Nancy Riedel Bowers

Having earned a PhD and MSW (Clinical Stream) at Laurier’s Faculty of Social Work and a BA (Hon) at Queen’s University, I teach, conduct research and publish in the area of child and play therapy. I am registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers as a Registered Social Worker (RSW); with the Association for Play Therapy as a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S) and Continuing Education Provider; and with the Canadian Association for Child and Play Therapy (CPT-S). I have designed and taught graduate-level courses in play therapy in the Faculty of Social Work, for 14 years, and a series of 4 courses in child development, child and play therapy. I serve on master’s and doctoral research committees in Canada (UNBC, Memorial University) and internationally (University of Pretoria, South Africa, University of Tehran).

As a researcher and international workshop presenter in the area of child and play therapy, I study the psychotherapeutic process and have published book chapters and research publications regarding the treatment phases in the therapeutic process.

I am currently completing an international study on the Curative Powers of Play around the World (conducting focus groups in Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore and Toronto). I am also the editor of Play Therapy with Families: A Collaborative Approach to Healing (publisher: Rowman & Littlefield) released in December, 2013.