Advanced Study Play Therapy Certificate

This course provides students with an introduction, overview, and historical understanding of play therapy. The importance of play in human development and brain development will be highlighted. An introduction to numerous play therapy seminal theories and techniques will be introduced. Historical, theoretical, and multicultural foundations of play therapy are introduced, and emphasis is placed on understanding how play therapy works throughout the lifespan. Introduction on play therapy special topics and burgeoning models will be explored.

This course is designed to provide students with in-depth knowledge of seminal play therapy theories. Seminal play therapy theories and techniques for assessment, intervention, and the healing process will be analyzed. The seminal theory of focus in this course is Child Centered Play Therapy. Professional issues will also be discussed. This course will also discuss multicultural implications and social justice issues in play therapy.

This course is designed to provide students with a continuation of Child Centered play therapy concepts, sandtray, and other expressive arts. Students will explore child-centered play therapy concepts, sandtray, and basics in facilitating many expressive arts techniques with individuals, families, and groups throughout the lifespan. A review of seminal or historically significant theories will take place. This course will also further discuss multicultural implications and social justice issues in play therapy.

This course will focus on specific play therapy concepts relevant to the school setting. This course will discuss specific school populations, models, and concepts for assessment, intervention and the healing process. Students will explore the application of play therapy skills and techniques within the school and how to integrate concepts within the ASCA national model. This course will also further discuss multicultural implications and social justice issues in play therapy specific to setting. Additional necessay individual and group supervision hours will also be provided.

This course will focus on specific play therapy concepts relevant to the clinical mental health setting. This course will discuss mental health populations, models, and concepts for assessment, intervention and the healing process. This course will also further discuss multicultural implications and social justice issues in play therapy specific to clinical mental health settings.

Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of psychopharmacology and psychotropic medication use. Basics of pharmacology, adverse effects, indications, and drug interactions will be discussed. Boundaries of practice and practical issues of assessment and referral will be covered. This course also focuses on diagnostic issues and child development along with assessment, case conceptualization, and treatment planning.

Students will apply play therapy skills in a supervised, clinical, play therapy experience. This clinical course provides supervised play therapy practice specific to assessment, intervention, and the healing process. This course will include direct play therapy instruction, hours of direct client contact, and hours of supervision with required client observation.

Students will apply play therapy skills in a supervised, clinical, play therapy experience. This on ground residency will take place at the Institute for Play Therapy and Expressive Arts Education and Research at Sacred Heart University. The residency will consist of direct hours of intensive instruction, client contact, and supervision observation.  Note: Additional Residency Fee of $225.00.

Students will apply play therapy skills in a supervised, clinical, play therapy experience. This clinical course provides supervised play therapy practice specific to assessment, intervention, and the healing process. This course will include direct play therapy instruction, hours of direct client contact, and hours of supervision with required client observation.

Students will explore supervision theories, techniques, and concepts associated with play therapy specific supervision. Issues of gatekeeping and professional identity will be addressed. Conceptualizing skill assessment and development specific to the supervision of play therapists are explored.

Students will explore legal and ethical issues unique to play therapy. This course will discuss legal and ethical considerations for working with minors, information on documentation, competence, informed consent, confidentiality, boundaries, duty to warn, etc. Information for working with parents/caregivers is included

Students will explore the theoretical concepts of filial play therapy and explore the systemic applications of play therapy for families and the diverse applications in myriad settings. Students will learn concepts and skills necessary to establish, implement, construction, and facilitate filial therapy and family play therapy sessions. Students will also learn concepts and skills necessary for teaching parents/caregivers/teachers/etc. to use play therapy techniques to enhance and establish facilitative relationships with individuals.

This course is designed to explore developmental play therapy theory and concepts related to abuse, crisis, and trauma. This course explores techniques and models specific to helping individuals prevent, cope, or heal challenges following abuse, crisis, and trauma. Focus is on assisting in achieving optimal growth and development through evidenced based and developmental appropriate play therapy interventions.