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(Archived) International Play Therapy Week

Licensed mental health professionals throughout the world who specialize in working with children are focused on sharing the value of play, play therapy, and credentialed play therapists during International Play Therapy Week, February 5-11, 2023. Originally launched in 2014 as National Play Therapy Week, the Association for Play Therapy (APT), a national professional society that advances the field of play therapy and the *national play therapy associations that form the International Consortium of Play Therapy Associations (IC-PTA) united in 2022 to broaden the scope of this very important week by taking it internationally! 

Play is a child’s first language. Just as adults use words to communicate, children use play to express thoughts and feelings that might otherwise remain hidden. Play therapy, a modality of child therapy, is used by thousands of licensed mental health professionals within and outside of the United States to therapeutically help clients, especially children, to address cognitive, behavioral, and emotional challenges. Licensed professionals include counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatric nurses, and many school counselors and psychologists. 

Many professionals using play therapy are identified by their Registered Play Therapist(RPT), Registered Play Therapist—Supervisor(RPT-S) or School-Based Registered Play Therapist(SB-RPT) credentials. These credentials require that they obtain specific play therapy training and experience beyond their general licensure requirements.

VCU Continuing and Professional Education is an approved continuing education provider (APT Approved Provider 15-397) by the Association for Play Therapy, Inc. For more information, including a listing of upcoming workshops, visit the Play Therapy Training Program page.

*IC-PTA includes the following associations: Association for Play Therapy, Association for Play Therapy Italy, Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association, British Association of Play Therapists, Canadian Association for Play Therapy, Japan Association for Play Therapy

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