NEAPT Service Award

The NEAPT Service Award is presented annually to a NEAPT member who has obtained the Registered Play Therapist (RPT), Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S), or School Based-Registered Play Therapist (SB-RPT) credential and who has a significant history of supporting and promoting the field and value of play therapy through one or more of the following ways:

• Supporting NEAPT through volunteer efforts
• Teaching courses or providing continuing education related to play therapy
• Publishing articles or book chapters or books specific to play therapy
• Providing supervision or mentorship to newer play therapists or those seeking credentials

Please email your nomination and include the nominee and nominator names, contact information for both, and a brief description of why your nominee is deserving.

Past Recipients

2023 | Julie Nash, PhD, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ (advocated for continuing education and online trainings, successfully led the branch through Covid, provided the constant and needed support to transition the role of president)

2022 | Kay Edwards, MEd, LCMHC, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ and Laura Langston, PhD, LMFT, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™

2021 | Holly Pierce, MEd, LCMHC, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ (outstanding contributions to NEAPT, exemplary Chapter Liaison representation, volunteer services)

2020 | Jennifer Lefebre, PsyD, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ (outstanding contributions to NEAPT and to the board, involvement with APT, volunteer services)

2019 | Susan Gestal, MA, LPC, LMHC, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ (significant contribution to the board of NEAPT, trainings, involvement on national committees, and in other countries!)

2018 | Barb van Hoff, MFT, LMFT, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ (tireless support and leadership of NEAPT, trainings, involvement on national committees, and bringing play to other countries!)

2017 | Denise Galford-Koeppel, MSEd, MS, PMC, CMHC (significant contribution to NEAPT with her development and maintenance of the Facebook page and community)

2017 | Dee Dee Nold, MSW, LICSW, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ (her ongoing teaching, training, and mentoring of many play therapists throughout New England as well as volunteer service to the board and development of networking in NH)

2016 | Nancy Boyd Webb, DSW, LICSW, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™ (significant contributions to the field of play therapy through teaching and writing especially)