It is with mixed emotions that I need to announce that after April 30, 2014, the St. Louis Center for Play Therapy Training will no longer be offering play therapy seminars in the St. Louis region.
My husband's employer is relocating him to Dallas, Texas. I will be moving my clinical practice to the Dallas-Fort Worth are and establishing a new play therapy training center. I look forward to offering play therapy services and training opportunities in a new location yet I will miss St. Louis and the network of people I have connected with professionally over the course of my career as a play therapist.
I will maintain a presence on social media platforms and hope you will continue to connect with me there. I will also continue to be available to bring play therapy training to agencies and conferences throughout the country.
I would like to take this opportunity to say "Thank You" to all of you who have supported my efforts since 2010 in building the St. Louis Center for Play Therapy Training. I feel blessed and fortunate to have met each of you and I hope you were encouraged and supported both personally and professionally when you attended one of our play therapy trainings.
Warm regards,
Pam Dyson, MA, LPC, RPT
May 3, 2014
February 21, 2014
Three Wishes For Me And My Family
By: Katherine Arkell, LMSW, RPT-S - Guest Blogger
As I see mainly children and adolescents in my practice, and
I’m a firm believer in systems theory, I am always looking for activities that
I can do with either a child and parent/caregiver or the entire family (client,
parents and siblings). I’ve found the following two activities to be engaging,
fun and telling.
THREE WISHES FOR ME AND MY FAMILY
Group of 2
or more; ages 6 thru adult
Supplies: One
clipboard per person
Assorted
markers, crayons, colored pencils
3 worksheets per person labeled with the following:
Wish Number 1 For Me And My Family
Wish Number 2 For Me And My Family
Wish Number 3 For Me And My Family
Give each
family member a clipboard with 3 worksheets attached. Instructions are as follows “Please draw 3
wishes for your family – one wish on each sheet. You may draw whatever you want
– the sky’s the limit – no right or wrong - but you may not use any letters or
words. When you are finished drawing, turn over your completed work until
everyone else is done.”
Once all
members have completed their drawings, have one member share one of their
drawings/wishes by holding it up for the others to guess what it is. The drawer may give hints if necessary. Once the wish is correctly guessed the drawer
can expound on the drawing/wish if they would like to. They then choose the
next member they would like to have share a drawing/wish. Continue until all
members have shared all three drawings/wishes.
Questions for discussion upon completion of activity include:
Questions for discussion upon completion of activity include:
o
Did anybody’s wish surprise you?
o
How alike where some of your wishes? How
different?
o
What would it take to make the wish a reality?
o
What are you doing right now to make the wish
come true?
Katherine
Arkell, LMSW, RPT-S, is a Licensed Master Social Worker and Registered Play
Therapist Supervisor in private practice in Saginaw, MI. She is a 2000 graduate
from Valdosta State University, GA, and has worked in a variety of settings
involving children, adolescents and their families. You can learn more about Katherine on her web site KDA PLAY and follow her on Facebook Child And Family Therapy
February 9, 2014
Thank You Guest Bloggers!
It was such a special treat to have play therapists as guest bloggers during National Play Therapy Week. They shared their wisdom and creativity and their passion for play therapy was inspirational to everyone who follows this blog.
I want to personally thank Amy Flaherty, Tammi Van Hollander, Clair Mellenthin, Kim Peterson, Ana Tindall and Stephanie Holloway for taking the time to write a guest blog entry as a way of helping APT promote public awareness of play therapy.
The feedback on having guest bloggers was so overwhelmingly positive that I've decided to use guest bloggers on a regular basis. If you're a Registered Play Therapist (RPT), or someone who is working toward becoming a RPT, school counselor who uses play therapy or a graduate student enrolled in a university play therapy course I'd like to encourage you to submit a guest blog entry.
Perhaps you've created a technique you'd like to share. Maybe you frequently use a play therapy technique created by another play therapist and you'd like to share how you've adapted it to fit your clientele. Maybe you've been inspired by someone like Garry Landreth, Charles Schaefer, Eliana Gill, etc., and you'd like to share what you've learned by reading their books or attending their seminars.
If you're interested in being a guest blogger send me an email. Put the words "Guest Blogger" in the subject line and briefly tell me about your interest and experience in play therapy and the topic you would like to share.
PLAY ON!!!
I want to personally thank Amy Flaherty, Tammi Van Hollander, Clair Mellenthin, Kim Peterson, Ana Tindall and Stephanie Holloway for taking the time to write a guest blog entry as a way of helping APT promote public awareness of play therapy.
The feedback on having guest bloggers was so overwhelmingly positive that I've decided to use guest bloggers on a regular basis. If you're a Registered Play Therapist (RPT), or someone who is working toward becoming a RPT, school counselor who uses play therapy or a graduate student enrolled in a university play therapy course I'd like to encourage you to submit a guest blog entry.
Perhaps you've created a technique you'd like to share. Maybe you frequently use a play therapy technique created by another play therapist and you'd like to share how you've adapted it to fit your clientele. Maybe you've been inspired by someone like Garry Landreth, Charles Schaefer, Eliana Gill, etc., and you'd like to share what you've learned by reading their books or attending their seminars.
