Healing in the Hallways: Bringing Play Therapy into Schools with Dr. Kristi Perryman

What happens when we meet children where they spend the majority of their lives—not in an isolated clinic, but right in the school building?In this episode, we sit down with the incredible Dr. Kristi Perryman, Director and Founder of the Office of Play Therapy Research and Training at the University of Arkansas and Chair-Elect for the national Association for Play Therapy (APT) Board. Long before she was a leading researcher and counselor educator, Dr. Perryman was on the front lines as a special education teacher, elementary school counselor, and middle school counselor. She lived the realities of the school system firsthand.Dr. Perryman shares the powerful story of what drove her from the classroom to the playroom, and how her early days in the schools shaped her passion for Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT). We dive deep into:The "Why": The turning points in her early career that revealed a massive gap in how schools address emotional and trauma-related barriers to learning.The "How": Practical strategies for successfully advocating for, setting up, and integrating sustainable play therapy programs within public school systems.The Impact: How her landmark research proves that honoring a child's natural language—play—directly shifts behavioral, emotional, and even academic outcomes.Whether you are a school counselor trying to carve out a therapeutic space, a clinician looking to partner with local districts, or an educator wanting to understand the neuroscience of healing, Dr. Perryman’s journey provides a masterclass in systemic advocacy and deep compassion.