Rena Derezin, LPC, of Silverthorne recently earned the registered play therapist credential conferred by the Association for Play Therapy.

Derezin is a licensed professional counselor.

Play Therapy is a mental health modality used when developmentally appropriate by licensed mental health professionals to better communicate with and help clients achieve optimal mental health. It is particularly effective with children because, just as adults use words to communicate ideas and feelings, children use play.

To become a registered play therapist, applicants must have earned a traditional masters or doctoral mental health degree from an institution of higher education, 150 clock hours of play therapy training, two years and 2,000 hours of clinical experience, 500 hours of supervised play therapy experience and be licensed or certified by their state boards of practice.

Play therapy continues to gain popularity as an effective modality by which licensed mental health professionals use developmentally appropriate play therapy theories and techniques to better communicate with and help clients, especially children.