Child-Centered Play Therapy Certification

CCPT Overview

Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT; Landreth, 1991, 2002, 2012, 2023) is a developmentally responsive, play-based mental health intervention for young children ages 3 to 10 who are experiencing social, emotional, behavioral and relational disorders. CCPT utilizes play, the natural language of children, and the therapeutic relationship to provide a safe, consistent therapeutic environment in which a child can experience full acceptance, empathy, and understanding from the therapist and process inner experiences and feelings through play and symbols. In CCPT, a child’s experience within the therapeutic relationship is the factor that is most healing and meaningful in creating lasting, positive change. The goal of CCPT is to unleash the child’s potential to move toward integration and self-enhancing ways of being. Child outcomes following CCPT include decreased symptomatic behaviors and improvement in overall functioning. 

The CCPT model is designed to be administered by mental health professionals who have received extensive training and supervision in the CCPT protocol (Ray, 2011). Although CCPT is typically delivered in 16-20 weekly, 45-minute individual play sessions, the CCPT model has been successfully implemented in the school setting following a 16-session format delivered twice weekly for 30 minutes over 8 weeks. The CCPT treatment model can be provided in the context of longer treatment requirements and may be used in a small group format. The CCPT treatment manual (Ray, 2011) contains the CCPT protocol and CCPT skills checklist for use by CCPT-trained therapists and supervisors. 

CCPT Effectiveness

Child-Centered Play Therapy (Landreth, 1991, 2002, 2012, 2023) grew out of non-directive play therapy originally developed in the 1950s by Virginia Axline.  In the 1980s and 1990s, Garry Landreth was instrumental in developing skills and training methods, including the textbook and CCPT skills checklist to ensure treatment fidelity that helped to operationalize the intervention; thus promoting the advent of research examining the effect of this model. Ray (2011) formalized the CCPT protocol and checklist in a published treatment manual and Advanced Play Therapy textbook. All CCPT research and meta-analyses since the late 1990s, can be viewed here.  

For more detailed information about CCPT outcome research studies, please visit Evidence Based Child Therapy, an online searchable database for play therapy research.

Levels and Requirements

Attainment of all levels of CCPT, CCGPT, and CPRT-Level 2 and Level 3 Certification require mental health licenses. Individuals who do not have mental health licenses or are not currently pursuing mental health licensure are eligible to complete CCPT 101 and CPRT 101. Individuals who do not have mental health licenses are eligible to attain certification as a Level 1- Certified CPRT Associate/Parent Educator. Play therapy CE credit is only eligible for mental health professionals or full-time graduate students in the mental health field. 

International CCPT Certifications

The Center for Play Therapy offers international CCPT, CCPT-S, CCGPT, CCGPT-S, CPRT, and CPRT-S certifications for mental health professionals working in other countries. The Center for Play therapy ensures that internationally certified CCPT, CCGPT, and CPRT therapists and supervisors are knowledgeable and experienced in CCPT, CCGPT, and CPRT, respectively; however, we do not ensure that international therapists are licensed in their field of study. The designation for international certification is Certified I-CCPT, Certified I-CCPT-S, Certified, I-CCGPT, Certified CCGPT-S, Certified I-CPRT, and Certified I-CPRT-S. 

Certified CCPT Practitioners 

To view a list of our Certified CCPT Practitioners, click here.  

Steps to Certification

Welcome to CCPT Certification!

We are so happy that you have chosen to promote the quality facilitation of mental health interventions for children by becoming recognized as a provider of evidence-based CCPT. On this site, we will take you through the steps to become certified in CCPT. The requirements and steps to certification are separated into Level 1 – Certified CCPT Practitioner and Level 2 – CCPT Supervisor. Please follow the steps and requirements for the certification you are seeking below: 

Level 1 - Certified CCPT Practitioner

Step 1: Educational Requirements - minimum 30 hours (required)

The UNT Center for Play Therapy offers CCPT training according to the evidence-based model recognized by the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse and California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare. Training in the evidence-based model of CCPT requires following approved treatment protocols. The UNT Center for Play Therapy advises therapists to consider where they seek CCPT training as some trainings do not teach according to the evidence-based model. For more information on the recognized protocols and training, search Child-Centered Play Therapy at Title IV or  CEBC. 

The educational requirement options are listed below:

  • One or more formal university 3 credit hour course in Introduction to Child-Centered Play Therapy completed in the last 10 years taught by an approved trainer that addresses all areas covered in CCPT 101 and 102 OR
  • Workshop series: CCPT 101: Basics in Child-Centered Play Therapy (12 hours; 8 Seminal or Historically Significant Theories, 3 Skills & Methods, 1 Culture and Social Diversity) – 2-day training toward CCPT certification AND CCPT 102: Child-Centered Play Therapy Practice and Application (18 hours; 10 Seminal or Historically Significant Theories, 7 Skills & Methods, 1 Culture and Social Diversity) - 3 day training on application of CCPT by an approved trainer.

