Hello Parents!

AutPlay Therapy is a training and educational program to help mental health professionals learn about, work with, and support Neurodivergent children through a neurodiversity affirming understanding. Parents play a significant role in their Neurodivergent child’s navigation and growth. You are the primary attachment figure, the everyday caregiver, and the main person who teaches, guides, nurtures, and models for your child. To help you better understand your Neurodivergent child and neurodiversity affirming concepts, we have created a Parent’s Resource Guide. Please print off this guide and access the relevant resources to further your knowledge and understanding.

Neurodiversity Understood for Parents by Dr. Robert Jason Grant.

Connect with a Certified AutPlay Therapy Provider

Parents can know that Certified AutPlay Therapy Providers have participated in specific training focused on understanding how to implement play therapy approaches through a neurodiversity affirming lens. View the Find an AutPlay Provider page to find a provider closest to your community.

Participate in a Consultation Session

Sometimes parents have a few questions or simply need some “next step” guidance, sometimes parents want more formal information about relational parenting, play therapy, or neurodiversity. We offer consultation sessions for parents. Consultations can be provided in person, by phone, or video conference. No matter where you live, you can participate in a consultation. Typical consultation services include understanding dysregulated behavior, AutPlay at home, and understanding autism. Visit the Consultation Services page for more information or email us at info@autplaytherapy.com.

What parents say…

I am a mother of a 10 year old autistic son. As parents, our goal is to ensure he has the tools to tackle each challenge he faces, and know that his future is full of endless potential. He participates in play therapy once a week, and looks forward to his sessions. Learning ways to express anger and sadness through games and play has been the most successful way for him to learn. As parents we get to learn these games and the skills that they are teaching our son, and then we get to play! When we are playing together as a family I’ve seen our son open up and express feelings and ideas that he couldn’t or wouldn’t express in a typical conversation. I love when he encounters a new problem and can relate it to what he learned with his therapy. I love the idea behind AutPlay of addressing needs through play and I know that because of this process it becomes ingrained in his memory.
Play therapy has helped my son in so many ways! I didn’t know what to expect when we started, but within just a few weeks, he was talking more. Over time he began to play more freely and initiate play with me! I love being given the tools to work with my son at home as well, because it allows many opportunities in our daily life to implement what he is learning in play therapy. Through play therapy, I am learning to communicate with my son in a way that feels natural and fun for him!
When we came to the AutPlay therapist with serious concerns about our 9 year old daughter, we were scared and at a loss as to what to do next. The therapist helped us understand and destigmatize her diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome, and began to work with her through play therapy. She immediately liked him, and obviously felt comfortable with him and enjoyed the sessions. Soon we noticed positive changes in how she handled situations that were tough for her, like unexpected changes in our schedule, or how to handle bullies at school. She began using her words more often, and has made incredible progress in communicating her feelings to us, and her teachers. The therapist has also been wonderful to work with for us. We have learned a lot about Asperger’s, and how to help with her and support her. Overall we have a much happier daughter now, and are thrilled with the progress she continues to make.
The social navigation help my son acquired through play therapy was life changing. Before receiving therapy, interactions with other people often resulted in severe anxiety attacks. The AutPlay therapist presented my son with ideas in a way he could understand, supported and empowered him, and helped him achieve confidence. This past summer my son applied for and completed ten weeks of undergraduate research out of state, and is currently a student council representative for an organization at his college. What a difference therapy has made. I hope to encourage anyone with needs to participate in play Therapy.
We love our AutPlay time! It has increased my interactions and play time with my daughter. We are engaging better and communicating in ways we had not been able to achieve. She has increased her social confidence and is trying things and having success that she would completely avoid before therapy. We are thrilled!
Our 8 year old daughter diagnosed with autism has a trauma history and we were pursuing AutPlay Therapy to address her trauma issues. Through AutPlay she was able to address her trauma, learn how to calm herself, and get past her fears. We were not sure how the process would work but quickly saw the benefits. We loved the attention that was given to addressing our daughter’s individual needs and all through play which helped her feel more comfortable. Highly recommend AutPlay Therapy.

Contact us today!

Learn more about AutPlay Therapy

417-755-9042 or email info@autplaytherapy.com