Rachel Altvater, Psy.D., RPT-S

05/15/2026

We are SO excited to finally share that Dr. Rachel Altvater, Psy.D., RPT-S, and I will be presenting at the 2026 Association for Play Therapy's International Conference in Minneapolis this October 💚🎮🧸

Our session, titled "Illuminating Child Perspectives and Fostering Parent Partnerships in Digital Play,” will be on:

🗓 Saturday, October 17, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM CT
📍 Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN

This training is deeply rooted in something we both care about so much: helping adults better understand the digital worlds children are already living, playing, creating, connecting, and expressing themselves in every day. We care a lot about helping parents feel less shut out of their children’s digital worlds and helping kids feel understood by the grown-ups around them.

We’ll be exploring ways clinicians can better understand the perspectives of digital native children while also helping caregivers feel more connected, informed, empowered, and collaborative in the therapeutic process.

Because sometimes strengthening the relationship between children and caregivers starts with genuine curiosity about what matters to kids. 💫

If you’ll be at the conference, come play with us 💚

07/01/2025

Join me next week for my FREE training, Play with Insight: Exploring Childhood Development and the Therapeutic Power of Play. There are already just about 300 participants registered. Come join the fun!

Register here: https://app.tpn.health/education/play-with-insight-exploring-childhood-development-and-the-therape-550dd714

06/30/2025

🎙️ New episode alert! Drs. Kristie & Maggie sit down with Dr. Rachel Altvater to talk all things play therapy, tech, her new book, and the evolving world of child mental health. 💡📘💻

You don’t want to miss this one!
🎧 Listen now on Playful Beginnings
👍 Like, 💬 comment, and 🔔 subscribe so you never miss an episode!

01/12/2025

After a wildfire, parents question whether they should bring their children back to the impacted area. This resource offers guidance to parents and caregivers on deciding whether or not a child should return to their home or neighborhood after it was damaged in a .

Download this resource here: https://bit.ly/3DQRu34

12/17/2024

Check out my latest feature in CanvasRebel. ✨

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rachel Altvater a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below. Alright, Rachel thanks for taking

10/29/2024

Grateful and excited to be back next year. How fun to be featured on this wonderful graphic alongside absolute powerhouses in the field. 🤩

Pre-registration special ends this Thursday! https://web.cvent.com/event/baed64ea-c89f-4ef5-8591-a0bc08c29dde/register

10/27/2024

I have several virtual and in person speaking engagements scheduled for universities and organizations. A few more (not listed) are also presently in the works. Save the date for any that resonate with you.

To access the training links to learn more, visit https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vR99xyjNXBn6Q_6veJq1EId3G03tjHYcmPVFDKsm3OUzdW2hjcXMJF67tnk4lkpxjs4krIuo1jCOaF3/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

09/20/2024

Please V O T E for my practice each day.

We made it to the top 5! Thank you Frederick community and our supporters for getting us here. Please V O T E daily to help crown us as the 2024 Best of the Best.

https://www.fredericknewspost.com/special/best_of_the_best/ #/group/849/nominee/14923/57350

09/17/2024

My practice, Creative Psychological Health Services, and I were featured in VoyageBaltimore Magazine’s Hidden Gems series. 🤗

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Altvater Hi Rachel, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?Being a helper is ingrained in me. […]