Bethel’s play therapy certificate is designed for students with busy lives who want to execute their goals and advance their careers. Featuring flexible schedules, hybrid courses, and experiential training, our certificate will empower you to offer specialized counseling services.

Total Credits

12

Finish in as Few as

16 months

Courses

• Introduction to Play Therapy and Techniques (COUN700)

  Exploration of the essential elements and principles of play therapy including history and ethics. Examination of play therapy theories and approaches. Application of techniques and skills to various challenges faced by children and adolescents.

  3 credits

• Child and Family Play Therapy Assessment (COUN705)

  Exploration of normative child development cycle and the development of play. Application of various assessment techniques to clinical work with children, adolescents, and families. Analysis of play based assessment themes and metaphors. Exploration of ethical, spiritual, and cultural considerations when using play based assessments. Demonstration of the intake process from beginning to end including Diagnostic Interviewing, Developmental Assessment, Individual and Family Assessment, and Treatment Planning.

  2 credits

• Foundational Play Therapy and Techniques (COUN710)

  Demonstration of knowledge of foundational play therapy theories and techniques. Articulation of rationale for using foundational theories. Analysis of themes present from the application of foundational theories and techniques. Explorations of ethical, spiritual, and cultural considerations when implementing foundational theories and techniques with a child and family. Application of foundational play therapy theories and techniques. Identification of personal cultural and spiritual bias considerations when working with diverse and underserved populations.

  2 credits

• Non-Directive Play Therapy Theories and Techniques (COUN715)

  Demonstration of knowledge of Non-directive play therapy theories and techniques. Articulation of rationale for using non-directive play therapy theories. Analysis of themes present in the application of non-directive play therapy theories and techniques. Exploration of ethical, spiritual, and cultural considerations when implementing non-directive play therapy theories and techniques with a child and family. Application of non-directive play therapy theories and techniques. Identification of personal cultural and spiritual bias considerations when working with diverse and underserved populations.

  2 credits

• Filial Play Therapy (COUN720)

  Identification of the basic tenets of Child Centered Play Therapy and Filial Play Therapy. Articulation of the roles of therapist and parent in Filial therapy. Application of techniques and strategies of Filial Therapy into therapeutic work. Demonstration of ethical, cultural, religious, and spiritual considerations when conducting Filial Therapy.

  1 credits

• Trauma and Play Therapy (COUN725)

  Exploration of the Neurobiology of trauma and the impact of trauma on children and their play. Examination of the philosophy of therapeutic play with traumatized children. Play Therapy strategies and approaches in therapeutic work with children. Application of play therapy strategies and techniques into therapeutic work with children and families.

  1 credits

• Introduction to Sandtray (COUN730)

  Exploration of the philosophy and principles of Sandtray. Examination of Sandtray strategies and approaches in therapeutic work. Application of Sandtray into therapeutic work with children, adolescents, and families.

  1 credits