Frequently Asked Questions

No problem! Please  contact us with your questions!

Easy! Just fill out one of the application forms. If you are intending on becoming registered/certified as a Play Therapist (you must be at a Master’s Degree level in a relevant Mental Health field) click here. If you are a counselor working with children and you would like to add therapeutic play skills to your practice resume click here for the Purple Stream. The forms are brief and notify RMPTI about your background experience and the training route you are applying for. RMPTI will respond within 48 hours. If we have any questions, we will openly address these, as we want to make sure you are entering a program/route that is right for you!

Yes! Here it is … cancellation policy

All fees are listed on the application forms. as well as with each program/route. RMPTI uses Paypal for most program registration costs. However, other forms of payment can be arranged for organizations and individuals.

All participants receive electronic access to materials/handouts as well as course manuals for main programs. You will also receive a text book with Green Stream and Red Stream. there are the normal extra costs associated with these types of programs such as recommended textbooks, travel and accommodation.

Yes! Your initial deposit secures your place in the training program. The balance of course fees are due 45 days prior to the beginning of the face-to-face section of the course. You can also make an entire payment for the course at the time of registration.

RMPTI programs are professional training programs. If you are a practitioner who typically claims for professional expenses, such as workshops, you should be eligible to claim for RMPTI training programs. As RMPTI is not a designated Institute of Higher Education, such as a University or College, expenses can’t be claimed as a student might typically claim for course/tuition fees.

We limit class sizes to ensure everyone receives a great learning experience. The summer institutes (Green & Red Stream Programs) are usually full by the beginning of March each year. RMPTI will keep a short waiting list for certain programs, provided you have paid a deposit fee. If a course is full, we will mark it as such on our training calendar.

With your acceptance email, you will receive a link for making the initial deposit fee through Paypal. Your deposit secures a place in the program. Due to the specialized nature of our training programs, and small class sizes, we are unable to hold a spot without a deposit. Close to the program’s start date you will also be sent a passcode for entering the training website, where you will begin the on-line program.

Each Registering body has their own set of requirements.

1. APT requires 150 hours of Play Therapy training with a minimum of 75 contact hours (in-room training) and the remaining 75 hours may include live on-line webinars, self-paced learning, books, assignments etc., and are considered non-contact hours. Please see APT website for any updated requirements. -include
2. CAPT and BCPTA require 180 hours of play therapy training which can be completed by way of contact (in room training) or live on-line webinars. Non-contact hours will include webinars, assignments etc. Please see CAPT and BCPTA for any updated requirements. -include links

It is the student’s sole responsibility to remain current with the Play Therapy organizations’ requirements and this best be accomplished via student membership with the organization of choice.

Yes! As you will receive a certificate of approved training hours when you complete the Green Stream, according to the registering and certifying bodies, the hours can be accumulated for a 10 year period. Simply apply/register for the Red Stream at a later point in time. However, as the Red Stream is designed to be a small cohort or group size, you will want to apply early to be sure there is space.

Yes & No. Participants involved in the Green Stream do not need to be actively working in a child-focused setting (but it is recommended), however you must have a Masters Degree (or be enrolled in a Master’s Degree) in a relevant mental health field. It is recommended that those participating in the Red Stream program have previous experience or are currently working in a child-focused environment to complete the course/case assignment and to accumulate practice hours for certification/registration.

RMPTI encourages participants to leave time between the Green and Red Streams, to begin practicing and integrating skills you have been developing. However, many participants, due to reasons of time away from work, travel, etc. choose to take both programs during the same summer. Check with the Certifying and Registering organizations for their requirements.

No. Applicants should have some experience working with children and some post-secondary course work related to children. People who take this course come from a variety of backgrounds including OT, PT, Counselling , Psychology, Social Work, and Early Childhood Education, etc. It is appealing to those who are in counselling positions but don’t want to go down the path to get certified or registered as a play therapist but they want to gain play skills for working with children.

Yes, please check the training calendar as there are multiple offerings throughout the year. The Green and Red Streams, are however, regularly offered each year during the summer as 9-day intensive programs in Canmore Alberta (Green Stream in July; Red Stream in August). We find that these are the times that most individuals are available to book 9-days for training. Please add your name to a wait list as RMPTI adds more programs on demand. Additionally, the Yellow Stream programs run at various times of the year, and RMPTI is often asked to offer the Green/Red Stream Programs nationally or internationally, at various times of the year. Please see our training calendar for current & upcoming dates.

RMPTI is a training facility located in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. See our facility.  While we do not provide accommodations there are many options. Our program coordinator can provide you with a list of different options to check.

We have a reputation for providing participants’ with ample food & refreshments. Most programs include a wide selection of breakfast foods, as well as snacks for coffee break. Our goal is to “feed you more than you can eat” – both intellectually and physically! With advance notice, we accommodate for special dietary requests.

The best way to keep up-to-date is to sign on to our mailing list at the bottom of this page.

Yes! All programs are offered in a blended format (in-room and on-line-live). To meet training/certification standards, all classes are small (i.e., 10-45) and highly experiential. Many courses offer some level of non-contact hours of accredited training on-line. Because we greatly value and use experiential learning methods, we encourage in-room attendance for some or all of your training.

Yes! There are various supervision modalities available, including telephone/distance and video/group supervision. Click here for supervision options.

We are there to assist you! Please note that students may find it necessary to deal with personal issues as a result of experiential course work. While qualified on-site therapeutic resources are available should the need for support arise, RMPTI reserves the right to screen and/or re-direct candidates to other training/development opportunities should it appear that higher levels of support are required than those typically provided in a training program. In certain cases, participants may be asked to undertake therapy prior to program re-admission.

Yes! The training faculty consists of experienced practitioners, each with a recognized area of specialization. Core trainers are Registered and/or Certified Play Therapists. All have supervisory and training experience in their field of expertise.

Yes… RMPTI training programs have been delivered at various locations, nationally and internationally. If you or your organization is interested in hosting a training program, please complete the RMPTI Training Request Form

As per our policy, there is a $31.50 administrative charge on each reissued certificate. Note that we no longer provide paper copies of certificates; digital secured copies are the most convenient method of distribution, storage, and archiving our documentation, so all correspondence is sent and received accordingly.