JANINE YORK

President-Elect

WHAT I DO FOR THE BOARD:

I am currently President-Elect. I maintain and update the website and help with conference planning. I was the secretary from 2019-2021.

WHY AND WHEN I JOINED THE BOARD:

I joined the board in 2018 as a prospective member and was voted onto the board at the 2019 conference. I joined the board because I love play therapy and wanted to be involved at a different level. I am excited to be a part of growing the Pennsylvania Branch of APT by making connections with members and the community at large.

I PLAY AT (WHERE I WORK AND WHAT I DO FOR FUN):

I work and play at Advanced Counseling & Testing Solutions, LLC (ACTS) in Wyomissing (near Reading). I am the only Registered Play Therapist at the practice and am excited to bring play therapy to Wyomissing and to educate other clinicians about the value of play therapy. When I am not at work I enjoy taking my dogs for walks with my family, hiking, spending time at the beach and playing games with my family. I am also active at my church and enjoy participating in mission events.

WHERE I LEARNED TO PLAY (SCHOOL/TRAININGS):

My first exposure to play therapy was during my Bachelor's program where I observed play therapists at a local hospital and wrote a paper on play therapy. I also had the opportunity to use play therapy at a community mental health center during my Master's program. I studied with Athena Drewes during my doctoral internship at Astor Family Services for Children and Families in Rhinebeck, NY. While there I also had the privilege of studying under David Crenshaw. In recent years, I have enjoyed learning from Dr. Jodi Mullen and completed a 2 year certificate program in Mindfulness Based Play Family Therapy with Dottie Higgins-Klein through the Family and Play Therapy Center in Philadelphia.

WHY PLAY THERAPY:

I knew in high school I wanted to work with children in some capacity and once I learned about play therapy and witnessed the transformation in children who participated in play therapy, I was hooked. It was amazing to me the change in the first child I worked with in a play room and I have never looked back!

MY FAVORITE PLAY THERAPY BOOK (WHY?):

Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship, by Garry Landreth because it helped me develop an appreciation for non-directive play therapy over the years.

MY FAVORITE CHILDREN’S BOOK:

Peaceful Piggy Meditates

MY FAVORITE PLAY THERAPY TECHNIQUE:

I am mostly non-directive. I also like to use sand stories, music, and art.

MY FAVORITE PLAY THERAPY QUOTE:

"Enter into children's play and you will find the place where their minds, hearts and souls meet." - Virginia Axline