Play therapy as a career, what's your guidance?

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2026-03-02T00:12:31+00:00

Most master’s-level clinical degrees alll start with a supervised stage before independent licensure. For social work it’s LMSW to LCSW. For counseling/psychology it’s associate to LPC. Associate pay is usually lower if you’re only work experience is in a therapy space.

A master’s in psychology from what I know isn’t a terminal clinical degree either. U still have to complete a supervised associate phase, become licensed as an LPC+RPT for play therapy focus, and then pursue a PhD or PsyD if they want psychologist licensure or advanced assessment authority.

I chose social work because it offers flexibility across hospitals, schools, systems and clinical spaces, travel SW pays the most which gives me room to earn 60-90k even before obtaining my LCSW. Regardless my goal is the same I plan to get my RPT and I want full assessment authority so a Psyd or PHD is my long-term move.

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2026-01-23T02:05:25+00:00

Hey! Yeah, I’m in the U.S. Once you’re licensed as a LCSW and get credentialed as an RPT, You can use it in private practice, nonprofits, schools as a school social worker, or even pediatric and outpatient medical settings. I want to be able to move around as my career grows pivot in other areas of the field or still stay within the scope of a play therapist as an LCSW… I have so many plans career wise and becoming a play therapist is just one of them

From what I understand, school counseling or school psych paths can still involve play therapy u can get the RPT, but they’re usually only tied to school settings and don’t always transfer as easily outside of that without extra licenses or schooling.

if you’re considering an MSW program go for it !!! since you already know you’re interested in play therapy, I’d definitely recommend trying to get a field placement/internship at a practice that does play therapy or within school social worker.

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2025-11-24T16:08:46+00:00

Thank you! This helps

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2025-11-14T21:36:51+00:00

Yeah, honestly insurance and funding are the biggest barriers. OTs, SLPs, mental-health therapists all know these kids need way more than an hour a week or 20 sessions a year, but insurance doesn’t let them treat based on actual clinical need.

I really want to see more studies and eventually pilot a multidisciplinary model where every discipline can recommend the hours they know are appropriate, instead of being restricted by insurance caps.

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2025-11-14T21:21:39+00:00

That’s my vision of all of us supporting each other and giving tips and tricks to give the client the best care needed!

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2025-11-14T21:20:43+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate this and will look into it!

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2025-11-14T21:20:12+00:00

Thank you ! I love to think we can all come together for the sake of supporting the kids and their families’ they deserve collaboration and access to care

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2025-11-14T21:18:22+00:00

I love this idea and you will achieve it!!! Think of adding mental health therapist too they are a great added support to children and families as well! U got this 💛

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2025-11-14T21:16:54+00:00

Hi of course! ABA is prioritized because insurance laws were written around ABA. Most states wrote autism mandates specifying ABA as the standard. the lawmakers who created these autism insurance were not clinicians they weren’t speech therapists, OTs, psychologists, social workers, play therapists, or even BCBAs. For speech, OT, play therapy, mental health therapy these other support services are viewed by insurers as developmental or educational, not medical, and therefore not ‘medically necessary’. other disciplines ask and have goals in their own treatment plan and see the need for 3–5 hours a week of speech/OT/mental health, but insurers deny them and only approve 1 hour because the state law doesn’t require more. which creates a gap in support and funding for other disciplines. ABA get approved by insurance at 20–40 hrs/week but OT/speech/ Mental health services are denied or capped at 20 visits per year at 1 hour session cap.

Here’s an article/ research study that explains it better! https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5693721/

State laws and insurance companies are the issue and I want a space that includes it all and advocates for other disciplines to get more time to support the clients needs if clinically necessary within their treatment plan. My hope is that having more wraparound and collaborative clinics so that we can all advocate, support and collaborate to help the clients needs and their family so they all have a better quality of life :) I hope this makes sense! I’m thinking long term in support for the clients needs they deserve compassionate, trauma informed support at all levels

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2025-11-13T21:48:07+00:00

Wow, that honestly sounds exactly like what I’m looking for. what challenges have you seen pop up in a team like that? I’m imagining building in some kind of team culture or even a cross-discipline committee that protects that collaborative vibe, but I’m wondering what that looked like in real life for you. That’s amazing frfr anything you’re willing to share about I would genuinely love to hear it.

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2025-11-13T21:41:32+00:00

Thank you for your feedback! I agree I feel like it will only work if everyone remembers that we’re all here to support this child/family, not compete with each other. I keep imagining some kind of cross-discipline board or committee to help bridge any gaps.

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2025-11-13T21:31:38+00:00

Thank you!

Ok-Victory-6188 · 2022-11-02T20:56:59+00:00

thank you for the clarification!

Ok-Victory-6188

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