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How To Become A Play Therapist
Becoming a Certified Child-Centered Play Therapist (NIRE)
» Download printable version (.pptx)
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"I encourage interested people to seek credentialing through NIRE and APT. The entire NIRE program can be applied to APT credentialing program. In essence, supervisees can pick up the NIRE credential on the way to earning the APT credential. I am credentialed as both a NIRE and APT supervisor. Please feel free to contact me if you need help in negotiating the process." - Jodi Mullen
Self-Study Education
Learn from us in your own home!
In order to begin your journey to play therapy certification, you will need basic foundations in play therapy education. Integrative Counseling Services is a provider of play therapy education that builds toward the requirements for certification!
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We offer a WIDE range of topics: History and Foundation of Play Therapy, Limit Setting, How Play Therapists Can Engage Parents and Professionals, Elements of Play Therapy, Play Therapy Challenges, and Best Practices in Play Therapy.
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We are also an approved provider of continuing education credits for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC), Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), Registered Play Therapists (RPT), and National Certified Counselors (NCC). You can earn credits toward your license renewal with us!
Check out the list of our online courses: here
Looking to expand your Play Therapy knowledge?! Attend one of our in-person or live online training events!
Our events calendar is updated regularly, so make sure to check back often so you don't miss out on new training opportunities! Registrations are always first-come first-serve and tend to fill up quickly!
Association for Play Therapy (APT) Credential in Play Therapy
There are three play therapy credentials offered by APT
including RPT, RPT-S, and SB-RPT.
Program Requirements: In order to complete the credentialing requirements, applicants are then able to submit a credentialing application. Applicants must hold a master’s or higher clinical mental health degree in one of the following general practice disciplines: counseling, marriage and family therapy, psychiatry, psychology, or social work. Applicants must also have a coursework in play therapy (the play therapy courses offered at SUNY Oswego qualify) or the equivalent in workshops (150 continuing education hours). See the APT website for further explanation and clarification (www.a4pt.org). ICS offers coursework in Play Therapy and is an approved provider through APT.
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Parameters of the program: Supervisees will earn a minimum number of continuing education hours in play therapy. Clinical supervision is also necessary and can be face to face and/or phone. Individual and group supervision formats are allowed. ICS offers supervision towards the supervised experience/supervision requirements.
Fees: There is an application fee (for the most accurate fee see www.a4pt.org). Fees for supervision are set by supervisors.
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National Institute for
Relationship Enhancement (NIRE)
Certification in Play Therapy
This program leads to certification in Child-centered play therapy.
Credential earned: CCPT (Certified Child Centered Play Therapist)
Credential of Supervisor: CCPT-S (Certified Child Centered Play Therapist Supervisor)
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Program Requirements: In order to enroll in the program individuals must submit an application, have an earned master’s degree in a helping profession OR be currently matriculated in such a program, and have a 3 credit graduate level course in play therapy (SUNY Oswego Introduction to Play Therapy course, CPS 592, meets this requirement) or the equivalent in workshops.
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Parameters of the program: Supervisees submit video taped sessions for review by a supervisor. Supervisees will earn a minimum of 26 hours of clinical supervision. Supervision can be face to face and/or phone. Individual and group supervision formats are allowed.
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Fees: There is an application fee (for the most accurate fee see www.nire.org) and fees for supervision that are set by NIRE, but supervisors are able to set fees independently.
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Supervision: Do you need a supervisor or supervision? Let us know!
