Job outlook for play therapists in the United States

What skills stand out on Play Therapist resumes?

Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Strong analytical skills are a must. This includes both logic and reasoning skills, but also data analysis skills. For many jobs, the ability to collect and scientifically evaluate data will be vital, if not an absolute necessity. Similarly, a strong understanding of experimental methods can put a candidate in a great position to be able to help a company evaluate existing programs and chart a path forward for new ones. Finally, I would say that a strong ability to write is critical. Those graduates who are able to effectively and persuasively communicate in writing are setting themselves up for success at any company and allowing the company to leverage them for increasingly important tasks.

What soft skills should all Play Therapists possess?

Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Students need to be able to read individual and group dynamics in order to act appropriately in any given situation. This includes not only the interactions with one's bosses but also peers and subordinates. Similarly, being comfortable with networking can help any company, but networking skills shine through in interviews.

What hard/technical skills are most important for Play Therapists?

Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Technical skills like the ability to perform statistical analyses are critically important for most Psychology-related jobs. This allows a candidate to collect and analyze data but also to interpret and understand other existing data. A strong statistical background can also help set a candidate apart from their peers in the application process. This includes understanding when and how to use various parametric and nonparametric statistics to be able to answer questions regardless of the data one is working with.

What type of skills will young Play Therapists need?

Lyndal Khaw Ph.D.: Most of our graduates in the field of Family Science and Human Development are in this field because they want to help professions that work with children, individuals, and families. Thus, there are several skills they should have when they graduate and enter the workforce. First, they need to have excellent interpersonal and communication skills. If you want to work with people, that is an absolute given.

Second, students should demonstrate their ability to adapt to new challenges and changes, including technology skills. When working with children and families, the natural ebbs and flows of family life, across the life course, necessitate flexible professionals and who can still be useful under changing circumstances. Third, skills make you stand out in working with people, like conflict management and leadership skills. Employers want to see that graduates are not only "book smart" but have the experience to use these skills when needed on the job.

What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Play Therapist job market given the pandemic?

Debra Persinger Ph.D.: -More people were looking for careers (self-employed) that are not reliant on hiring/firing decisions or at the mercy of others' business understanding. I know we see that it's often a second or third career for others in the massage therapy profession.
-More remote working and working from home arrangements; less in-person business travel.
-I think organizations will restructure and flatten - to accommodate leadership responsibilities being assigned to more employees, including junior colleagues. Perhaps more part-time or contracted talent instead of full-time dedicated positions.
-Those with high emotional intelligence will be in demand - the ability to read a room has shifted to the ability to read a Zoom - those able to lead and inspire team members will be crucial. I found that the typically quieter team members had an opportunity to shine as each person brought forth their vulnerabilities and strengths with the pandemic situation and supporting each other.
-Companies will play a more integral role in employee well-being to ensure the social connections that people want and need that is not met via remote connections. That will be among employees as well as the employee-customer interface. I found myself playing a much more significant role in the employee mental health/well-being arena than previously. We are offering resilience workshops and compassion fatigue workshops to counter external demands on employees.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Play Therapists in the next 3-5 years?

Charles Westerberg Ph.D.: Given that technology changes so fast, I'd think less about what specific technology will be most useful instead of new applications for the technology. How can you use the web, social media, and other applications to address questions and solve problems? If you practice this, you will adapt your findings to all sorts of new technologies.

What type of skills will young Play Therapists need?

Dr. Eva Moya Ph.D.: Graduates of the social work profession need to be able to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and mobilize communities to bring about social, economic, political, or environmental change, in addition to being involved in social policy development.

Skills in research, to study social issues, with the intention of developing social policy or micro-level approaches to practice to improve people's lives, and training in relation to multiculturalism, cultural competence, cultural humility practice is vital.

Key skills include:

1. Collaboration


2. Critical thinking


3. -Ethics in evidence based-practice


4. Assessment, intervention, and evaluation


5. Social work competencies to inform behaviors.


6. Administration and management


7. Community practice


8. Policy practice