What is a Registered Play Therapist™ (RPT™)?

A Registered Play Therapist™ is a mental health professional with training and experience working with children and families through the use of play therapy. An RPT™ has met specific criteria and is registered through the Association for Play Therapy.

How do I become a Registered Play Therapist™ (RPT™)?

The Association for Play Therapy (APT) is the organization responsible for all requirements in regard to becoming an RPT™. In order to become an RPT™, you must meet the minimum application criteria as specified by the Association for Play Therapy, and submit your application to:

Association for Play Therapy, Inc.
401 Clovis Avenue, Suite 107
Clovis, CA 93612

For current information please contact the Association for Play Therapy.

What are the options for acquiring the 150 clock hours of instruction in Play Therapy?

1. Attend workshops or conferences approved by the Association for Play Therapy. Examples:
   • Annual Association for Play Therapy Conference
   • Center for Play Therapy Annual Summer Institute
   • Child-Centered Play Therapy Certification
   • Child-Parent Relationship Therapy Certification
   • Child-Centered Group Play Therapy Certification
   • Texas Association for Play Therapy Annual Conference
2. Enroll in Play Therapy graduate courses. The play therapy graduate courses at UNT are approved through APT. Other providers can be found through APT: APT Approved Providers and APT Approved Centers.
3. Enroll in our Continuing Education Web Courses. The Center for Play Therapy is proud to offer non-contact Continuing Education Units (CEs). CEs can be earned by viewing professional training videos, reading educational books, or a combination of both.
4. Enroll in the CCPT or CPRT certification program. This program allows counselors who identify their guiding theory as Child-Centered to gain advanced practice and certification in this modality. All certification courses are able to be counted towards the 150 hours of instruction required by APT for the RPT credential.

What are the experience requirements for the Registered Play Therapist™ (RPT™) credential?

APT requires 350-500 supervised play therapy hours for RPT. For more detailed information, visit the APT website.

Where can I find a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™?

The Association for Play Therapy Member Directory lists Registered Play Therapists™ and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisors™ by area.

What is a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ (RPT-S™)?

A registered play therapist supervisor is a registered play therapist who has extensive training and experience in play therapy, and is deemed qualified by the Association for Play Therapy to supervise a play therapist.

How can I become a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ (RPT-S™)?

Contact the Association for Play Therapy for the most current specific requirements.