Dr Judi Parson

Dr Judi Parson is a paediatric qualified Registered Nurse, Play Therapist and Senior Lecturer in Play Therapy. She is the Discipline Leader for Play Therapy in the School of Health and Social Development based at the Waterfront Campus, Geelong. 

She has experienced a clinically diverse nursing career which has taken her across a number of Australian states and to the United Kingdom. She has practiced in various general and specialty fields including, transplant care, radiology, child and adolescent health and acute paediatrics. Her doctoral thesis was titled “Integration of procedural play for children undergoing cystic fibrosis treatment: A nursing perspective”.

Judi’s PhD then lead her to investigate further play therapy knowledge and techniques. She completed her MA Play Therapy (with Distinction), at Roehampton University London, United Kingdom, to become a fully qualified play therapist. She has been actively involved in the development of play therapy in Australia and a co-founding director of the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA). Judi is also a founding member of the International Consortium of Play Therapy Associations (IC-PTA). 

Judi is an international presenter, author and enjoys teaching into the Master of Child Play Therapy and researching in the field of psychosocial health and wellbeing children with a particular interest in Medical Play Therapy.  She also supervisors play therapists as well as Higher Degree Research students in health and play therapy. Judi maintains her clinical practice with a small caseload of clients.

Child Play Therapy is a developmentally sensitive, psychosocial mental health modality to support children and their families. 

Thematic expression of humanistic skills within play therapy and supervision sessions. 

Paediatric (Hospital, Medical and Procedural) Play Therapy techniques and technologies to investigate optimal therapetuic effect.  

Digital tele-health (tele-play therapy) including use of therapeutic apps and virtual reality for children and adolescents. 

Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency: Registered Nurse

Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association: Registered Play Therapist / Supervisor

British Association of Play Therapists: Full member

Association 4 Play Therapy (USA): International member

Master of Child Play Therapy

Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play

Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play

Unit Chair

HSO725 Therapeutic Medical Play 

HSO724 Play Therapy Research Thesis

HSH731 / HSH732 Topic Supervisor 

Clinical Supervisor

HSO720 Humanistic Play Therapy

HSO723 Systemic Play Therapy

Child Play Therapy and Medical Play Therapy

Childhood development and psychopathology  

Qualitative research methods: Phenomenology, Autoethnography. 

Conference Presentations

Parson, J. A. (2021) “Play Therapy in Medical Field” Presented at the Online Conference “Children’s Development and Healing” in collaboration with Wuhan University, China, and Hong Kong Shue Yan University. November 20.

Dean, B. J. & Parson, J. A. (2021) Teachers PUP Talk (webinar) Teachers as playful academics online webinar. Denmark. November 1.

Brickle, R., Renshaw, K.L. & Parson, J.A (2021) “Cross Cultural play therapy for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Presented online at the British Association of Play Therapists (BAPT) Annual Conference. September 24.

Parson, J.A (2021) “Creating moments of playful engagement through consciously connecting and reflecting” Presented at the ECMS Early Childhood Conference – Curiosity, Connection, and Creativity: Re-discovering Joy. Online - Melbourne Victoria September 1.

Parson, J. A. (2021) “Medical play therapy”. Presented to the Children’s Therapy Centre, Online - Ireland April 2

Parson, J. A. (2021) “Therapeutic play in medical and health care settings”. Presented to Online -  NSW Health. March 26

Parson, J. & Stagnitti, K. (2018) “Play assessment informs therapy for children with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)”. Presented at the 13th international conference on child and adolescent psychopathology conference. Kuching, Sarawak (on Borneo Island) Malaysia. August, 6-8.

Parson, J. & Renshaw, K. (2017) “The therapeutic garden: A triadic model for nurturing people through place”.  Presented at the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association Conference: Follow the Yellow Brick Road, Celebrating 10 years of APPTA Novotel, Darling Harbour, Sydney. August, 13-15.

Renshaw, K. & Parson, J. (2017) “The Evolution & Emergence of Humanistic Play Therapy in Australia”. Presented at the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association Conference: Follow the Yellow Brick Road, Celebrating 10 years of APPTA Novotel, Darling Harbour, Sydney. August, 13-15.

Parson, J. & Stone, J. (2017). “Introducing the virtual sandtray app” Presented at the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association Conference. Follow the yellow brick road: Celebrating 10 years. Novotel, Darling Harbour, Sydney August, 13-15.

Parson, J. & Cole, B. (2017) “The use of a virtual sandtray app for children and young people in hospital: A pilot study”. Presented at the ACLTA Conference Sydney: March,15-16.

Parson, J. (2017) Puppet play therapy: Integrating Theory Evidence and Action (ITEA). Presented at the International Play Therapy Study Group, Champneys Forest Mere, England. UK. June, 24.

Parson, J. (2016) Bringing puppets to life in Play Therapy. Bringing theory into practice. British Association of Play Therapists, BAPT conference. Aston Centre. Birmingham, UK. June, 25.

Parson, J. & Hickson, S. (2016) Online interactive supervision for play therapy.  British Association of Play Therapists, BAPT conference. Aston Centre. Birmingham, UK.  June, 24.

Parson, J. (2015) Play Therapy for children requiring medical procedures: Grand Rounds presentation. Goulburn Valley Hospital. Shepparton. Victoria. November 11.

Masterclasses

Play Therapy Clinical Supervision 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 

Foundations concepts and skills for child play therapy, 2015,  2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Engaging adolescents in therapeutic play and expressive arts. 2018

2013 - current Editorial Board: British Journal of Play Therapy

2017- current Board member. Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association: Research & Special Projects Chair. International Consortium of Play Therapy Associations Repesentative (IC-PTA)

2013 - 2015  Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association: Chair, Board of Directors.

2007 - 2013  Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association: Board member

Highest Academic Acheivement Award - Graduate Diploma in Nursing (Child and Adolescent health - Advanced paediatrics) ACU

Australian Postgraduate Award