THE COLORADO SCHOOL FOR FAMILY THERAPY
Play therapy and its various forms and schools (like filial therapy, family play therapy and child-centered, ecosystemic, developmental, relationship, group and cognitive behavioral play therapy), is a special therapeutic approach for working with children, adolescents, their families and/or care providers.
Play is the natural medium of children. Usually, children have not developed the cognitive or verbal skills that adults use to discuss feelings, emotions and experiences in therapy. A safe and structured playroom environment is established where children are encouraged to play in ways that reveal concerns, problems and issues they are struggling with.
Play therapy allows:
- Children to communicate ideas, feelings and experiences through play.
- Children to recreate and resolve events (such as trauma, divorce, abuse or death of a parent or family member) in play.
- Children can rehearse and master life skills and other techniques through play.
- Children work through various problems in play.
- A window for adults, including parents, caregivers, and foster parents, into a child's world.
A qualified play therapist is able to guide the play of children in ways that are therapeutic and healing. Parents, family members or care providers are often included in the play. This allows the play therapist to observe and interpret the full range of systemic/relational dynamics that are important to the child or adolescent. The play therapist is then able to enter into the intrapsychic and systemic reality of the child resulting in appropriate suggestions/interventions.
The Certificate program also integrates music, play therapy, art therapy, dance, movement, and other creative approaches. At the School, students will learn to do play therapy with adolescents, adults, couples, and families. Five (5) classes are required for the certificate. The total program cost is $2,625.00.
Many clinicians and educators use play therapy in psychotherapy with children and adolescents. However, the Association for Play Therapy, Inc. (APT), 2050 North Winery, Suite 101, Fresno, California 93703, 559-252-2278, in existence since 1982, has developed a registration and training process for play therapists and play therapist supervisors. To become a Registered Play Therapist (RPT) or Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S), a clinician must have earned a Master's degree in an appropriate medical or mental health profession from a regionally accredited educational institution, two years and 2,000 hours of supervised clinical experience, 35-50 hours of clinical supervision, 350-500 hours of clinical play therapy with clients, and 150 hours of instructions. Please contact the APT at 559-252-2278 for exact requirements pertaining to you.
Training, Supervision and Certificates
Parents, interns, students, supervisees, foster parents, child care providers, clinicians, and other interested parties are invited to study play therapy, family therapy, and child psychotherapy at the School.
Clinical supervision is provided for supervisees to reach eligibility for Registered Play Therapist (RPT) or Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S). The School provides the 150 hours of instruction in the areas required by the Association for Play Therapy, Inc. (APT):
- history of play therapy (3-5 hours)
- play therapy theory (45-50 hours)
- play therapy techniques/methods (45-50 hours)
- play therapy applications to special settings or populations (45 -50 hours)
- clinical supervision (4 hours min.)
The School also offers 4 quarter hour / 30 didactic-contact-hour courses to complete the APT and certificate requirements. One 30 hour / 4 quarter hour course may be taken as distance learning or independent study. An online class through Naropa University is also possible.
Current courses include:
- Play Therapy: Specialized Populations
- Family Play Therapy
- Play Therapy: Techniques and Methods
- Family Sandplay Therapy
- Play Therapy: Theories and History
- Play Therapy: Systemic Clinical Supervision
- Jungian Theory and Play Therapy
- Family Play Therapy: Expressive Arts
- Dance Therapy and Play Therapy
- Family Psychodrama Therapy
- Family Play Therapy: Developmental and Clinical Issues
- School Based Play Therapy
- Family Play Therapy: Spiritual and Religious Issues
- Play Therapy: Diagnosis and Assessment.
- Play Therapy: Children with AIDS
- Play Therapy: Violent Family Systems
- Play Therapy and Art Therapy
- Play Therapy: Dance and Movement
The APT allows up to 50 hours of instruction for registration to be distance education. School classes are available in independent study formats.
The Colorado School for Family Therapy offers conferences that include presentations, workshops and play therapy supervision groups (limited by the APT to ten supervisees) each day. Contact the School for current scheduling.
Supervised play therapy intensives are held over a two-day period allowing students/clinicians to work with clients (both children and families), in a live group supervision setting. Supervision and clinical practice hours can be used for Certificate credit, APT registration and State licensure. What are the new rules? How do the distance learning classes in play therapy education work? How may training hours are available? How much do the classes cost? Are other types of distance learning classes available? Are the distance learning classes approved by the APT? How do I register for a distance learning play therapy education course? How soon can I become a RPT or a RPT-S? Distance Learning Play Therapy Education Classes What distance learning classes in play therapy education are available?
DISTANCE PLAY THERAPY PROGRAM
Effective October 1, 2000, up to 30 of the 150 didactic play therapy training hours required by the Association for Play Therapy (APT), Inc. designations of Registered Play Therapist (RPT) and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S) can be earned via non-contact training. Also, Registered Play Therapists and Supervisors must earn four (4) clock hours of supervisor training over the next two continuing education renewal periods. Also, up to 18 of the 36 hours required for RPT and RPT-S renewal can be non-contact training; no more than 9 can be in play therapy.
After paying for course registration, a student receives a syllabus with the required textbooks, class assignments, and required videotapes. The videotapes (a student selects only one for the course) and textbooks can be purchased at a discounted rate from the APT Book Store. Students are assigned an instructor that assignments are mailed or e-mailed to. Telephone contact between students and instructors is also maintained. Students keep track of their reading, videotape viewing, and telephone conference time.
Courses are offered in 30 contact hours (3 semester hours), 20 contact hours (2 semester hours), and 10 contact hours (1 semester hour) formats. The student chooses which type of class they want based on the number of hours of continuing education or play therapy education needed.
Courses cost $200.00 per semester hour. Textbooks and videotapes are purchased separately, but videotapes are only required for 3 semester hour/30 contact hour classes.
Yes – contact the School for inquiries. For example, classes in family therapy for students interested in Marriage and Family Therapy (LMFT) licensure in their state or AAMFT Clinical Member status are available.
The Colorado School for Family Therapy has candidacy status with the COAMFTE of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 1133 Fifteenth St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20005-2710; 202-452-0109. The candidacy period is effective July 31, 2001 to July 31, 2006. The School is approved by the Association for Play Therapy (APT) to offer continuing education specific to play therapy. Our provider numbers is 98-038. The School maintains responsibility for the program. Continuing education is available for NBCC NCCs (#5771) and the State of California Board of Behavioral Sciences (PCE 1408/Receipt #00051650).
Students can use the registration form in this brochure. The form can be faxed or mailed to the School with the choice of class and payment (check, money order, VISA or MasterCard). The student will receive a course syllabus and order form for discounted books and videotapes through the Association for Play Therapy Book Store.
Students should contact the Association for Play Therapy, 2050 North Windery Avenue, Suite 101, Fresno CA 93703, phone 559-252-2278, fax 559-252-2297 or email info@iapt.org to discuss the registration requirements unique to them.
The APT requires instruction in four areas:
Canal Place
12101 East Second Avenue
Suite 101
Aurora, CO 80011
tel. 720.859.0464
fax 720.859.2970
Leslieinstitute@cs.com