If you're interested in being a guest blogger send me an email. Put the words "Guest Blogger" in the subject line and briefly tell me about your interest and experience in play therapy and the topic you would like to share.
PLAY ON!!!
February 8, 2014
Self-Care During National Play Therapy Week
By Stephanie Holloway, LSCSW, RPT-S - Guest Blogger
Many people assume that because you are a play therapist you spend your days “playing” with your clients. In all of that play you must be meeting some of your self care needs, right? Well, I hate to disappoint you and you probably already know the answer, but “No, you aren’t!”
Who practiced self care today? Ok, let me be a bit more realistic and ask
who practiced self care this week?
During the last month? Yes, that’s
what I thought….it’s been a while!
I’m
sure you have a number of good reasons why you didn’t fit that into your
schedule. After all, you’re a play
therapist, you’re up to your elbows in paperwork, you have paint on your
favorite pants, you can find more glitter on your body than in the bottle, and
after a full day of clients you are ready for a hot shower and bed. Who would have time for self care after all
of that?
Many people assume that because you are a play therapist you spend your days “playing” with your clients. In all of that play you must be meeting some of your self care needs, right? Well, I hate to disappoint you and you probably already know the answer, but “No, you aren’t!”
Many of us spend time with
parents and caregivers reminding them of the importance of self care, yet we don’t
always practice what we preach. Why is
that? Well, my personal thought is that
most (if not all) of us in this profession are here because we are helpers by
nature and yet we fail to care for ourselves most often.
I challenge you to make time to care for yourself on a daily
basis even if it's five minutes a day.
You can do a one minute meditation between clients. Yoga moves are
always good to help you through the day. Drink water all day long to cleanse
your body, listen to music, watch something funny on YouTube, find a scent of
lotion or a candle that is pleasing to you. Let chocolate melt in your mouth –
resist the urge to chew it and swallow it. Eat healthy, take a brisk five
minute walk, or do something that makes your heart smile and your body feel
good. Don’t forget to eat your breakfast
and move away from your desk for lunch.
Take time to celebrate you and enjoy those you love. If all else fails, practice a random act of
kindness – it will not only make you feel good, but it will obviously make
someone else feel cared for! Now, step
away from the computer and go take care of yourself!
Stephanie Holloway is
a 1998 graduate of the University of Kansas with an MSW. She is a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist –
Supervisor, StoryPlay® Practitioner and Facilitator, and she is serving her fourth
year on the Kansas Association for Play Therapy as Advisor to The Board. She has a private practice in Junction City, KS. Learn more about Stephanie on her website Play For Children and on her Facebook Page
February 7, 2014
The Home-Based Play Therapist: Tips, Tricks, and Toys
By Ana Tindall, MA, LPC, RPT, CTS,
IMH-II - Guest Blogger
After
spending six years completing home visits with families in impoverished homes in Detroit, MI in both a research
and therapy capacity, I have compiled a list of tips,
tricks and toys for home-based play therapy.
SAFETY TIPS:
Have a safety buddy. Your buddy
doesn’t need to know where you are at all times. It is nice to have a safety
buddy when you know you are going into a potentially unsafe situation, such as
having called CPS the week prior and being unsure how the family will react or
knowing an abusive spouse will be in the house.
When possible park your car in the
street and in the direction of your exit. Parking in the driveway allows for
you to get blocked in or makes it difficult to leave in an emergency.
Keep your car with at least a half a
tank of gas. If you need to get away from a situation, fumes in your gas tank
are not going to last long.
Put your purse in the trunk and try
not to leave valuables in sight within your car.
Keep your phone and keys on your
person at all times! Toys can be replaced, and can be left behind, if needed.
You can’t be replaced!
Be mindful of the balance between
the client’s right to confidentiality and your own professional protection. If conducting a play therapy session in a child's bedroom, keep the door half open. It only takes one parental complaint regarding inappropriate physical touching for your career to be over.
Finally, and most importantly, trust
your gut. If a situation makes you uncomfortable or you get a funny feeling
simply call the family and ask to reschedule.
HOME-BASED TRICKS:
Summers can be hot! Keep a cooler in
your car with an icepack for your water bottle, deodorant (many of my families
don’t have AC and no one wants a stinky therapist), and sunscreen along with your
lunch.
Keep an eye out for a safe place to
use the restroom such as a fast-food restaurant or coffee place. Try to use
public restrooms over a client’s restroom.
Pandora and Spotify are great to
download as ways to keep you company while driving. Books on CD are also great.
THE TOY BAG:
I based my
toy collection for home visiting from Garry Landreth’s suggestions in Play
Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (2012).
I use a carry on suitcase as my
toys’ home. The wheels allow for easy transportation out of your trunk and into
your client’s home.
toys into categories.
A crayon box in one of the
external pockets is a nice way to keep your
art materials separate from the
toys. Don’t use crayons in hot weather as they melt.
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