If you believe you have already completed one or both of the educational requirements, please send your transcript and course syllabus or certificate of completion and training materials to Stephanie Carr at cpt@unt.edu. Your documents will be reviewed to see if they match equivalency to CCPT 101 and/or CCPT 102. 

Step 2: Completion of CCPT Exam (required)

Upon completion of educational requirements, complete the CCPT Certification Exam, purchasable here ($25.00). First click the link to purchase and once the payment processes, return to this step and select the link for the exam to complete the test. To complete the exam, you will need to be signed into your CPT account. The exam is also available in Simplified Chinese here, purchasable here ($25.00 USD).

  • The CCPT exam includes 40 multiple choice questions. A score of 90% is needed to pass the exam. 

Step 3: Supervised Experience (required)

Completion of 30 CCPT sessions total with a minimum of 3 children 3-10 years old under supervision with an approved CCPT supervisor; must be in continuous weekly supervision with a minimum of 15 hours of supervision. Although face to face supervision is preferred, distance supervision will be approved to accommodate those in locations where approved supervisors are not available. CCPT sessions may begin following completion of requirements equivalent to CCPT 101. However, at least 20 sessions must be completed following requirements equivalent to CCPT 102. Supervisor agreement of adherence to protocol and process required for the case. Supervision requirements include observation of a minimum of 10 CCPT sessions.

  • A list of supervisors is available HERE. 

Step 4: Licensed mental health professional at time of certification (required)

A mental health professional is required to hold a current, active, and unconditional individual state license to independently provide clinical mental health services in one of the following general practice disciplines: counseling, marriage and family therapy, psychiatry, psychology, or social work.

Step 5: Complete Application and Application Fee of $95 (required)

Upon completion of all educational and supervision requirements and the exam, complete the CCPT application and pay $95 application fee. 

Step 6: Submit Application (required)

Submit completed CCPT application to Stephanie Carr at cpt@unt.edu.

Step 7: CPT Processes Submitted Materials

The Center for Play Therapy will review all materials and submit a decision regarding certification within 4 weeks.

Step 8: CCPT Certification Complete

Receive confirmation of CCPT Certification and become a CCPT-Certified Practitioner! 

In order to maintain certification status, CCPT certification must be renewed every 5 years. All renewals will take place November 1 on the year of your given renewal. Requirements for renewal include 12 continuing education hours facilitated by a Certified CCPT-S/CPRT-S/CCGPT-S and specific to CCPT, the renewal application, and $95 renewal fee.

Level 2 - Certified Advanced CCPT Practitioner/Supervisor

Step 1: Hold Level 1 CCPT Certification (required)

Hold a Level 1 CCPT Certification or meet requirements for Level 1 CCPT Certification.

Step 2: Supervisor License (required)

Hold a mental health professional license as a supervisor.

Step 3: Educational Requirements - minimum 40 hours (required)

The UNT Center for Play Therapy offers CCPT training according to the evidence-based model recognized by the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse and California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare. Training in the evidence-based model of CCPT requires following approved treatment protocols. The UNT Center for Play Therapy advises therapists to consider where they seek CCPT training as some trainings do not teach according to the evidence-based model. For more information on the recognized protocols and training, search Child-Centered Play Therapy at Title IV or CEBC.

The educational requirement options are listed below: 

  • More details coming soon! 

Step 4: Supervised Experience (required)

  • Completion of 100 CCPT sessions with minimum of 10 children ages 3-10 years old under weekly supervision with approved CCPT supervisor for a minimum of 25 supervision hours
  • Provision of 10 supervisory sessions for a beginning play therapist; weekly supervision. from an approved CCPT supervisor for a minimum of 5 supervision of supervision hours.
  • Supervisor assessment of supervisee's adherence to protocol and process required for CCPT and supervision cases. This will be verified on the application by the supervisor. 

Step 5: Complete CCPT-S Supervisory Agreement (required)

Complete the CCPT-S Supervisory Agreement and submit it with the completed application.

Step 6: Complete CCPT-S Application and Application Fee (required)

Upon completion of all educational, supervision, and licensure requirements, complete the CCPT-S Application and pay the $95 Application Fee

Step 7: Submit Application and Supervisory Agreement (required)

Submit completed CCPT-S Supervisor Application and CCPT-S Supervisory Agreement to Stephanie Carr at cpt@unt.edu.

Step 8: CPT Processes Submitted Materials

The Center for Play Therapy will review all materials and submit a decision regarding certification within 4 weeks.

Step 9: CCPT-S Certification Complete

Receive confirmation of CCPT-S Certification and become a Certified CCPT Supervisor!

In order to maintain supervision certification status, CCPT-Supervisor certification must be renewed every 5 years. All renewals will take place November 1 on the year of your given renewal. Requirements for renewal include 12 continuing education hours facilitated by a Certified CCPT-S/CPRT-S/CCGPT-S and specific to CCPT, the renewal application, and $95 renewal fee.