The office offers graduate level courses and provides research opportunities to students enrolled in
The University of Arkansas Office of Play Therapy Research and Training received its designation as a nationally approved center by the Association for Play Therapy on March 6, 2015. The office will offer graduate level coursework to students enrolled in the counselor education program at the University of Arkansas, enabling them to become Registered Play Therapists. Students will have the opportu
03/30/2026
Parental acceptance and trauma resilience are linked to faster brain development in 9-13-year-olds New research shows a child’s home environment is closely linked to how their brain matures. A recent study associates parental acceptance with faster brain development, while exposure to household abuse correlates with delayed microstructural brain changes.
03/21/2026
Join us for our summer conference! Registration details are below!
Early Bird Rate Unitl March 27!
03/21/2026
To access the Director Candidate Questionnaire visit a4pt.org. Completed submissions will be reviewed by the Nominations Committee, chaired by Rebeca Chow, PhD, LCPC, RPT-S.
03/16/2026
The Foundation for Play Therapy (FPT) is proud to announce the offering of three (3) full scholarships to attend the Annual APT International Conference. Scholarship applications are due April 15, 2026 at 5:00pm (PDT). Recipients will be selected and notified no later than May 22, 2026.
03/10/2026
Telling a child to “calm down” does not teach them how to calm down.
Young children are not born knowing how to manage anger, frustration, fear, or overwhelm. Their brains are still developing. When emotions become too big, the thinking part of the brain goes offline. In that moment, the child cannot reason, listen, or control their behaviour.
What helps is a calm adult.
When an adult stays steady, speaks gently, and helps the child name what they feel, the child’s nervous system begins to settle. This process is called co-regulation. It is how children gradually learn self-regulation, emotional control, and coping skills.
Over time, children internalise these calm responses. The words we use, the patience we show, and the safety we provide slowly become the child’s own inner voice.
Children do not learn emotional regulation from fear, pressure, or punishment.
They learn it from connection, safety, and calm adults.
LIKE the photo and comment "REGULATION" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.
03/09/2026
Join Beacon of Hope and our incredible partners for a free in-person training on March 19, 2026, focused on Services and Supports for Children and Adults with Disabilities.
👉 Register here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044EAEAC23AAF8CF8-61993042-arkansas #/
📧 Questions? Contact Leslie Faulkner at [email protected]
03/07/2026
We hope you will join us for this one-hour Q & A Call! Zoom Link: https://uark.zoom.us/j/87054770658?pwd=rEdx61Wy5NZGvbmbUaFL0wPDprSqrK.1
03/02/2026
Early Bird Rate Unitl March 27!
02/27/2026
Great team of U of A Office of Play Ph.D. Students recruiting today at Arkansas Play Therapy Conference!