The Postgraduate Certificate In Therapeutic Play Skills course material for the Diploma builds upon the theory and practice of humanistic psychology, particularly that of Virginia Axline (Dibs In Search of Self) and Carl Rogers and gestalt play therapy developed by Violet Oaklander. It recognizes contributions made by others in the early 1900s, such as John Bowlby, Margaret Lowenfeld, Donald Winnicott, Rachel Pinney etc. It extends to a deeper understanding of the unconscious processes in relation to the child’s development based upon Freud, Jung, Graff, Fairburn Hillman, Moore and Jacobson. It also places importance on the spiritual aspect of human development. Opportunities for many forms of creativity will enrich the contents of the course. You will be exploring ways of integrating the child as the center of a social system, which includes schools, families, and team of support. The main items in the Play Therapy Tool-Kit covered in the Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills are re-visited at a greater level of competence and converted into skills to be used with therapeutic groups. You will also learn how to deal with more difficult problems and using the PDM as an assessment tool.

• Awarded by the Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy, UK, (APAC), allows students to further explore ways of integrating the child as the centre of a social system, which includes schools, families and a team of support.
• The programme also includes a 100-hour of practicum which leads to an International Certification as a Therapist.