CLINICAL EDITOR’S COMMENTS: The authors argue the importance of RPT-Ss
remaining current with play therapy and mental health change drivers.
T
he Association for Play Therapy (APT) was established in 1982 by co-founders Dr. Charles Schafer and Dr. Kevin
O’Connor following the release of their book, The Handbook of Play Therapy. At the time, as supervisor and supervisee, Dr. Schaefer and Dr. O’Connor had many conversations about how to organize a multidisciplinary networking group where people could share information regarding play therapy. They each contributed $25.00 to form APT and contacted the play therapist educators that contributed to their book to establish the start of play therapy networking by founding APT.
The founding Board of Directors was comprised of Drs. Charles Schaefer, Kevin O’Connor, Garry Landreth, Louise Guerney, Ann Jernberg, Eleanor mission to inform the public about the merits of play therapy as the preferred approach in the mental health treatment of children and some adults. The association grew and in 1984, APT began offering annual conferences. These annual conferences continue, and from its humble beginnings in the summer of 1982, APT’s membership grew from a rousing number of 2 to over 7,500 members today!
In 1992, APT established state branches and the Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S) credential. The nine APT Board of Directors members at that time applied for RPT-S and CE provider credentials: John Allan, Diane Frey, Louise Guerney, Garry Landreth, Byron Norton, Kevin O’Connor, Emily Oe, Lessie Perry, and Charles Schaefer. Their applications documented the obtention of mental health licensure approved based on their demonstrated knowledge and experience in 2019). These clinicians, and others who were grandparented the RPT-S credential based on their application and approval, served as APT’s who were building their competence towards their own play therapy credentials.
APT continually strives to stay current with important professional issues in play therapy, having developed and regularly reviewing documents that guide play therapy practice, such as the Paper on Touch (APT, 2019a) and Play Therapy Best Practices (APT, 2019b).
The Best Practices statement contains pertinent information for play therapy supervision, including guidance on providing distance and online supervision and consultation (Sects. H, J.5) with an emphasis on play therapists’ seeking ongoing education and training on multicultural issues (Sect. D.2).
APT (2019b) acknowledged that
play therapists with intersecting identities may impact their choice of clinical theory and approach and placed the responsibility on the play therapists for understanding their clients’ cultural backgrounds and providing care that is respectful of multicultural diversity (Sect. A.2).
APT (2019b) acknowledged that play therapists with intersecting
identities may impact their choice of clinical theory and approach and placed the responsibility on the play therapists for understanding their clients’ cultural backgrounds and providing care that is respectful of multicultural diversity (Sect. A.2). Several authors have addressed the
importance of securing cultural competency in play therapy (e.g., Gil, 2016; Gil & Drewes, 2005). Play therapy supervision addresses cultural competency as core to the process of competent care (e.g., Penn & Post, 2012).
In light of APT history and the current context of updating credentials to align with play therapy best practices, we will review the origins and evolution of the RPT/S credentials; give readers a preview of the new RPT requirements; provide some helpful considerations for
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