Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy

In this episode of the Play Therapy Podcast, I address a question from Marian in Ireland regarding the Touchstone story, a method sometimes used in initial therapy sessions. While acknowledging the intention behind the Touchstone story, I delve into why it doesn't align with child-centered play therapy principles. Instead, I propose ways to achieve similar goals through child-centered approaches. I emphasize the importance of creating a safe and comfortable environment for children in their initial sessions, focusing on building rapport and trust. I also discuss how to approach the topic of parental involvement and sharing information with children, emphasizing the child's autonomy and the therapist's role in facilitating a positive therapeutic experience.   Ask Me Questions:  Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com Brenna's CCPT Hub: https://www.playtherapynow.com CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://ccptcollective.com Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com Twitter: @thekidcounselor   https://twitter.com/thekidcounselor Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast   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. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-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.

In this episode of the Play Therapy Podcast, I cover the goals of filial therapy. I'm focusing primarily on the Child-Parent Relationship Training (CPRT) model. Facilitators need to understand the importance of these goals for parents, children, and the therapist. For parents, the goals of filial therapy include gaining tools, knowledge, and a new way of interacting with their children, ultimately leading to a stronger parent-child relationship. Children, on the other hand, benefit from learning to self-regulate, behaving in more self-enhancing ways, and feeling validated and understood by their parents. As therapists, our goals involve serving as liaisons between parents and children, facilitating connection, and providing a framework for effective parenting. Ultimately, CPRT offers a foundation for parenting and a deeper understanding of children's emotions and behaviors, fostering stronger family dynamics. If you're considering integrating filial therapy into your practice, understanding these goals is important for success in your work with the family.   Ask Me Questions:  Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://ccptcollective.com Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com Play Therapy Training HQ: https://www.playtherapynow.com APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com Twitter: @thekidcounselor   https://twitter.com/thekidcounselor Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast   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. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-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.

Lightning Round Q&A #4! - Four listeners contacted me with five questions, so here we go with Lightning Round #4.  I'm so grateful to you and your investment in child-centered play therapy.  You are why I do this podcast.  Thank you for your emails and phone calls.   Here is a summary of the questions: Pamela from Texas - The child keeps getting "bad" behavior notes from school. When do we know that a child has moved into the Termination Phase Rattanyoo (Bonus) from Thailand - How to handle challenging behavior by a client (lying, stealing, etc.) "J" from California - Why child-centered is more effective than directive methods Lexi from Minnesota - How to adapt a playroom with desk and closet, Use of safety plans, making messes, asked to close eyes, setting boundaries with the child   Ask Me Questions:  Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://ccptcollective.com Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com Play Therapy Training HQ: https://www.playtherapynow.com APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com Twitter: @thekidcounselor   https://twitter.com/thekidcounselor Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast   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. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-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.

In this episode, we delve into filial therapy, continuing our exploration of working with parents and families. Filial therapy, derived from the Latin word for family, encompasses various theoretical orientations, with our focus being on the child-centered approach. I emphasize the importance of empirical support in our work and highlight statistics indicating that active parental engagement leads to better outcomes. Notably, parents utilizing play therapy skills with their children have shown to be even more effective than therapists. I'm going to briefly introduce Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) as a structured approach for therapists seeking to incorporate filial therapy into their practice. Through CPRT, parents are trained to conduct play sessions with their children, fostering healing and growth within the family system. By empowering both children and parents, filial therapy offers a holistic approach to fostering change and enhancing family dynamics.   Ask Me Questions:  Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://ccptcollective.com Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com Play Therapy Training HQ: https://www.playtherapynow.com APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com Twitter: @thekidcounselor   https://twitter.com/thekidcounselor Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast   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. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-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.

In today's episode, we dive into a question from Ariana about children's consistent play themes of battles and fights in therapy sessions. Ariana shares her experiences with clients repeatedly setting up battle scenes with varying degrees of aggression, leading to character deaths each time. We explore interpretations of this repetitive play, including themes of power and control, dominance, means to an end, destruction, and third-person aggression. Additionally, we discuss the significance of documenting repetition and recognizing shifts in play narratives. Ultimately, our goal is to provide children with the space and support to explore and process their emotions within the therapeutic relationship.   Ask Me Questions:  Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://ccptcollective.com Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com Email Newsletter HQ: https://www.playtherapynow.com APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com Twitter: @thekidcounselor   https://twitter.com/thekidcounselor Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast   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. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-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.

