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WELCOME TO THE PLAY ACADEMY

Your Pathway to Becoming a Registered Play Therapist

About

About The Program

Our comprehensive training program provides clinical professionals with the education and supervision needed to become Registered Play Therapists™ (RPT™s). The program is designed to meet the requirements of the Association for Play Therapy™ (APT™) and can be completed in two years. The RPT™ credential is a recognized mark of expertise in play therapy, and it can help therapists advance their careers and provide better care for their clients. 

The program is a result of A New Hope Academy's commitment to increasing the number of highly-skilled child therapists in communities across New Mexico and beyond. We are passionate advocates for play therapy as a powerful tool for helping children, teens and adults heal from trauma and other challenges. This program is open to professionals in the mental health field including psychologists, counselors, social workers, therapists as well as graduate students in clinical programs. 

We have a team of experienced RPT™s and RPT-S™s who are committed to providing high-quality training and supervision. Participants will learn seminal and contemporary cutting-edge play therapy theories and practices, and our interactive trainings range from core skills to more specialized topics, leaving you equipped with the knowledge and tools to be highly effective therapists.

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"When we don't have the words or the words are too hard, play is there - and play therapists are listening and helping, even when words fail."

— Maria Laquerre-Diego, LMFT, RPT-S, President of A New Hope Academy & Program Director

Curriculum
 

While ensuring that our training programme fits the requirements of APT credentialing, we inject our program with a playful, creative flair such as attendance at our The Geek Play Therapy Summit. Our curriculum includes a focus on:

  • Seminal & Contemporary Play Therapy Theories and Techniques

  • ​Developmental Neuroscience and Play Therapy

  • Culture & Diversity in the Playroom

  • Creative Interventions, such as using Sandtray & Pop Culture

Pile of pop culture psychology books stacked with several pop culture lego figures standing on top.

RPT™ Credentialing

The Association for Play Therapy™ offers the Registered Play Therapist™ credential and our program is designed to meet their requirements. We've taken all of the guesswork out of the credentialing process for you! The credentialing process for the Association for Play Therapy™ is done in three phases and is completed in no less than 2 years and no more than 10 years. The certification process requires:

01

Continuing Education Hours

150 Continuing Education (CE) hours in play therapy education

  • at least 75 CEs must be obtained in person (instructor is in the room with you)

  • no more than 75 CEs can be obtained through live webinars (instructor is live on Zoom)

  • no more than 40 CEs can be obtained through non-contact trainings (recorded trainings, book tests, etc.)

02

Supervision

35 hours of supervision with a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor™ (RPT-S™) that happens concurrently with your education and clinical hours 

03

Client Contact Hours

350 direct client contact hours utilizing play therapy foundations and techniques under the supervision of your assigned RPT-S™

Schedule

 

The program is divided into three phases, as outlined by the Association for Play Therapy™. Each phase is 8 months long and includes the following:

 

  • Specifically selected trainings throughout the 8 months, chosen to satisfy the category and method of training requirements set by APT™

  • 1 hour of supervision/consultation with an RPT-S™ per month (*consultation is offered for fully licensed clinicians)

  • 1.5 hours of group supervision every 4 months with an RPT-S™

  • 2 hours of consultation with Maria to review your specific progress and needs

  • Guided support throughout the credentialing process, including a specially developed spreadsheet to track your progress

A female therapist with blonde and pink hair playing with a child who is sitting on the floor with several toys surrounding her in a therapy room.

Cohort Current Schedule

At Play Academy, we offer open enrollment, which means participants can join at any point throughout the year.

 

With our rolling admissions, we accept applications at any time and create personalized training schedules tailored to meet the requirements for credentialing.

 

Whether you’re looking to complete specific course requirements or focus on areas such as play therapy, clinical skills, or continuing education, we will adjust your future courses to ensure you meet your professional goals.

Therapist playing Candy Land board game with child in therapy room.

