MEMBER STORYTELLING
Playing with Purpose: My Play Therapy Journey
| ALICIA DONOVAN MA, LPC-S, RPT-STM I
was always called to serve people. My younger brother is deaf, and I had often accompanied him to his therapeutic services. I found
myself wanting to emulate the amazing providers we met along the way, as well as to correct the mistakes and the global reputations of the ones that were terrible. It was then that I decided to be the kind of provider that I would trust with people I love.
Being a therapist was a no-brainer, but during my freshman year of smarter. But that was short lived. Why make lots of money when you can be a therapist...right?!
statistics class with a plan for how I would be organized and sure to get extra help. As I entered the room I saw a huge black spider on the and happily noticed that there were a bunch more toys and crayons there, too!
My stats professor turned out to be a play therapist, and I think that now, that was a big indicator of the therapeutic powers of play at work.
that providing play therapy was a luxury for most therapists at the agency. Only the ‘Ages 0 to 5' team were allowed limited trainings paid by the agency, while my caseload was children ages 6 to 12. A team supervisor who was an awesome advocate knew about my interest in becoming a play therapist, and when a 0-5 team member resigned
I attended the conference with a team I had never met before, but it felt like home. I vividly remember being one of the few Black people in the anecdotes by presenters and colleagues. I even saw my statistics professor and another classmate who had been inspired to play for work in that class. The conference reinvigorated my need to not only be the provider I had wished to have, but to be the change I wished to see. I wanted Black kids to see themselves in a way they had not
30 | PLAYTHERAPY December 2024 |
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yet imagined. I wished for them to know that their healing might look
The decision to pursue the Registered Play Therapist™ credential was an easy one, in part because I knew from experience that I was more likely to be asked for my credentials than my colleagues. There was not a world in which I imagined I could say "I play with kids" and a client might choose me without scrutiny. My income was limited, so in order APT E-Learning Center, and purchased past conference workshops at a discount. I worked at a slow but intentional pace.
Now as an RPT-S™, a graduate of APT Leadership Academy, and a member of several national committees, I value play therapy even more because I understand it so much more. Being able to see behind
been invaluable to me and I hope, to all of my clients. ABOUT THE MEMBER Alicia Donovan MA, LPC-S, RPT-STM is
the owner and clinical director of Small Steps in Wellness, a private group practice established to serve children and adults in Tucson, Arizona. A graduate of the 2020 APT Leadership Academy, Alicia remains committed to promoting play therapy by serving on several committees within APT.
adonovan@stepsinwellness.com
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