBA) |
| 6:00pm – Dinner provided by VSOF | ||
| Sunday, June 29 | 2:30pm – 4:00pm – Closing activities | Carpinteria Women’s Club |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is this conference online or in-person?
A: The VSOF 2025 conference is offered both online and in-person
Q: Do I have to attend both the online and in-person parts of the conference?
A: No. You have can register for both the online and in-person parts, or you can register for the online portion only.
Q: How are the online and in-person parts different?
A: The in-person portion of the conference will take place in Carpinteria. In-person participants will view the online presentations on Zoom on their own or with other in-person attendees. In-person attendees will also be meeting together for the in-person portions of the conference on Thursday night, June 26, and each day after the online presentations on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (please see the in-person schedule of events at vsof.org).
Q: I can’t attend all of the online sessions. Can I still enroll for the conference and get access to the recordings of the presentations I miss after the conference?
A: Yes. We will be recording the each session, and participants will receive access for each of the recorded sessions once they’re available.
Q: I’m not an English language speaker. Will I be able to understand the conference sessions?
A: Each of the online presentations will be delivered in English. However, participants will be able to choose to listen to interpreters who will be translating each presentation into Spanish, Ukrainian, Portuguese and Bulgarian. Other language interpretations will be announced if and when they become available.
Q: What does VSOF do with the proceeds to this conference?
A: The Violet Solomon Oaklander Foundation is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to keep alive and extend the work of Gestalt Play Therapy, both nationally and internationally. Proceeds for the conference are used to offer scholarships to on-going trainings and workshops which highlight the work of Dr. Violet Oaklander around the world.
Q: How can I get more information or have any further questions addressed?
A: Please contact vsofcertification@gmail.com for more information.