what are the requirements to become a registered Play Therapist?
Criteria for the Registered Play Therapist (RPT) credential is very strict and only obtained after becoming licensed in the state. Licensing requirements include:
Master's degree or higher in mental health with at least 60 hours of graduate work
3 yrs & 3,000 hours of clinical supervised experience
150 hours additional play therapy specific instruction
350 additional hours of direct client contact under the supervision of an RPT-S
35 additional hours of play therapy supervision
Children and Trauma
The National Institute of Mental Health defines childhood trauma as “The experience of an event by a child that is emotionally painful or distressful, which often results in lasting mental and physical effects.”
Childhood trauma occurs when a child witnesses or experiences an overwhelming distressing event. Some events can include abuse, assault, neglect, violence, bullying, death, divorce, poverty, natural disasters, separation from caregiver, serious accidents, life-threatening illnesses, or military family-related stressors.
The signs of traumatic stress is different in each child and younger children react differently than older children. Some of the signs to look for:
Fear of being separated from their caregiver
Cry or scream a lot
Change in appetite or change in weight
Nightmares
Become anxious or fearful
Feelings of guilt or shame
Have a hard time concentrating
Have difficulty sleeping
Feel depressed or alone
Develop eating disorders or self-harming behaviors
Start abusing alcohol and/or drugs
Become involved in risky sexual behavior
Difficulty in school acting out or drop in grades
what are the six stages of play?
Unoccupied Play (Birth-3 Months)
At this stage baby is just making a lot of movements with their arms, legs, hands, feet, etc. They are learning about and discovering how their body moves.
Independent or Solitary Play (Birth-2 Years)
This is the stage when a child plays alone. They are not interested in playing with others quite yet.
Spectator/Onlooker Behavior (2 Years)
During this stage, a child begins to watch other children playing but does not play with them.
Parallel Play (2+ Years)
When a child plays alongside or near others but does not play with them this stage.
Associate Play (3-4 Years)
When a child starts to interact with others during play, but there is not a large amount of interaction. A child might be doing an activity related to the kids around them, but might not actually be interacting with another child.
Cooperative Play (4+ Years)
When a child plays together with others and has interest in both the activity and other children involved in playing they are participating in cooperative play.
Why Play is Necessary?
Children are not cognitively capable of engaging verbally with adults in a manner required by traditional psychotherapy. Play is a powerful tool for addressing cognitive, behavioral, and emotional challenges. Play is the child's natural language and provides a therapeutic approach that is child-centered, evidence-based, and very effective for dealing with:
Trauma & Transitions
Neurodiversity supports
Cognitive struggles
Social Emotional struggles
Anxiety & Worries
Life changes & Events
Depression & Behavioral outbursts
And so much more
What are the Benefits of play therapy?
Through play therapy, a child can:
Build trust
Learn proper socialization & positive behaviors
Learn self-regulation of emotions
Learn how to follow rules
Learn conflict resolution
Decrease anxiety & externalizing behaviors
Increase problem-solving skills
Improve communication skills
Increase self-esteem
Increase creativity