What is Play Therapy?
Play Therapy is the use of toys and other play materials to create changes in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Due to a child’s brain development and the specific way children learn they are not able to engage in traditional “talk therapy” to create improvements in their struggles like adults are. Many young children have not developed the abstract reasoning abilities and verbal processing skills needed for traditional talk therapy and can be unable to communicate their inner states accurately through verbal intervention Play is their “language” and the specific ways they use the toys are their “words”. Children might use the sand tray, dolls, dramatic play costumes, puppets, or numerous other toys to help them make sense of their areas of difficulty and create insight on how to move forward. Play therapy is the intervention and mechanism of change and is significantly different than using toys to distract a child so they can talk and verbally process their difficulties.
Read more about play therapy here:
Association for Play Therapy Information :
Purpose of play therapy, how it works, and benefits to children
Overview of play therapy APT video
The Power of Play Therapy, Lindsey Getz in Social Work Today
Play Therapy, Gary Landreth and Sue Bratton
The Therapy Behind Play Therapy, Bethany Bray
Play Therapy, Practice, Issues, and Trends, Linda E. Homeyer and Mary O. Morrison
How do I start?
According to the Association for Play Therapy Guidelines it is reccomended that before starting to practice play therapy one has extensive training, supervision, and education. It is important to complete some basic continuing education trainings, college courses, or read play therapy books or manuals and receive supervision prior to starting play therapy techniques with children. You will need to understand the difference between directive and nondirective play therapy techniques, what play therapy theoretical orientation you will be practicing from (ie. Adlerian, Client Centered, Experiential, etc.), how to purposefully select toys that will be helpful to your clients, how to talk about play therapy with parents, how to idetnify play themes and engage in tracking during sessions, how to assess for progress, how play therapy is different than using toys to distract children so they can verbally process their difficulties, and so much more. All of this is important because you as the clinician ethically need to make sure that you have the skills and expertise to effectively deliver an intervention in a way that will be helpful for their symptoms. The education, training, and supervision process makes sure that this happens!
Go to the Professional Development page to get ideas of where to start! I offer play therapy supervision and the Association for Play Therapy has a searchable directory to find others who can provide play therapy specific supervision.
Feeling overwhelmed with all the lingo? Check out the play therapy glossary of terms here!
Should I become a Registered Play Therapist?
Minimum competency is reccomended to begin play therapy techniques with children, however I strongly recommend all professionals practicing play therapy start the journey to become registered. Read about the process here. You can also become a member of the Association for Play Therapy here which will provide you with information, tools, and resources to help you begin your practice of play therapy.
Through Becoming a Registered Play Therapist (RPT) or Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S) you receive extensive training and supervision and can be confident in your work with children and families that you are providing evidence based practices effectively and competently. When you have enough knowledge to talk with families about play therapy, why it is effective, and what the process will look like, families have a greater likelihood of "buying in" to the services. You also will grow your tool box significantly and will be able to increase your flexibility and confidence to provide children the interventions that will be helpful for multiple different ages, presenting concerns, and developmental levels which translates to symptom reduction and relief for children.
Another benefit to becoming registered is you will be on an online searchable database through the Association for Play Therapy so families who are seeking out play therapy or other providers who are looking to refer clients can find you and your practice. Being a RPT or RPT-S also gives you a niche to work with a special population effectively and competently.
Play Therapy is the use of toys and other play materials to create changes in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Due to a child’s brain development and the specific way children learn they are not able to engage in traditional “talk therapy” to create improvements in their struggles like adults are. Many young children have not developed the abstract reasoning abilities and verbal processing skills needed for traditional talk therapy and can be unable to communicate their inner states accurately through verbal intervention Play is their “language” and the specific ways they use the toys are their “words”. Children might use the sand tray, dolls, dramatic play costumes, puppets, or numerous other toys to help them make sense of their areas of difficulty and create insight on how to move forward. Play therapy is the intervention and mechanism of change and is significantly different than using toys to distract a child so they can talk and verbally process their difficulties.
Read more about play therapy here:
Association for Play Therapy Information :
Purpose of play therapy, how it works, and benefits to children
Overview of play therapy APT video
The Power of Play Therapy, Lindsey Getz in Social Work Today
Play Therapy, Gary Landreth and Sue Bratton
The Therapy Behind Play Therapy, Bethany Bray
Play Therapy, Practice, Issues, and Trends, Linda E. Homeyer and Mary O. Morrison
How do I start?
According to the Association for Play Therapy Guidelines it is reccomended that before starting to practice play therapy one has extensive training, supervision, and education. It is important to complete some basic continuing education trainings, college courses, or read play therapy books or manuals and receive supervision prior to starting play therapy techniques with children. You will need to understand the difference between directive and nondirective play therapy techniques, what play therapy theoretical orientation you will be practicing from (ie. Adlerian, Client Centered, Experiential, etc.), how to purposefully select toys that will be helpful to your clients, how to talk about play therapy with parents, how to idetnify play themes and engage in tracking during sessions, how to assess for progress, how play therapy is different than using toys to distract children so they can verbally process their difficulties, and so much more. All of this is important because you as the clinician ethically need to make sure that you have the skills and expertise to effectively deliver an intervention in a way that will be helpful for their symptoms. The education, training, and supervision process makes sure that this happens!
Go to the Professional Development page to get ideas of where to start! I offer play therapy supervision and the Association for Play Therapy has a searchable directory to find others who can provide play therapy specific supervision.
Feeling overwhelmed with all the lingo? Check out the play therapy glossary of terms here!
Should I become a Registered Play Therapist?
Minimum competency is reccomended to begin play therapy techniques with children, however I strongly recommend all professionals practicing play therapy start the journey to become registered. Read about the process here. You can also become a member of the Association for Play Therapy here which will provide you with information, tools, and resources to help you begin your practice of play therapy.
Through Becoming a Registered Play Therapist (RPT) or Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S) you receive extensive training and supervision and can be confident in your work with children and families that you are providing evidence based practices effectively and competently. When you have enough knowledge to talk with families about play therapy, why it is effective, and what the process will look like, families have a greater likelihood of "buying in" to the services. You also will grow your tool box significantly and will be able to increase your flexibility and confidence to provide children the interventions that will be helpful for multiple different ages, presenting concerns, and developmental levels which translates to symptom reduction and relief for children.
Another benefit to becoming registered is you will be on an online searchable database through the Association for Play Therapy so families who are seeking out play therapy or other providers who are looking to refer clients can find you and your practice. Being a RPT or RPT-S also gives you a niche to work with a special population effectively and competently.
