Early in his career, he worked with veterans and developed a special understanding for them and their issues and needs.  He held a lifelong respect for veterans, which translated into creating a “wall of honor” at home to memorialize the family’s veterans and to buying a meal for any veteran he could identify in the restaurant where he was eating.  He was gifted in psychodynamic psychology and clinical hypnosis, and worked very effectively with many adult clients with this modality.  His greatest passion, however, remained working with children.  His deep understanding of developmental psychology paired with his keen insight into the “language” of children helped him to connect with this population at every level.  Quite simply, children loved coming to him.  Adolescent clients at Shoal Creek Hospital, where he worked prior to moving into private practice, began to dress like him, walk like him, and wear glasses like his.  He understood and affirmed children in their play, used embedded language to facilitate change, and talked to their parents in ways which helped them to see the needs and the exciting wonders of their children.  He constantly thought about ways to increase the connection with his clients and to teach the techniques of play therapy to others so that they could have the same passion that he had in working with children.

Dedicated to sharing his gifts with others, Tom volunteered with the “Nurture our Children, Nurture our Future” campaign and met with teachers at two early childhood learning centers on a weekly basis to teach them techniques of playing with children.  He was also on the Board of the Texas Association for Play Therapy, and was newsletter editor for several years.  At home, he found creative expression in his total dedication as a father.  His play with his son, Christopher was connecting and imaginative.  He created themed birthday parties with cakes that he decorated, games that he invented, and decorations that he made.  He created all of Christopher’s Halloween costumes, including one in which he was a backhoe.   He was assistant den leader, assistant basketball and baseball coach, and coached a 3 on 3 basketball team at Christopher’s school.  In all that he did, his focus was child-centered, dedicated and respectful.  After his death, his wife, Marilyn received numerous cards from clients and former clients detailing the specific ways in which Tom had been helpful in their lives.  We know that Tom’s work lives on in the hearts of many people whose lives he touched.

-Written by Marilyn Ross, Tom’s wife

The Hill Country Chapter of the Texas Association for Play Therapy (HCC-TxAPT) acknowledges outstanding professional service and training to the community that significantly develops and advances the value of play therapy and credentialed play therapists.

The award money will be given to a selected recipient and is intended to assist the recipient in attending a professional play therapy training.

The deadline for the Nomination Form for the Tom Hoeffner Play Therapy Award has passed. The HCC-TxAPT Board will review nominations and select the recipient by majority vote. The winner will be announced at our March 8th meeting.

Criteria for nomination:

• Be a member of HCC-TXAPT in good standing

• Utilize play therapy in current practice (RPT not required)

• Abide by the APT Code of Ethics; and Professional Standards of Practice or similar standards of practice in a mental health field.

• Endorsement by at least one HCC-TxAPT member in good standing.​

• In order to nominate yourself OR someone else, submit a one-page essay including the following information to the Immediate Past President, Shelley Coleman at shelleybcolemanlpc@gmail.com:

1. Nominee’s name (and your name if nominating someone else)

2. Work environment, population and age group

3. An example or description of the nominee’s use of play therapy

4. In what ways is the nominee an exemplary play therapist and/or play therapist supervisor in our community?

Nominations are closed!

• The HCC-TxAPT Board President appointed a selection committee made up of 3 board members who will review the candidates’ essays and select the recipient by majority vote.

• Winning nominees and nominator will be notified on or before March 1st.