University Builds New Play Therapy Clinic
SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (June 11, 2013) - John Brown University announced the construction of a new CARE Clinic in response to the recent accreditation to become a Play Therapy Institute from the Association of Play Therapy (APT). The new 2,400 square-foot clinic is scheduled to be completed by July 2013.
"We are thrilled to have the support to build and equip this facility. The new play therapy rooms in the new CARE Clinic will provide excellent opportunities for training high quality counselors to work with children, adolescents and families,” says Dr. Charles Romig, professor of counselor education. “The facility will also create research opportunities to improve the practice and advancement in the field of play therapy.”
Building plans include up to five therapy suites specifically design to deliver play therapy services, two sandtray rooms, two family sized play therapy suites and one parental consultation suite equipped with flat screen TVs and cameras. In addition, the newest observation room will provide enough space for up to 10 interns and one faculty supervisor for live session observation.
“The JBU certificate program in play therapy exceeds the national standards set by APT,” says Dr. John Carmack, program director for graduate counseling and professor of marriage and family therapy. “The new clinic will not only provide state of the art training for our interns but it will also be a research and resource institute.”
JBU is the first university in Arkansas to provide a certificate in play therapy through the graduate counseling program. Play therapy, a form of psychotherapy, helps children process complex emotions through playing, a method which comes most naturally for children. Currently, the marriage and family therapy program at John Brown University is the largest in Arkansas.
John Brown University is a private Christian university, ranked No. 2 overall and No. 1 Best Value among Southern regional colleges by U.S. News & World Report and listed as one of America’s Best Colleges by Forbes. JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 40 states and 39 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, degree completion and concurrent education programs. JBU is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and a founding member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
