The recent passing of the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) expands funding for school-based mental health services. This legislation, combined with the new school-based play therapist credential from the Association for Play Therapy (APT), reinforces the need for play therapy application within the school setting. The presenters will discuss how counselor educators can train future school counselors by incorporating play therapy techniques that are trauma-informed within their classrooms and counselor education programs. The presenters will offer a guide to counselor educators to create a formalized, play therapy course sequence within their programs to fulfill educational requirements for the Registered Play Therapist (RPT) credential.
