The Association for Play Therapy (APT) is a national professional society established in 1982 to foster contact among mental health professionals interested in exploring and, when developmentally appropriate, applying the therapeutic power of play to communicate with and treat clients, particularly children.

APT believes that children’s physical, emotional, and psychological well-being is promoted by ensuring their fundamental needs are met.  Research demonstrates the importance of supporting children’s need to develop and preserve their attachment to their parents, helping to ensure children’s sense of their family as accessible, intact, and whole.  

APT encourages play therapists to use the national association aligned with their primary discipline to advocate for vulnerable children as they continue to use their knowledge of the therapeutic value of play to provide high quality mental health services.

Resources for Children and Parents with Trauma History

American Counseling Association:

• Disaster and Trauma Responses of Children
• Disaster and Trauma Effects on Parents

National Association of School Psychologists:

• NASP Position Paper on Child Rights
• Supporting Vulnerable Children in Stressful Time: Tips for Parents
  
• Treating Toxic Stress in Immigrant Children

Attachment and Trauma-Related Articles from Play Therapy™ Magazine:

• The Crisis of Connection: Addressing Attachment Problems
• Playful Strategies to Alleviate Shame within Traumatized Children
• Play Therapy and EMDR: A Conversation
• Fostering Resiliency in Traumatized Adolescents: Integrating Play and Evidenced-Based Interventions
• Exploring Puppetry as a Treatment Option with Children and Adolescents Following Exposure to a Traumatic Event
  

Association News

The deadline to submit the volunteer application for the Annual APT International Conference is June 20, 2018! Volunteers must be professional, hard-working individuals, committed to making the conference a success. Student volunteers are preferred, but all applicants will be considered.

Selected volunteers pay only a $100 non-refundable conference registration fee that includes workshops and continuing education certificate. Submit your application today!

Did you know?

Stay connected with APT and update your bio! To ensure you receive our communications, APT encourages members to keep their information up to date. Simply log in to your APT Profile, go to Manage Profile (top, right-hand corner), and Edit Bio under Information & Settings.

• June 20, 2018: APT Volunteer Application due
• June 30, 2018: APT Membership Campaign ends
• June 30, 2018: APT Poster Proposal submission due
• June 30, 2018: APT Conference Pass ends