Children who live through adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are likely to encounter negative health outcomes in adulthood. Using a qualitative retrospective approach, the authors explored how experiences with play and expressive and creative arts served as a protective factor for adults who were exposed to ACEs. Researchers recruited 10 adults aged 25 years and older who reported four or more ACEs on a modified ACE inventory (e.g., Pliske, 2020) and did not experience negative outcomes to well-being, such as behavioral, physical, or chronic health conditions. Participants completed a structured family history interview and a semistructured interview. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using grounded theory constant comparative methods. Participants noted that play and the arts provided a context for identity formation and integration of emotional and cognitive processing in relation to early trauma. Participants described how activating therapeutic powers of play, in the forms of selfexpression, indirect teaching (learning through metaphor), emotional catharsis, abreaction, stress management, self-esteem, and creative problem-solving (Schaefer & Drewes, 2014), attenuated the long-term impact of ACEs exposure. Play created a context for self-expression, self-care, and healing that promoted the development of posttraumatic growth following childhood trauma. Implications for intervention and social policy are discussed.

Animals routinely join play therapists in their playrooms. These encounters are often occurring with no specific structured competencies within the field to guide ethical practice standards. There is precedent for play therapy practitioners providing clinical care to do so within their scope of practice. Without clear competencies guiding the integration of play therapy and animal-assisted services, play therapists are grappling with what to do and how to navigate the complex skills of attending to animal welfare, human–animal interaction, animal behavior management, zoonotic infection control, and incorporating clinical skills into animal-assisted sessions with children. The purpose of this article is to explore the integration of animal-assisted and play therapy competencies to promote the ethical practice of animal-assisted play therapy (AAPT). This article provides an overview of animal-assisted intervention terms and research, types of assistance animals, and ethics related to developing competence. The authors provide an in-depth review of animal-assisted counseling competencies and how they connect to play therapy competencies, equipping play therapists with knowledge of current standards in the field and considerations for choosing animal-assisted training programs. This article lays a foundation for AAPT competencies to guide standards for registered play therapists to safely and ethically incorporate AAPT into clinical practice.

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