Meet the woman who changed play therapy forever.
Terry Kottman has inspired generations of clinicians through encouragement, wisdom, connection, and unforgettable joy.
Terry Kottman, Ph.D., RPT-S, LMHC, is the visionary founder of The Encouragement Zone and one of the most influential voices in the world of play therapy. Widely recognized for developing Adlerian Play Therapy, Terry transformed the field by creating a deeply relational, encouraging, and developmentally attuned approach that has impacted countless children, families, adults, and clinicians around the world.
An internationally respected teacher, author, and speaker, Terry has inspired generations of therapists through her warmth, humor, wisdom, and remarkable ability to make complex concepts feel deeply human and accessible. She is the author of Play Therapy: Basics and Beyond and co-author (with Kristin Meany-Walen) of Partners in Play: An Adlerian Approach to Play Therapy (3rd ed.) and Doing Play Therapy: From Building the Relationship to Facilitating Change, along with numerous other influential works that continue to shape the profession.
Her extraordinary contributions to the field have been recognized through prestigious honors including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Play Therapy in 2014 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Iowa Association for Play Therapy in 2017.
And yet, beyond the accolades and accomplishments, Terry would likely tell you her greatest joy has never been the awards or recognition, but being Jacob’s mom and Rick’s wife - the relationships that reflect the heart of the encouragement, connection, and love she has spent a lifetime teaching others to cultivate.
Books
Where Adlerian Play Therapy comes to life
Written by Terry Kottman and Kristin Meany-Walen, this groundbreaking guide is the definitive Adlerian play therapy resource, blending warmth, practical techniques, and evidence-based insight into one must-have classic for every play therapist’s library.
The quintessential guide from first session to lasting change
Warm, practical, and deeply accessible, this engaging guide walks clinicians through the entire play therapy process - from building powerful therapeutic relationships to helping clients create meaningful, lasting change with confidence and creativity.
Go beyond the basics and deepen the therapeutic work
Written by Terry Kottman and Jeff Ashby with warmth, clarity, and real-world practicality, Play Therapy: Basics and Beyond helps clinicians move beyond theory and into confident, meaningful play therapy work that truly connects with clients.
Turn tabletop games into therapeutic gold
Fun, creative, and packed with ready-to-use ideas, this practical guide helps therapists transform tabletop games into powerful tools for connection, emotional growth, skill-building, and meaningful therapeutic change.
Transform meaningful stories into healing opportunities
Discover beautiful stories, ready-to-use therapeutic goals, and creative play therapy activities that make bibliotherapy feel easier, more intentional, and instantly usable in the playroom.
The book play therapists keep coming back to
Packed with gaming language, therapeutic questions, intervention ideas, and over 80 popular games, this practical and entertaining resource helps clinicians connect with gamer clients in ways that feel authentic, relevant, and surprisingly fun.
Your telehealth play therapy toolkit
Filled with over 70 creative, ready-to-use interventions from experienced Adlerian play therapists, this practical guide helps clinicians bring connection, playfulness, structure, and effectiveness into virtual sessions with confidence.
League of Extraordinary Adlerian Play Therapists
Learn Adlerian Play Therapy from leaders in the field.
The League of Extraordinary Adlerian Play Therapists (LEAPT) is a dynamic community where play therapists grow into confident, creative, deeply connected clinicians.
Through inspiring trainings, consultation, mentorship, and certification programs in Adlerian Play Therapy, LEAPT helps therapists strengthen their clinical skills, rediscover joy in the work, and feel supported by a community that truly understands the heart of play therapy.