Overview

APT is committed to fostering a culture where diversity, inclusion, belonging, and varied perspectives are valued and actively supported within our organization.  This commitment is central to our mission and the scope of our work. We believe our organization is strongest when these principles are woven into our governance, decision making, operations, and policies. 

Commitment to an Inclusive Community

While keeping true to APT's mission, and riven by a strong commitment to children's mental health and ensuring they receive care from the most qualified therapists, APT focuses its efforts on three key areas.  

1. Membership: How do we promote belonging, engagement, and inclusion at the membership level while creating an open and welcoming environment for all?
2. Play Therapists: How do we support our therapists with diverse backgrounds and identities in their work and as valued members of the organization?
3. Children & Families: What are the most effective ways to educate all therapists about the diverse culture and social complexities experienced by children and families?

These areas are designed to enhance the quality of play therapy, support therapist development, and promote equitable access to mental health services for all children and families.  

Beyond Training: Social Justice in Action

Play therapists can deepen their knowledge and commitment to growth and action in the community by intentionally integrating principles of Cultural and Social Diversity (CSD) and social justice into their practice. Social justice efforts may include advocacy, public policy influence, and community outreach aimed at addressing systemic inequities. For action steps play therapists may incorporate and engage in, view Beyond Training: Social Justice in Action. A big thank you to 2024 Leadership Academy Graduates, Alyssa Cedillo, MA, LPC-S, RPT-S^TM, IP-CS and Allison Joyal, MS, LPC-Associate, NCC for their contributions.

Resources for Play Therapists

Below are shared resources compiled by APT Members, and other stakeholders to support play therapists in understanding the cultural, social, and systemic challenges experienced by children and families as  they engage in play therapy. 

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this list thus far.  If there are additional resources you believe are valuable additions to this list, please contact us at info@a4pt.org.

American Counseling Association

• Phillips, L. (2021, November). Culture‑centered counseling [Article]. Counseling Today. American Counseling Association.
• Peed, T., Allen, C., Hermann, M. A., Joe, J. R., & Viviani, A. M. (2022, May 5). Counseling girls and women in the current cultural climate [Article]. Counseling Today. American Counseling Association.
• Mejía, L. (2021, February). Wanted: Bilingual and bicultural counselors [Article]. Counseling Today. American Counseling Association.
• Bray, B. (2019, November). Multicultural encounters[Article]. Counseling Today. American Counseling Association.

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

• Deloatch, D. B., & Wray, T. M. (2015, September). Courageous conversations with our clients [Blog post]. American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (n.d.). Mental health and Black adolescents [PDF]. Retrieved June 17, 2025.

 American Psychological Association

• American Psychological Association. (2025, June 5). Not all multicultural psychotherapies are the same. APA Journals Article Spotlight.
• American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Addressing racial and ethnic disparities in youth mental health. APA Public Interest Center: Families, Children, and Schools. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
• American Psychological Association. (2020, August 27). Children notice race several years before adults want to talk about it.Turner, C. (2019, October 8). The things parents don’t talk about with their kids … but should [Audio podcast transcript]. NPR.
• APA Division 43 Resources
• APA Division 37 Resources

Association for Play Therapy

• Association for Play Therapy. (n.d.). Play therapy best practices [PDF]. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
• Association for Play Therapy. (2022). Paper on touch [PDF]. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
• Supporting LGBTQ+ Children and Families in Arkansas
  

Additional Resources

• Wendy Chu, Bruce F. Chorpita & Kimberly D. Becker (2023) Race, racial matching, and cultural understanding as predictors of treatment engagement in youth mental health services, Psychotherapy Research, 33:5, 669-682, DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2022.2150582
• Kanani, A. (2025). Cultural differences in therapy: The role of cultural similarity, cultural humility, alliance, and rupture-repair (Publication No. 31845232) [Doctoral dissertation, Adelphi University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
• Agarwal, S. (2025). Racial preference as a moderator in the match-alliance relationship: A mixed-methods study of Indian immigrants (Publication No. 31937158) [Doctoral dissertation, Long Island University, C. W. Post Center]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
• Schmidt, C. K., Bettergarcia, J. N., Matsuno, E., & Galupo, M. P. (2024). Cultural humility with transgender and gender diverse clients. Practice Innovations. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/pri0000223