The Essentials of Play Therapy, 1st Edition

Course overview

The Child Mind Institute (2015) reports that nearly 50% of children in the United States meet criteria for a mental health disorder, yet only 7.4% will receive mental health treatment - which could be due, in part, to a lack of training, knowledge, and experience in therapists on how to work with young children. Nonetheless, children suffering the effects of trauma, anxiety, and depression show up regularly in clinical spaces throughout this country. This basic-level course describes the therapeutic and developmental value of play and the two predominant models of treatment: child-centered play therapy and cognitive behavioral play therapy.