There is an increasing need for practitioners to demonstrate accountability for a chosen modality (e.g., play therapy, animal-assisted therapy, etc.) to understand its effectiveness in practice. Therapists must be responsible for what they do with clients, and this responsibility is crucial to the commitment of delivering effective services (Corcoran  support to collect data to do basic determinations of effectiveness to  community. Through the institute, play therapists are encouraged to critically investigate the practice of expressive arts through case studies and to write about the clinical practice of play therapy. Part     therapists’ and company time, and is approved by an independent board or committee that reviews research proposals to ensure ethical guidelines are being followed for human subjects. The practical value of this research helps the clinic gauge the effectiveness of play therapy service delivery, and it ensures the evaluation of the changes to clinical practice that need to be made concerning the theoretical base of the play therapy, supervision, clinician education, or training.


Continuing to Innovate and Create This year, the business will add another branch to the overall structure as we break ground on a therapeutic farm. Funding comes through the donation of time from dedicated staff, persistence in grant writing,          collaboration among play therapists who have completed additional  human health or ecotherapy. Louv (2008) discussed how nature offers healing for a child living in a complex family or a neighborhood impacted by adversity. It serves as a blank canvas upon which a child can reinterpret his or her culture and community; nature inspires creativity within the child by offering visualization and the full use of the sensory process (Louv, 2008). The therapeutic farm will enhance clinical practice by allowing clients and families to step outside of the playroom into a world of nature with therapy grounded in an ecological and animal-assisted human health theoretical lens.


Train, Practice, Teach, Repeat Therapists are the greatest asset to a play therapy business. At Firefly Counseling Services, we believe by investing in the training and wellness of our therapists, the therapeutic work is strengthened, creating better practice outcomes for the clients and families served. Encouraging these well-trained clinicians to teach interns, the next generation of counselors, ensures a constant feedback loop is sustained. The subsequent success of clients and interns promotes business growth and credibility through their reporting to community partners, such as universities and primary care physicians, validating clinician success. The accomplishment of this process allows the business to continue its therapy mission: creating a healthier world for all involved actors.


References American Counseling Association. (2014). Alexandria, VA: Author.


Corcoran, K., & Fischer, J. (2007). Measures for clinical practice and research: A sourcebook (5th ed.). Vol. 1. Couples, families, and children. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.


Louv, R. (2008). Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature- New York, NY: Workman.


Luke, M. (2008). Supervision: Models, principles and process issues. In A. A. Drewes & J. A. Mullen, J.A. (Eds.), Supervision can be playful: Techniques for child and play therapy supervisors (pp. 7-25). Lanham, 


National Association of Social Workers. (2018). Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Washington, DC: Author.


Newell, J. M., & MacNeil, G. A. (2010). Professional burnout, vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue: A


review of theoretical terms, risk factors, and preventive methods for clinicians and researchers. Best Practices in Mental Health, 6(2), 57-68.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Michelle M. Pliske, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S, is the CEO and clinical director for Firefly Counseling Services, and is the Director of Operations/Principle Investigator for the Firefly Institute of Research and Education. Michelle is a board member for Oregon APT. mmpliske@fcspc.org


PapER doLl HoUse KIt


•Foam core walls to create 4 rooms •Paper dolls and clothes •Decorative papers, beads & ribbons.


KIT INCLUDES: 


$60 INCLUDES TAX/SHIPPING To order or for more information


ravensky@cox.net • 623-249-3753 www.a4pt.org | June 2018 | PLAYTHERAPY | 13


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