Child Play Therapy Training

"Play is really the work of childhood," Fred Rogers, who portrayed "Mister Roberts," once said.

Play therapy is a type of therapy primarily used with children. Children play to explore their world. When their world is turned upside-down because of trauma or change, children express their feelings or distress through play. Trained professionals help children work through difficulties in play therapy rooms all over the world.

History

Child psychotherapist Anna Freud first explored children's play as a form of psychoanalysis. Along with Freud, Margaret Lowenfield and Melanie Klein pioneered play therapy in the early 1900s. Klein suggested that for children, play was just as important as free association was for adults. The publication of the book "Dibs In Search of Self" brought the idea of play therapy into the mainstream. Learning centers all over the world now offer training in play therapy.

Types

There are two types of play therapy--directed and nondirected. In directed play therapy, the child plays with specific toys. The therapist asks questions and makes suggestions that help the child explore the situation. Nondirected play therapy allows the child the freedom to explore at his own pace. The therapist reflects and supports the child's decisions without any judgement. Each type requires a different kind of training.

Training for Directed Play

Hospitals and schools use directed play therapy. Specialized toys allow children to explore medical situations, careers and household situations. Hospital therapists use specialized toys to help children explore their feelings about medical procedures. Courtrooms use directed play therapy to familiarize children with legal procedures. There are seminars, distance-learning courses and hands-on training to prepare a therapist for directed play in specific settings. A postgraduate degree in children's therapy is needed for certification at this level.

Training for NonDirected Play

Nondirected play therapy is rooted in psychoanalysis. This form of play therapy can be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis. Doctoral training or a background in psycho-analysis can be helpful with this form. Specialized training, supervised internships and research opportunities are all part of the educational requirements of nondirected play therapy.

Requirements for Certification

To receive certification as a registered play therapist, or RPT, the applicant must have a state license for individual clinical therapy. She must also earn a graduate degree or higher in mental health services plus complete 150 hours of play therapy instruction. She needs to have logged at least 2,000 hours of supervised clinical practice and have at least 500 hours of supervised play therapy experience.

References

• Association for Play Therapy
• Play Therapy International: Training Models
• Mental Health Matters: What Is Play Therapy and How Can It Help My Child?
• British Association of Play Therapists: History of Play Therapy

Resources

• "Dibs In Search of Self"; Virginia Axeline; 1967
• Association for Play Therapy: University Search Engine