We are becoming increasingly sophisticated in our approaches to treating trauma. The need for specialized training has become more apparent as we become more knowledgeable about the effects of trauma on all aspects of a child’s development. There are few...
A game is a structured activity that is usually undertaken for enjoyment. Richard Gardner popularized the use of games in child therapy. While he was a psycho-dynamically oriented therapist he understood the value of introducing some structure into therapy with...
A year after I started ChildTherapyToys.com I approached the author of a game about feelings to ask them if they’d like to sell the game on ChildTherapyToys.com. I had lunch with the author and we discussed the history of the...
The most important thing is getting training. A Google search will assist in locating in person and online training. Training is also available at national conferences, such as the annual Association for Play Therapy conference. Joining the Association for Play...
When I started my practice I furnished my playroom through the time honored process of visiting yard sales and garage sales. It was a great way to begin and I still have some of the play therapy toys I bought...
Several years ago, on a Wednesday morning, I received a very angry call from a customer. Well, to be exact, it wasn’t really a customer. It was a receiving clerk at a public school. She was enraged by the box...
by Amy Flaherty, LPE-I, RPT Since I’ve been doing sand tray therapy trainings for several years now many folks have asked the best way to arrange miniatures on shelves. As an aside, don’t worry for you traveling, crammed-for-space-therapists- my next blog...
Parents often ask “Is my child’s anxiety normal?” Because all children have worries from time to time this can be a difficult question to answer. In fact, Anxiety Disorders in children can go undetected by parents for quite some time. ...
The short answer is, “Yes!” During the past two decades there has been a significant increase in research on play therapy and its efficacy is well demonstrated. A 10 year study completed by Play Therapy UK found positive change occurred...
Every play therapist’s playroom has a dollhouse. The dollhouse is often central to a child’s imaginative play. It serves as a tool for solving conflict, expressing emotion, and developing interpersonal skills. One day it is a fort and place of...
Most educators can recall a teacher's comment that either encouraged or discouraged them. Positive messages foster a child's growth and are constructive, while negative messages can defeat and discourage a child. Our words can have a profound effect upon a...
By Amy Fletcher, Baby Schooling While psychologists advise parents to wait four years between children this seldom happens. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) reports that 17.5% of parents have a 13 to 24 month age gap between...
