The School Based Registered Play Therapist

1. The School Based Registered Play Therapist Dr. Janice Ward & Dr. Holly Wagner, Southeast Missouri State University

2. Play is a healing and growth process that children are able to use naturally and independently, except when their healing and growth process is significantly interrupted. Cochran, 1996

3. Play as the Language of Children • Natural method of expression, learning, and interacting. (Axline, 1947; Landreth, 1982; Moustakas, 1953) • Encourages children to increase their understanding of the world as they explore objects, language, social roles, and feelings without imminent risk. (Griffith, 1997) • Symbolic understanding. (Piaget, 1951) • Organizer of children’s experiences and may be one of the few times in their lives that they feel more in control and more secure. (Landreth, 2002)

4. What is Play Therapy? • “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.” (APT) • “An interaction seeking to relieve the child’s emotional distress through the symbolic communication of play.” (Webb, 1999, p. 30)

5. Importance of Play The Importance of Play in Promoting Development and Parental Bonding • http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/182 Children Tell Us How Important it is to Play • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sby38BbLZuY

6. Play Therapy in the Schools • Increased need for mental health services in the schools • Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 2017-2018 • http://cte.ed.gov/legislation/about-essa • Calls for more Trauma Informed Services in the Schools • More services for mental health

7. Becoming A School Based RPT • Association for Play Therapy http://www.a4pt.org/ • School Based-Registered Play Therapists (SB-RPT) are school counselors or school psychologists who hold a license from their state's department of education, and who have satisfied the criteria described in the SB-RPT Guide. http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.a4pt.org/resource/resmgr/rpt_and_rpt-s_credentials/SB-RPT_Guide_August_2016.pdf

8. Becoming A School Based RPT • Master’s degree or higher in mental health with courses in: • Child Development • Theories of Personality • Psychotherapy • Child & Adolescent Psychopathology • Ethics • 150 hours of Play Therapy instruction through an APT Provider • Supervised Play Therapy Experience • 600 hours of supervised experience with an RPT-S (50 hours of concurrent supervision) • 2 years continuous employment post-certification

9. Becoming A School Based RPT • Recertification • Current and active state certification • Every 3 years • 18 hours of play therapy specific instruction from APT provider • 3 hours of DSM specific training

10. Approved Center of Play Therapy Education • Approved Centers of Play Therapy Education are designated to generate more play therapy research, peer-reviewed publications, instruction, and supervised clinical experiences at universities. Centers are approved for a 3-year period.  A searchable online directory displays universities offering play therapy instruction and internships or hosting Approved Centers.

11. Activities • Color My Feelings • My Superhero Story • Yarn Visualization Activity