In this episode of the Play Therapy Podcast, I'm going to take one more week to drive home the most important concept in engaging parents in the play therapy process. Through numerous discovery calls for the Play Therapy Professional Certification program, a common theme emerged: the need for guidance on communicating with parents. While we've covered this topic extensively in previous episodes, I felt compelled to delve deeper into the MINDSET necessary for successful parent engagement. Drawing from my experience in a private pay, private practice model, I emphasize the importance of viewing parents as customers and delivering value to them. By shifting our mindset to prioritize customer service and providing parents with tangible value, we can foster greater buy-in, understanding, and investment in the therapeutic process. Ultimately, our goal is to instill hope and communicate the promise of transformation to families, and adopting a customer-centric approach to parent interactions is key to achieving this objective. So, let's explore the significance of customer service in parent engagement and the transformative impact it can have on the therapeutic journey.   Ask Me Questions:  Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://ccptcollective.com Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com Play Therapy Training HQ: https://www.playtherapynow.com APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com Twitter: @thekidcounselor   https://twitter.com/thekidcounselor Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast   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. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-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.

In this special episode of the Play Therapy Podcast, I deviate from our usual schedule to share an inspiring email from a listener named Nathan. His email details how child-centered play therapy (CCPT) has transformed his career and life. Nathan, a social worker, shares his journey of transitioning from directive treatment methods to CCPT after discovering the podcast. He describes the challenges he faced in articulating the CCPT process to parents and the remarkable progress he made in implementing CCPT techniques in his practice. Through Nathan's story, we explore the profound impact of CCPT on both therapists and the children they serve, highlighting the transformative power of this therapeutic approach. Tune in to hear Nathan's inspiring journey and discover the beauty of CCPT in shaping careers and lives.   Ask Me Questions:  Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://ccptcollective.com Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com Play Therapy Training HQ: https://www.playtherapynow.com APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com Twitter: @thekidcounselor   https://twitter.com/thekidcounselor Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast   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. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-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.

In this episode, I discuss effective strategies for communicating with schools as a play therapist. It's important to understand that school personnel aren't always trained in mental health, so approaching them with empathy and support can make a big difference. I share tips on focusing on the child's successes and growth, offering resources and insights, and fostering a collaborative tone in conversations. By building relationships with schools and educators, we can better support children's well-being across different environments.   Ask Me Questions:  Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://ccptcollective.com Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com Play Therapy Training HQ: https://www.playtherapynow.com APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com Twitter: @thekidcounselor   https://twitter.com/thekidcounselor Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast   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. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-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.

In this episode, I delve into a question from Batsheva about how to distinguish between play that stems from a child's imagination versus play influenced by screen time. As someone who authored the book "Device Detox," I'm deeply passionate about reducing children's screen time due to its harmful effects. While it's true that screen-influenced play can disrupt the purity of imaginative play, it's crucial to trust the child's process regardless of what they bring into the playroom. Whether it's reenacting video games or sharing experiences from outside the therapy session, every aspect of a child's play holds significance. Additionally, it's essential to recognize the difference in play patterns between neurotypical and neurodivergent children. While screen-influenced play is more typical for neurodivergent kids, it can signal excessive screen time for neurotypical children. Addressing this issue with parents is vital, even if it means having difficult conversations about monitoring and regulating screen use. Ultimately, our goal is always to advocate for the child's well-being and provide them with the support they need to thrive.   Ask Me Questions:  Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://ccptcollective.com Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com Play Therapy Training HQ: https://www.playtherapynow.com APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com Follow me on Twitter: @thekidcounselor   https://twitter.com/thekidcounselor   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. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-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.

In this episode of The Play Therapy Podcast, I tackle a critical issue: how to communicate with parents while keeping confidentiality intact. Drawing from my experiences at my center and insights from my coaching program, I dive into the delicate balance between transparency and confidentiality in our conversations with parents. I share what information is appropriate to share with parents, such as themes, observations, and progress updates while stressing the importance of safeguarding confidentiality. Using real-life examples and practical tips, I shed light on strategies for navigating these discussions effectively, ensuring that parents feel informed without compromising the child's trust. From setting clear expectations to emphasizing the rationale behind our approach, we can maintain confidentiality while fostering open communication with parents.   Ask Me Questions:  Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://ccptcollective.com Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com Play Therapy Training HQ: https://www.playtherapynow.com APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com Follow me on Twitter: @thekidcounselor   https://twitter.com/thekidcounselor   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. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-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.