We work with school administrators, principals, counselors, and interested parents at public and private preschools and elementary schools to coordinate in-person child-centered play therapy (CCPT) for children ages 3-10 at school, during school hours.

We just need a private room to use during that time. The room could be a temporary space like an unused teacher’s classroom or a supply closet, etc. We bring all of the materials.

Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) is a therapeutic approach designed to help young children express themselves and process their feelings through play.  Since children often communicate their emotions and experiences better through play than through words, CCPT provides a safe and supportive relationship for them to explore and express their thoughts and feelings.

CCPT is an empirically-supported mental health treatment for children experiencing behavioral, social, and emotional concerns. It also involves working alongside parents in monthly parent consultation meetings. The evidence shows that 20-30 weekly sessions are required to resolve the concerns of the typical child. CCPT is time and energy-intensive but can lead to lasting change.

In rural areas in Colorado, accessing qualified mental health therapists for children can be extremely challenging. We send a hand-selected, culturally-attuned play therapy kit to your child, and you provide a private room for them to express their feelings in.

Our trained therapists watch and listen via Zoom and guide the therapy process from a distance. We also support parents in monthly parent coaching sessions via Zoom.

Our approach allows children to manipulate real objects in real time, which is a critical part of the play therapy healing process (as opposed to using a virtual play therapy platform).

We coordinate with schools, clinics, and individual parents to provide this virtual service.

We recommend virtual play therapy especially for children ages 4-7 years old who enjoy imaginary play and who do not have access to an in-person therapist.

Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) is a play-based treatment for young children presenting with behavioral, emotional, social, and attachment concerns.

In a supportive group environment, parents are taught specific parenting skills that focus on enhancing a secure attachment with their child. Parents also learn how to effectively respond to their child's misbehavior.

Our CPRT groups take place virtually in 10 weekly, 90-minute group sessions with 5-8 parents. CPRT includes three key components: learning skills, receiving feedback on skill practice, and connecting with other parents for support. During sessions 1-3, parents learn skills, and prepare for their upcoming play sessions with their child.  In weeks 4-10, parents practice their new skills with their child and the therapist provides feedback for parents in the small group format.  

Overall, research indicates that CPRT is effective in reducing children's behavior problems and decreasing parental stress across a variety of issues and populations (Bratton et al., 2010).

We enjoy partnering with existing organizations and agencies on a contract basis to provide CPRT to their members or clients. Everyone could use more parenting support right now!

At SchoolPlay Therapy, we believe that mental health treatment should be guided by evidence and grounded in real-world impact. Our clinical services are not only designed to support children, families, and schools, but also to generate meaningful data about what works.

We collect outcome data on our own services and actively collaborate with schools, universities, and community organizations to study mental health outcomes. By measuring and analyzing the effectiveness of our play therapy and counseling interventions, we aim to strengthen the evidence base for mental health care provided to children.

Our team also supports other mental health professionals in developing research-informed practices, offering consultation and guidance on outcome evaluation.

Together, we’re helping to build a future where every child’s mental health is supported by science, compassion, and measurable results.

Learn directly from an expert in child-centered play therapy, Dr. Alison Sheesley, PhD, LPC, RPT-S. Receive individual and group supervision weekly. Support children and families in need in Colorado, while learning best practices that will guide your clinical practice for life.

Our internship experience begins in August and ends in May every year. Please submit your internship application by April to be considered for August. You must be available for our orientation the entire first week of August.

You will see at least 8 children weekly in a school and also support the parents of those children in monthly parent support meetings via Zoom.

You need to have taken at least an Introduction to Play Therapy course at your university already or be willing to engage in intensive learning over the summer before your internship begins. Due to our clinic structure, you must have a car and be willing to drive to schools in the Denver area.

We also may have some capacity to host Practicum starting in May on an as needed basis.

Supervision is an essential part of the journey towards becoming an amazing and effective play therapist! My supervisory approach is playful and person-centered. If you are interested in learning more about working with me in supervision, you can read more here: https://www.schoolplay.org/play-therapy-supervision

Virginia Axline, play therapy pioneer, provides powerful language to guide us:

“... when horizons grow or diminish within a person the distances are not measurable by other people.”

“A child is only confused by questions that have been answered by someone else before he is asked.”

“…the realization that things outside ourselves change, and many times we have little control over those elements, but if we learn to utilize our inner resources, we carry our security around with us.”

“Research is a fascinating combination of hunches, speculation, subjectivity, imagination, hopes, and dreams blended precisely with objectively gathered facts ties down to the reality of a mathematical science.”