Need Some PLAY Money?

Are you interested in PLAY money? If so then check out the grant information on our web site and consider applying.  The deadline for submission is April 10, 2009.  There are two different grants available and we’d love to award this grant money at our May workshop. 

Good Luck!

AAPT

Register On-line NOW for 2009 Winter Workshop

On-line registration through PayPal is now available for the 2009 Winter Workshop.

The new shopping cart makes it easier than ever to get registered quickly and easily.

Register early — on or before January 16, 2009 – and save $20!

See you there!

Need A New Technique? Try This One!

Sueann Kenney-Noziska, AAPT’s Winter 2009 conference presenter, has graciously provided us a sneak peak of what we will learn during “Techniques, Techniques, Techniques: Play Based Activities for Children, Adolescents & Families”.

Check out the video on our homepage to view the technique!

If you have not received a workshop brochure please be sure you are signed up in the snail mail area of the website.  The brochure is also available for download.

“This is one of my favorite techniques for emotional expression and can be used for any number of clients.”

Sueann

Revealing Your Feelings

Materials: Paper; black marker; Crayola Color Changeables™ markers; small candy or stickers (optional)

Description: The therapist draws various shapes on the paper using a black marker. Using the invisible marker from the package of Crayola Changeable Markers™ , the therapist writes various feeling words or the word “Treat” inside the shapes. Players take turns coloring in a shape with one of the color Changeable Markers™. This will reveal the feeling word previously written inside the shape with the invisible marker. After the feeling has been revealed, the child discusses a time they experienced the feeling indicated in the shape. If the word “Treat” is inside the shape, the child selects a piece of candy. Stickers can be used instead of candy if so desired.

Again, this technique can be seen demonstrated by visiting our web site. This is just a sample of what you will obtain by attending the Winter Conference so sign up today!

See you in January!

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

The month of October has been set aside each year since 1981 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In recognition of the issue and remembrance of victims a purple ribbon is often worn.  As play therapists and those interested in play therapy, we recognize that domestic violence has an impact on children and families.

Each year anywhere from 3.3 and 10 million children are exposed to domestic violence in an area  that should be the safest place they know, their own home.  The impact of this trauma whether from being a direct or secondary victim can interfere with a child’s emotional, intellectual, physical, psychological and spiritual health.  Play therapists are often on the front line during the intervention process.  Take time this month to recognize and remember those who are victims of domestic violence.

Please also make sure you are aware of the National Domestic Violence Hot line at 1800-799-SAFE (7233) and Alabama’s Coalition Against Domestic Violence website at www.acadv.org. 

The Summer Newsletter is Here!

Hello Friends,

We have posted the latest edition of the AAPT Newsletter on our website!

We decided to allow everyone access to this Newsletter as well but time is running out on ALL ACCESS to our newsletters.  We are working to allow members that benefit first and then later posting it in an open format.

It’s just one of the many benefits of membership. 

Please also remember to post your comments if you attended the Spring Workshop with Liana Lowenstein and let us know what techniques you have used or enjoyed learning.

This can be done through the previous News From The Playground update — “Don’t Let the Dust Settle!”. 

Remember to enjoy the summer and spend some time playing in the sunshine!

AAPT

Don’t Let The Dust Settle!

Don’t let the dust settle on all you learned!

Stay fresh by sharing what you learned at the recent Liana Lowenstein workshop. Liana presented so many great techniques – tell us your favorite.

Even if you were not able to attend feel free to share with us.

My favorite was the Family Gift assessment/technique. As Liana related, this and other techniques can be used with other therapeutic issues. I think this technique will also help strengthen families in general and could be used with “work families” in developing work relations. The directive was for the family to create a gift for your family using art supplies. It must be a gift everyone wants. It can only be one gift and you must all agree what the gift should be and how it might be used in your family.

What was your favorite technique she presented?

Let us know by simply replying to this blog entry.

Don’t forget to play today,

Kim Brindley, AAPT President

Links and FAQs

We have added two new pages to our web site:

• Links to Professional Organizations, Information, & Resources
• Frequently Asked Questions (aka FAQs)

The “Links” web page has categorized descriptions and hyperlinks. Clicking on a hyperlink will open a new browser window and send you to the selected site.

Likewise, the “FAQs” web page has clickable hyperlinks to answers to many commonly asked questions related to AAPT and play therapy in general.

If you know of any good web sites or categories of web sites that we have missed, please add a comment below with the web address.

The same goes for FAQs — if you need a question answered and don’t see it on our list, please let us know via a comment. Even better, if you have an FAQ AND a suggestion for an answer, let us know that also.

Remember — this is your web site! The more input we receive, the better we can serve you.

Thanks for your help,

AAPT

Remember to Subscribe & Tell-A-Friend

Please help AAPT keep you informed!

Let’s talk about subscriptions first. There are two (2) types:

• Automatic email notifications
• Snail mail registration

If you are reading this blog entry, then chances are you have already subscribed to our automatic email notifications, also referred to as email “feeds”. If not, simply click here and provide your email address.

Important note: The notification service is provided by FeedBurner and you will immediately recieve an email from them requiring you to verify that you are the person subscribing to the service. You may need to look in your spam/junk mail folder to find this email!

If you have already subscribed, but have since deleted the verification email from your inbox, simply start the process over and you will recieve a new verification email.

That’s it! Each time AAPT publishes a new blog entry you will be automatically notified via email.

Now for the “Snail Mail” registration — if you wish to receive periodic mailings to your home or business street address then complete the Mailing List form on our Subscribe page. This is a separate process from the email notifications — but feel free to subscribe to both!

Last of all, please use the Tell-A-Friend link to inform others about our site. You will be rewarded with a special surprise.

Stay tuned for more web site enhancements over the next few months! We can keep you informed IF you subscribe — so please take a moment and do so!

If you encounter any problems, don’t hesitate to contact webmaster@alabamaplaytherapy.org.

Thanks for visiting and please leave a comment!

AAPT

AAPT — Our History

The Alabama Association for Play Therapy (AAPT) has grown into a solid organization committed to promoting the wellness of our state’s citizens – but it didn’t happen overnight.

Read how the vision, dedication, and hard-work of one person — and eventually many others that shared her vision – led to the creation and evolution of the AAPT that we know today.

If you have any special memories of the “early days”, please take a moment and leave a comment below.

Thanks,

AAPT