Play Therapy

IUPUI Seminar Class

March 19, 2007
Megan Pritchard


We are never more fully alive,
more completely ourselves, or
more deeply engrossed in
anything than when we are
playing Charles Schaefer


Overview of Play Therapy
Video: Why Play Therapy?
(www.a4pt.org)

We are never more fully alive, more
completely ourselves, or more deeply
engrossed in anything than when we are
playing Charles Schaefer


Definition of Play
Therapy
Play therapy is the systematic use of a
theoretical model to establish an
interpersonal process wherein trained play
therapist use the therapeutic powers of
play to help clients prevent or resolve
psychological difficulties and achieve
optimal growth and development.
(Association for Play Therapy Board,
March 1997)
Play Therapy Activity
Types of Play Therapy
Directive Play Therapy
Non-Directive Play Therapy
Theories of Play Therapy
Directive
Cognitive behavioral
Gestalt
Developmental
SFBT


Non-Directive
Child-centered
Jungian
Psychoanalytic

-Adlerian-
-Filial-
Source: InAPT conference 2005
Methods of Play Therapy
Sand Tray
Imaginative Play
Puppet Play
Art/Crafts

Play Therapy Activity
Sand Tray
Group Sand Tray
Toys Needed for Play
Therapy Room
Scary toys
Clients can use
these to deal with
fears
Plastic monsters,
snakes, bugs, bears,
lions, dinosaurs
Nurturing Toys
Clients can use
these to play out
family relationships
and events
Doll house, dolls,
puppets, baby dolls,
baby doll supplies,
kitchen set
Source: InAPT conference 2005
Toys Needed for Play
Therapy Room
Aggressive Toys
Clients use these to
express anger and
aggression and
explore power and
control issues
Guns, play knives,
hammer and nails,
toy soldiers,
punching bag
Expressive Toys
Clients use these to
explore
relationships,
express feelings,
deal with
problem/solution
Crayons, paper,
scissors, paint,
craft items.
Source: InAPT conference 2005
Toys Needed for Play
Therapy Room
Pretend/Fantasy Toys
Clients can use these to explore
different roles, hidden feelings, and
alternative behaviors
Masks, hats, doctors kit, zoo and farm
animals, building materials, jewelry
Source: InAPT conference 2005
Support for Play Therapy
in the Schools
Play an effective treatment for childrens
problems (Ray et. Al., 2001)(Cohen, 1977)(Johnson
et. Al., 1997) (Post, 1999)
Childrens natural language is play. Play is a
developmentally appropriate way that children express
themselves. (Axline and Landreth)
Play is a natural way for children to express
feelings/emotions (Drewes)
Many children learn through hands-on activities and
movement (Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences)


Support for Play Therapy
in the Schools (cont.)
Play therapy matches with Piagets theory of
cognitive development (Ray et. Al, 2005)
Preoperational stage (ages 2-7): language skills are not
as developed as internal awareness
Concrete Operations Stage (ages 8-11): limits in
abstract reasoning- play helps bridge gap between
concrete experience and abstract thought
Practical applications in the school
Play therapy can be used to assist in GEIS and IEPs to
inform classroom observations and social-emotional
analysis (Drewes)

Challenges Related to Play
Therapy in the Schools
Lack of time available with students in a school
setting (Ray et. Al., 2005)
Efficacy even greater when parents are involved and the
number of sessions ranges from 30-35 (Leblanc &
Ritchie, 2001)
Lack of training in play therapy for school
counselors (Ray et. Al., 2005)
Cost of play materials (Drewes)
Non-traditional: need to advocate for it- use
research and concrete explanation (Drewes)
Solution Focused Brief
Therapy-Play Therapy
client goal
miracle question
relationship question
instances/exception
scaling
unfinished business
message
Play therapy techniques for
SFBT
How to become a Registered Play
Therapist (RPT)
(Through The International Association for Play Therapy)
Application process through APT
Academic Requirement Earn a Masters degree in a medical
or mental health profession and 150 clock hours of
instruction in play therapy.
30 of the 150 hours may be gained via distance learning (APT
offers distance learning coursework)
APT Annual Conference training sessions: approx. 38 hours
Graduate coursework
Indianapolis Approved Providers of training:
Indiana Association for Play Therapy
(Contact: Phyllis Brown, indianaapt@yahoo.com)
Play Journeys, Inc.
(Contact: Patty Scanlon, pscanlon@playjourneys.com)

Source: Association for Play Therapy, Inc.,
www.a4pt.org
How to become a Registered Play
Therapist (RPT), cont.
(Through The International Association for Play Therapy)
Clinical Requirement Obtain two years
(2,000 hours) of clinical experience (one
year post-Masters)
minimum of 500 hours of supervised play
therapy experience
document supervision of both general and Play
Therapy clinical experience
Licensure Requirement Be licensed or
certified in primary mental health field.

Source: Association for Play Therapy, Inc.,
www.a4pt.org
Resources for Additional
Information
Association for Play Therapy, Inc. Website:
http://www.a4pt.org/
School-Based Play Therapy, Drewes, Carey, & Schaefer
The Handbook of Group Play Therapy, Sweeney & Homeyer
Leblanc, M. & Ritchie, M. (2001), A meta-analysis of play
therapy outcomes. Counseling Psychology Quarterly, 14(2),
149-163.
Hall, T.M., Gerard Kaduson, H., & Schaefer, C.E. (2002).
Fifteen effective play therapy techniques. Professional
Psychology: Research and Practice, 33(6), 515-522.
Ray, D.C., Armstrong, S.A., Warren, E.S. & Balkin, R.S.
(2005). Play therapy practices among elementary school
counselors, 8(4), 360-365.
Questions?

Play Therapy Activity