I have some lovely news to share this month. PlayMode Academy is now an Approved Provider with the Association for Play Therapy (APT), so we can offer play therapy CE hours for our Using Minecraft as a Therapeutic Tool training programme. It's something I've been working towards for a while, and I'm really pleased it's finally here.

If you've been thinking about joining the training, there's also a limited-time offer: you can save £80 when you enrol on Level 1 and Level 2 together.

 In this month's Service Spotlight, we're sharing the work of Ormiston Families, who have been using Minecraft to support children who have experienced the imprisonment of a parent or close family member. It's a thoughtful example of how Minecraft can open up space for children to express what's happening for them.

CPD certification is now confirmed across all our practitioner courses, and we've got a full academic year of Level 2 dates in place. For a limited time, you can also save £80 when you enrol on Level 1 and Level 2 in Using Minecraft as a Therapeutic Tool together. I'm delighted to share I've been awarded a UnLtd Scaling Up Award, there's a service spotlight on NeuroPathways, the latest blog posts including one on the social media ban, and more.

This edition has some big news - CPD certification confirmed for our live courses: Level 2 in Using Minecraft as a Therapeutic Tool and Using Creative Digital Tools Therapeutically, a full academic year of Level 2 dates now confirmed, and our brand new impact survey report produced in collaboration with Costello Medical, which puts some real numbers behind the difference the practitioners we've trained are making to the lives of children and young people. There's also a research spotlight from the Anna Freud Centre, two books from colleagues I'm really pleased to see out in the world, and more.

This month's newsletter includes a review from a recent Level 2 training - from a practitioner who came in as a complete gaming novice and left genuinely excited to get started with clients; a reflection on what Games for Change London sparked for me around parents and their children's digital worlds; and upcoming events including the Geek Play Therapy Summit this week. Plus resources, training dates, and a 20% discount code for Level 1.

This month's newsletter includes a reflection on presenting at the BACP Children, Young People and Families Conference, a 20% discount on Level 1 for subscribers, upcoming Level 2 training dates, and lots more.

PlayMode Academy's February’s newsletter centres around families – from the newly published Journal of Family Therapy article, to resources supporting families to navigate gaming well, to the BACP Children, Young People and Families Conference. Alongside that, you’ll find training updates, job opportunites, a research invitation and spring events.

As a non-profit, impact is really important to us at PlayMode Academy. Over 280 of you registered for our recent free introductory webinar on ‘Exploring Grief through Minecraft’. We’re so pleased to see this level of impact, and we’re glad to be able to share the recording freely with anyone who couldn’t attend live.

I often get asked for references related to the therapeutic use of Minecraft and video games so I have put together a list of articles, books and resources.

Reflections and case material from a newly published Journal of Family Therapy article exploring systemic work with families in Minecraft.