MEMBER STORYTELLING
CLINICAL EDITOR’S COMMENTS: The author shares about her play therapy discovery and some fun(ny) experiences on her journey.
The Journey to Play | SHAMARA HOWZE, MS, LPC, RPT J
seamlessly. I arrived at the idea of going into counseling as my
career during my sophomore year in college, after facing the other side of the chair myself. I wanted to be a part of a community of people who assist in healing what could not be seen. I also had a desire to work with children and consulted with professors to understand how the two could marry and then learned of play therapy. Once I got to graduate school, I was fortunate enough to have Dr. Sarah Moore as a professor and a mentor to guide me with my interest in play therapy. To this day, she has supported my inquisitiveness, creativity, and challenged my practice to become a more effective play therapist.
Changing my career my sophomore year has been the best decision of my life. In play therapy, I get to surround myself with things I love in my personal life, which includes art, games, and creativity. To know that I get to make therapy an enjoyable experience for children to be fully accepted brings me so much joy. Joy can also come with laughter. I have learned over the years that my face hasn’t aged a bit.
logged on and asked, “Are you a kid?” I could not hold my laughter as my two buns, that I once thought were stylish, became additional evidence for him that another child was going to be his therapist. You could imagine the laughter we shared together as I explained that I was actually an adult.
I’m so glad I have the privilege of playing a small part in children’s lives that could change the trajectory of their lives. Being able to do this work, to speak their language, and to provide safety using unconditional positive regard in a space where they may not otherwise experience it, is a small feat, and I’m glad to serve.
I would encourage others who desire to be play therapists to seek mentorship. Having my professors guidance led me to seek an internship with Kandace Perryman, who has also assisted me on this journey to play. They both shared conferences they thought I might be interested in to further my understanding and exploration of play. Also, tuning, not to be perfect but to be everything the client needed in that moment. Through guidance, I was also encouraged to seek supervision with someone who would be able to support both my clinical license and the RPT credential for dual gains. This was probably the most helpful advice I had received from them both. In mentoring or even providing supervision for a potential play therapist, it is helpful to keep in mind their interests, goals, and personal creativity to see how each element can be used to develop their skill. I hope to one day serve as a guiding light to others on the journey to play the way they have served me.
ABOUT THEMEMBER
Shamara Howze, MS, LPC, RPT, is originally from Charlotte, NC and practices in Washington, Shamara has created group curricula, been an online PI for Wake’s Counseling Program, and started a business called Howze Your Health to share her gifts, not bury them.
svhowze@gmail.com
34 | PLAYTHERAPY | December 2021 |
www.a4pt.org
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