ADHD- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
ACA- American Counseling Association.
APT- Association for Play Therapy.
Client-Centered Therapy- A nondirective method of psychotherapy, originated by Carl Rogers, in which the therapist's role is to listen to and then reflect or restate without judgement or interpertation the words of the client. The goal of the therapy is personal growth achieved by the client's increased awareness and understanding of his or her attitudes, feelings and behavior.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)- Cognitive therapy is a psychosocial (both psychological and social) therapy that assumes that faulty thought patterns (called cognitive patterns) cause maladaptive behavior and emotional responses. The treatment focuses on changing thoughts in order to solve psychological and personality problems. Behavior therapy is also a goal-oriented, therapeutic approach, and it treats emotional and behavioral disorders as maladaptive learned responses that can be replaced by healthier ones with appropriate training. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) integrates features of behavior modification into the traditional cognitive restructuring approach.
Evidence- based- Refers to techniques and theories that have shown to be effective through research.
Filial Therapy- A therapeutic intervention that can help children by teaching parents basic child-centered play therapy techniques and methods to use with their children (Guerney, B., Guerney, L., & Adronico, 1966; Landreth, 1991/2002; Landreth & Bratton, 2006). In filial therapy, parents conduct once-a-week 30 minute play sessions with their children at home. Throughout the process, parents are provided on-going training and direct supervision from a trained play therapist.
HIPAA- The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). See Privacy Notice.
Holistic- To look at the self from a whole (holistic) perspective and to understand the mind, body and spirit connection and the importance of balancing all aspects of one's life.
LCPC- Licensed Certified Professional Counselor; This credential is given to those who have completed Master’s level training, have passed the National Counselor Exam (or an equivalent exam) and completed 3,000 hours of supervised practice in the field.
NCC- National Certified Counselor; This is a certification given by the National Board of Certified Counselors to those who have passed the National Counselor Exam, are licensed and swear to uphold the highest ethical standards of the field.
Play Therapy- "The systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development." – APT.
PTSD- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
RPT- Registered Play Therapist; This is a credential given by the Association for Play Therapy for those who have Master’s level or above training and have completed 150 hours of specialized education in the area of play therapy and have completed at least 500 hours of supervised practice in play therapy.
Theoretical orientation- The psychological theory that one adopts to conceptualize cases. The framework or “lens” in which a therapist views human behavior and the origins of issues.
Therapy- There are many definitions of “therapy”. The following is one I favor. The treatment of mental/emotional disorders or life issues through the use of psychological techniques designed to encourage communication of conflicts and insight into problems, with the goal being relief of symptoms, changes in behavior leading to improved social and vocational functioning, and personality growth.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT)- "A psychotheraputic intervention designed to help children, youth and their parents overcome the negative effects of traumatic life events such as child sexual or physical abuse; traumatic loss of a loved one; domestic, school, or community violence; or exposure to disasters, terrorist attacks, or war trauma." -SAMHSA
For more information see: www.modelprograms.samhsa.gov/pdfs/model/TFCBT.pdf