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Episodes from Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
417 | Expectancy, Not Expectations: The Heart of Unconditional Acceptance in CCPT
In this episode, I answer a question about what to do when children create artwork or craft projects during child-centered play therapy. Should they take their creations home? Should therapists keep them? And if a child spends an entire session coloring or painting, are they missing out on "more…
416 | CCPT Mythbusters: Kids Are Manipulative
In this episode of the CCPT Mythbusters series, I tackle one of the most common labels adults place on children: "They're just manipulative." I explain why manipulation requires cognitive planning, rational thinking, and intentional strategy—abilities that children simply don't possess…
415 | Advanced "I Wonder" and Whisper Technique in Role Play
In this episode, I answer a question about using whispering and "I wonder" statements during role play in child-centered play therapy. One of the biggest challenges therapists face is knowing when to continue in a role the child has assigned versus when to seek additional direction. I explain why…
414 | When a Child Narrates Their Own Play - Trusting the Process
In this episode, I answer a question from a new CCPT therapist who wonders whether a child who quietly builds with Legos session after session is really doing therapeutic work. When play seems repetitive, surface-level, or disconnected from the child's personal life, it's easy to question whether…
413 | CCPT Mythbusters: Child-Centered Play Therapy Doesn't Work with Older Kids
In this episode of the CCPT Mythbusters series, I tackle a misconception that exists even within the child-centered play therapy community: the belief that CCPT doesn't work with older children. Too many therapists assume that once children reach nine or ten years old, they have "outgrown" play…
412 | When an Anxious Child Won't Stay in the Playroom
In this episode, I answer a question about working with a young child who repeatedly tries to leave the playroom during the first few sessions of therapy. Whether the child says they need to see their parent, use the bathroom, or simply can't stay in the room, I explain why these behaviors are…
411 | When Parents and Grandparents Aren't on the Same Page: Helping Families Align Around CCPT
In this episode, I answer a question about working with children who are being raised in nontraditional family systems, including homes where grandparents or other caregivers play a significant parenting role. I explore the unique challenges that arise when one caregiver embraces child-centered…
410 | CCPT Mythbusters: Diagnosing and Medicating Kids Helps
In this episode of the CCPT Mythbusters series, I tackle one of the most widely accepted assumptions in children's mental health today: that diagnosing and medicating children is the best path to helping them. I explain why child-centered play therapists often find themselves working against…
409 | Why the Hardest CCPT Cases Need the Most Trust - Navigating Trauma, Attachment, and Dysregulation in the Playroom
In this episode, I answer a question about working with a 7-year-old child with a profound history of neglect, abandonment, foster placements, reunification, and complex attachment trauma. Sixty-six sessions into the therapeutic process, the child continues to demonstrate significant dysregulation,…
408 | What If the Child Isn't Finished When Time Is Up?
In this episode, I answer a question about how to handle the end of a play therapy session when a child is deeply engaged in an activity and isn't finished when time runs out. While it's natural to want to help children find closure, complete a project, or avoid frustration, I explain why those…
407 | CCPT Mythbusters: You Have to Figure Out What the Play Means
In this episode of the CCPT Mythbusters series, I tackle one of the most common misconceptions in child-centered play therapy: the belief that therapists have to figure out what a child's play means. Many clinicians feel pressure to identify themes, decode symbolism, interpret behavior, and connect…
406 | When an Intern Sits In: Best Practices for CCPT Observation + Live Event Announcements!
In this episode, I answer a question about allowing interns, supervisees, and other clinicians to observe child-centered play therapy sessions. I discuss what happened when an intern sat in on a session and unintentionally disrupted the therapeutic process by interacting with the child in a…