06/12/2026
I was so very sorry to read late last night (I’m in Nova Scotis Canada on Atlantic Daylight Time) about Dr. Garry Landreth’s passing yesterday. Dr. Landreth was such a gift to our profession and a very dear person. There aren’t words to express our loss. Thinking of his wife, Monica, his children and grandchildren, and all who loved him, including so many of us in this field, especially Sue, Linda, Danny, Dee, and more who trained and worked with him.
Dr. Landreth always reminded me of Mr. Rogers in many ways. They were both gentle and soft-spoken and very regulating, albeit Garry’s had a little Texan twang. Both were extremely dedicated to the emotional wellbeing of children and advocating for them. They were both men of faith and extremely loved and well thought-of.
I had some of my earliest play therapy trainings with Dr. Landreth at the UNT Center for Play Therapy’s summer institutes in 1991 and 1992 as I was working on the brand new RPT. I attended his presentations many times over the years at APT conferences, and also had the incredible honor and privilege to host him here in TN when he accepted my invitation to come present for our state branch. I wanted newer play therapists to learn from him. I have found it didn’t matter if you were truly CCPT or integrative/prescriptive, Dr. Landreth would wrap his magic around each one of us in the audience.
His book “Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship” is a quintessential book that every child/play therapists needs to have and read. I have had all four editions and recommend it to all my child therapy supervisees as the best way to begin their play therapy practice.
Dr. Landreth was a wonderful human being and leaves a treasured legacy, but he will be so very missed by so many. I am grateful for his impact on me and others. I will sincerely miss his sweet spirit. We have been so blessed by his guidance and encouragement as child/play therapists, and his dedication to play therapy and the children we work with. 💜
