Play Therapy with a Registered Play Therapist™

The Association for Play Therapy™ in the United States describes play therapy as “as “the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained Play Therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development."

The Association for Play Therapy™ (APT) oversees the credentialing process to become a registered play therapist™. It takes between 2 and 5 years, 150 continuing education hours over 3 phases with 300 hours of supervised clinical work and 35 hours of consultation with a registered play therapist supervisor to become a registered play therapist™. Maintaining the credential also requires continuing education.

Play therapists apply 4 therapeutic powers of play- facilitating communication, fostering emotional wellness, increasing and building on personal strengths and enhancing social relationships. It is not just “regular play” though to the outside eye, it may appear this way. Children learn and grow through play; it’s their job. Playing out difficult situations, working through experiences help them make sense of the world, showing their grown-ups what they are thinking and feeling all in an effort to be connected- that is heard, seen and validated.

When we give children space to play therapeutically we are able to foster the connections and respond better as their adults. With play therapy at FeatherLight parents are involved in the reflective process at the end of sessions to grow in their understanding of their children to grow in how they can nurturing the connections of attachment with their children.