The MBU Play Therapy Program offers the complete 150 hours of play therapy training required for the Registered Play Therapist (RPT) and School-Based Registered Play Therapist (SB-RPT) credentials established by the Association of Play Therapy (APT) in seven 1-credit graduate classes. These classes take place over the course of two years to meet the APT’s training standards. To complete the program in two years, students are recommended to take one class per semester (spring, summer, and fall) and take two special topics classes in their second spring semester. Students are recommended to complete the program in two to three years.
The MBU Play Therapy Program offers an integrative approach to play therapy training by providing students with live demonstrations of play therapy techniques by a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor with children in the play therapy training lab, personal hands-on experience in the training lab under the instruction of a RPT-S instructor to develop skills, and education on play therapy history, theories, methods, skills, and special topics that meet the training criteria of the Association for Play Therapy training standards. Our program is geared towards developing well rounded play therapists through in-depth training and educational experience that meets the three phases of play therapy training established by APT. Students will also be paired with RPT-S’s in their community to complete the supervision and play therapy experience component of the play therapy training process (this component is not covered under the tuition cost and is the student’s responsibility to coordinate and complete).
MBU offers a fully functioning play therapy training lab for the play therapy program. Students can expect to witness play therapy firsthand from instructors and fellow students through the audio/visual equipment and two-way mirror provided by our space. The audio/visual equipment also allows for sessions to be recorded and reviewed later for additional training purposes. Students will receive hands-on instruction and experience in the play therapy training lab throughout their program.
Classes
Classes will be offered on weeknights and Saturdays in eight-week segments every spring, summer, and fall semester. Students can successfully start the program during any semester and complete it in the two-year minimum training time. Students are recommended to complete the program in 2-3 years. The first three classes offered are foundations of play therapy with the remaining classes focusing on special topics of play therapy.
For more information, visit the MBU Graduate Bulletin.