Principle 3: Develop the Person of the Play
Therapist and fostering the development of the person of the play therapist. Knowledge and skills are essential for competent practice, but without an understanding, attuned, grounded, and safe play therapist to facilitate the therapeutic process and relationship, training alone will trainings with themes that: • Promote the professional identity of the play therapist in that play
therapists offer more than just fun interventions or
advanced training in a unique specialty skill set aligned with the developmental needs of children and adolescents.
• Focus on the meaning of becoming and being a play therapist and the immeasurable value of play for children in equal measure with the importance of client-outcomes.
• Foster a love for the art of play therapy. behind this unique modality over other forms of therapy for children.
Conclusion vast and ever-growing. However, the only way to truly attend to these needs, both for children and for the play therapists who serve them, is to increase the pool of exceptional play therapy instructors and approved providers. However, quality training means that play therapy instructors continually review and incorporate the Association for Play Therapy’s resources available to them, such as Approved Provider criteria and standards, program checklists, sample play therapy programs set in universities. Effective instruction is truly a specialized skill, and through the guiding principles of providing experiential learning, focused teaching, and enrichment for the person of the play therapist, play therapy instructors are prepared to step into the gap of need in meaningful ways.
Play therapy instructors have the incredible opportunity to impact therapists are counting on their play therapy instructors to train them well and prepare them to reach their highest potential as clinicians. When instructors teach well, illuminate the abstract, and inspire others, the future is bright not only for the next generation of play therapists, but also for the children and families who need them.
References styles in counseling: A scoping review of the empirical evidence. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 35
2014 ACA Code of Ethics.
https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/default- Credentialing standards for the Registered Play Therapist: APT Professional Credentialing Program. credentials/standards_&_applications/RPT_Standards.pdf Bansema, C. H., Vermeiren, R. R. J. M., Nijland, L., de Soet, R., identifying the characteristics of youth with severe and eduring mental health problems in practice: A qualitative study. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 33 023-02325-2 Simulation in Healthcare, 10 Hoffman, J. A., Attridge, M. M., Carroll, M. S., Simon, N. E. Beck, A., level mental health professional shortage areas in the US. JAMA Pediatrics, 177
Active learning online: Five principles that make online courses come alive. Alinea Knowledge. lay therapy supervision: A practical guide to theory and best practices
post-traumatic stress. Play Therapy™ Magazine, 14
Sorter, M., Stark, L. J., Glauser, T., McClure, J., Pestian, J., Junger, K., Moving from a reactive to a proactive system of care. Journal of Pediatrics, 265
IDM: An Integrated Developmental Model for supervising counselors and therapists. Jossey-Baas.
education. Counselor Education and Supervision, 63
play therapy competencies: A Delphi study. International Journal of Play Therapy, 29
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Corie Schoeneberg, PhD, LPC, RPT-S™, NCC is an Associate Professor in the School of Counseling specializes in play therapy supervision and curriculum development. She is the Founding Director of play therapy programs in the US and Ukraine with another in development at CCU.
cschoeneberg@ccu.edu
www.a4pt.org | June 2026 | PLAYTHERAPY | 13
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