Post Graduate Certificate in Play Therapy

Temple University is a national center of excellence in teaching and research and a leader in professional education. As part of its mission it seeks to create new knowledge that improves the human condition and uplifts the human spirit. In an effort to fulfill this mission, Temple strives to continue to provide access to superior education for committed and capable students of all backgrounds and to enhance existing centers of academic excellence.

The mission of the School of Social Administration is dedicated to societal transformations to eliminate social, political, economic injustices for poor and oppressed populations and to advance the quality of life for all through education, research and scholarship, public service and responding to the needs of constituents.

Temple University Harrisburg is part of Temple´s University College with a primary focus on coordinating effective instruction and services to students across regional campuses, centers and other locations, building capacity and supporting the special strengths of each location in response to regional needs, and creating the necessary flexibility to develop new initiatives that will expand the outreach of Temple University beyond its core Main and Health Sciences campuses. The mission of Temple University Harrisburg is to serve as the leading graduate study and professional development center in the areas of social work, public education, public policy and public service in central Pennsylvania.

The School of Social Administration is offering graduate students and clinicians in Pennsylvania the opportunity to earn a 15 credit graduate certificate in Play Therapy. SSA recognizes the relevance and validity of play therapy and the need for a comprehensive, high quality academic program in this community. Research has concluded that Play Therapy is an effective intervention for a broad range of children´s and family´s difficulties (Reddy, Files-Hall & Schaefer, 2005). It is a structured, theoretically based approach to therapy that builds on the normal communicative and learning processes of children (Carmichael, 2006; Landreth, 2002; O´Conner & Schaefer, 1983).

The courses within this program will prepare students and behavioral health professionals in the community to meet the 150 hours of play therapy-specific educational requirements to become a Registered Play Therapist which is a credential issued by the Association of Play Therapy (APT). APT is the primary professional organization dedicated to the field of Play Therapy whose mission is to promote the value of play, play therapy and credentialed play therapists.

Program Completion within reasonable timeframe

Courses will be offered in cohort fashion. Determination of continued offering of certificate program will be based on receipt of sufficient applications to sustain program viability. Students entering the certificate program and following the proscribed course of study will be able to complete the program within two academic years. For those students who do not follow the proscribed course sequence, student services will advise regarding options.

Admission Requirements:

Applicants must hold a minimum of a master´s degree from an accredited college or university in one of the following disciplines: social work, counseling, counselor education, psychology, school psychology, rehabilitation counseling, marriage and family therapy, or a closely related mental health graduate program.

Prospective students will submit through an application process to the School of Social Administration admissions staff evidence of scholarship and academic potential with graduate transcripts, three letters of reference (one from an academic source) and a goal statement (to include prior related experience and future plans upon completion of certificate program). Formal interviews may be held to determine candidates´ ability to understand and integrate diverse viewpoints as well as their capacity and motivation to counsel children and families.
Participants must agree to attend all sessions of the program and maintain a GPA of 3.0 to remain in the certificate program.

The educational objectives of this program are to:

• Prepare students and behavioral health professionals for service and leadership in private and community settings, as well as private and public schools by developing professional competence and character in the specialized field of Play Therapy
• Promote and support the healthy development and welfare of children and families through the process of Play Therapy
• Provide high quality academic training, supervision and learning resources for students and mental health professionals in the community
• Provide quality instruction and opportunity for research regarding current evidence based practice in play therapy
• Provide opportunities for professional development and specialization to earn the 150 hours of specific Play Therapy instruction to secure the Registered Play Therapist credential

Why play therapy?

Children may not have the words that adults do to help themselves express their feelings. Many times children express their feelings in ways that adults find hard to understand. They may cry and withdraw. They may lash out at others, including schoolmates, siblings, and parents.

Play therapy has been used as a treatment of choice for young children since the early 1900´s. Play Therapy is implemented in mental health, school, agency, developmental, hospital, residential and recreational settings with clients of all ages (Carmichael, 2006, Reddy, Files-Hall & Schaefer, 2005). The field of play therapy has a history of more than 60 years of continuous research. The strength of play therapy research appears to
be in the history of and continued ability to conduct successful play therapy studies in natural real-world settings of schools, hospitals, clinics, and shelters. (Ray, 2006).
For more information on “why play therapy” visit www.a4pt.org/why.cfm

What is play therapy?

Play therapy is a technique used by trained play therapists to work with children in the language kids know best – the language of play. In the safety of the play room, children work through their issues with the toys they choose, innocently revealing their deepest wishes, fears, and hopes. Play is a means of testing, partly incorporating, and mastering external reality while providing a non threatening environment and a flexible atmosphere. Children are able to find out what the world is like, try on different roles, and cope with conflicting emotions. The therapist provides children with unconditional positive regard, while at the same time gently but firmly establishing limits within the structure of the play therapy session. This relationship allows children to develop trust, self confidence, and improved self worth.

There are many experiences in childhood in which children feel they have little or no control. Play is a child´s way of working out accompanying feelings of anxiety and fear and reestablishing some sense of balance and control in their lives, in an environment they can control. It is this sense or feeling of control, rather than actual control, which is essential to emotional development and positive mental health. The story can be what the child wants it to be. In the safety of play, the child can confront monsters, fantasy characters, and frightening experiences with real people and be in charge of the outcome. As children work through their issues in play, problematic symptoms decrease and improved coping is visible in their actions out of the play room, as children are able to express, control, and ultimately release powerful feelings.

Who Practices Play Therapy

The practice of play therapy requires specialized education, training and experience. A play therapist is a licensed (or certified) mental health professional who has earned a master´s or doctorate degree in a mental health field, and who has gained considerable general clinical experience and supervision.

The Association for Play Therapy was established in 1982 to advance the goals of play therapy, and to register as play therapists those licensed mental health professionals who meet educational, experiential, and supervision standards. With advanced specialized training, experience, and supervision mental health professionals may earn the Registered Play Therapist (RPT) or Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S) credentials conferred by the Association For Play Therapy (APT). For more information regarding credentialing please visit www.a4pt.org

By Jean Camberg, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S