252 | Mastering Neutrality: The "Missing Tenet" in Child-Centered Play Therapy

In this episode of the Play Therapy Podcast, I introduce a new series focused on neutrality in child-centered play therapy (CCPT). Neutrality is a foundational yet often overlooked aspect of maintaining adherence to the CCPT model. I reflect on my early experiences in the field, where lapses in neutrality led to tangible fractures in the therapeutic relationship. Through these moments, I learned the critical importance of staying emotionally neutral—keeping tone, body language, and reactions steady, no matter what happens in the playroom.

I explain how neutrality directly supports unconditional acceptance, a cornerstone of CCPT, and why even subtle deviations can hinder a child’s self-actualizing process. This series will explore how therapists can master neutrality, address challenges that compromise it, and ultimately provide an environment where the child is accepted unconditionally.

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Common References: Cochran, N., Nordling, W., & Cochran, J. (2010). Child-Centered Play Therapy (1st ed.). Wiley. VanFleet, R., Sywulak, A. E., & Sniscak, C. C. (2010). Child-centered play therapy. Guilford Press. Landreth, G.L. (2023). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (4th ed.). Routledge. Bratton, S. C., Landreth, G. L., Kellam, T., & Blackard, S. R. (2006). Child parent relationship therapy (CPRT) treatment manual: A 10-session filial therapy model for training parents. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group. Benedict, Helen. Themes in Play Therapy. Used with permission to Heartland Play Therapy Institute.