September 2024- April 2025

September 26-28, 2024

SITH Conference

October 25, 2024

Using the Power of Play Therapy with Selective Mutism

December 6, 2024

Digital Play Therapy

January 10-11, 2025

Introduction to Adlerian Play Therapy

February 14, 2025

Intro to Play Therapy

February 15, 2025

History of Play Therapy

April 4-5, 2025

Advanced Adlerian Play Therapy

Our Faculty

Our faculty consists of Registered Play Therapists™ and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisors™ who are passionate about Play Therapy and supporting therapists in this process. While the composition of our instructors changes with each intake and phase, we are delighted to present below our esteemed instructors to date.

 

A New Hope Therapy Center is an Approved Provider for the Association for Play Therapy™ (APT) - Approved Provider 20-631 and Maria LaquerreDiego is an Approved Provider for the NM Counseling and Therapy Practice Board CCE020981.

FAQs

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Am I Eligible?

This program is open to professionals in the mental health field including psychologists, counselors, social workers, therapists as well as graduate students in clinical programs. APT™ does require you to hold an independent clinical license in your state in order to obtain the credential. Because play therapy education and supervision are good for up to 7 years, graduate level students can enroll in our program and apply for credentialing upon receiving their independent license.

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Already have some Play Therapy CEs?

Maria is happy to offer consultation prior to registering for our play therapy training program, to assess your already obtained CEs and map out what you need to complete the credentialing process.

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What if I'm not in New Mexico or I can't make the live trainings?

Maria is happy to set up a consultation to review your progress towards RPT™ credentialing, identify your still needed requirements and discuss how this program may be able to help! Consultations are $75/hour and can be requested via email at maria@anewhopetc.org

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Just need consultation?

The requirements and credentialing process are overwhelming! Do you just need someone to review your education and hours? Would you like a map to your finish line just drafted for you? Maria's your person! Maria offers consultation specifically for this at $75/hour and if you decide to sign up for any of our trainings after your consultation, you will receive a 15% discount on your registration fees. To request a consultation, email maria@anewhopetc.org

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Supervisors

Meet Our Supervisors

Participants will be provided with monthly supervision with a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™, in addition to group supervision every four months to collaborate with your cohort as you progress throughout the program.

Cost & Registration

The program is offered in phases, to align with the credentialing process with APT™. Each phase is an 8 month commitment and costs $2699. This equates to $8,097 for the full credential program over 2 years.

 

This cost includes:

  • Intentionally selected trainings to set you up for success as a new play therapist: 

    • The trainings are mapped out to align with the phases as outlined by the Association for Play Therapy™ for credentialing as a Registered Play Therapist™​

    • The program does it's best to schedule them around our local school district schedule, includes registration to the New Mexico Association for Play Therapy™ annual spring conference in Albuquerque

    • In person trainings will occur at our Las Cruces office, unless otherwise stated

  • 1 hour of supervision/consultation with an RPT-S™ per month (*consultation is offered for fully licensed clinicians)

  • 1.5 hours of group supervision every 4 months with an RPT-S™

  • 2 hours of consultation with Maria to review your specific progress and needs

  • Guided support throughout the credentialing process, including a specially developed spreadsheet to track your progress

  • Trainings mapped out to align with the phases as outlined by the Association for Play Therapy™ for credentialing as a Registered Play Therapist™

  • You have the option to pay for the full program (all three phases), the full phase, or monthly. 

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Ready to Register?

We offer open enrollment, you are welcome to join us at any point! Simply email Maria before registering at maria@anewhopetc.org

Testimonials

What Our Participants Are Saying...

male therapist

"I have been practicing as a social worker and therapist for 10 years. In those ten years I had found myself drawn to working with children of all ages across a variety of needs. During that time I understood play therapy to be a valuable tool to help children and had looked into it as something I had wanted to do. However, I found the process and requirements daunting and overwhelming. It seemed to me a dream that was going to be forever out of my reach. 

 

Through the Play Academy I have found the support and tools needed to achieve this dream. I have learned so much in the past year and am so excited to actually be close to becoming a registered play therapist. The trainings, the supervision, and the general sense of belonging offered though this program is unmatched and I am so happy that I took this journey!"   

Thomas Sanchez, LCSW

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