Heather first became certified as a Registered Play Therapist (RPT) in 2003. This was a professional goal she had established as early as the fourth grade—to be available to relate and play with children so that they could express their thoughts and feelings without the pressure of adult expectations. As a child, Heather wanted to carry this message to the adult world.
She began utilizing expressive art therapy interventions with children while completing her Master’s Degree and devoted her Master’s Thesis to the subject of how clinical social workers could begin using expressive art therapy interventions in their clinical practice. Heather then pursued the study of Sandplay Therapy and Adlerian Play Therapy to complete her RPT.
Play is everything to child development.
The benefits of play therapy are exhaustive, but to name a few, play is a universal way that children communicate, learn, express, build relationships, reflect, and problem solve.