Latest / The Play Therapy Circle / Episode 29- Kylie's Journey to Becoming a Play Therapist

Transcript

Episode 29- Kylie's Journey to Becoming a Play Therapist · The Play Therapy Circle

0:00
Hi there and welcome to the Play Therapy Circle.
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Before we begin, Please note this podcast is for
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informational and educational purposes only.
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It does not provide therapeutic advice and listening does not
0:14
create a client therapist relationship.
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All views expressed are my own and any case example shared have
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been de identified to protect privacy.
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If you're seeking personal support, please reach out to a
0:27
qualified mental health professional in your area.
0:33
Hi and welcome to an episode of The Play Therapy Circle.
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I'm Kylie Ellison, a therapist, clinical supervisor and play
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therapy trainer and I'm so grateful you're here.
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This podcast is a space for thoughtful, soulful
0:49
conversations about child centred therapy, play based work
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and what it means to show up with presence and compassion,
0:57
both for our clients and for ourselves.
1:00
Whether you're a seasoned play therapist, a student just
1:03
starting out, or someone deeply passionate about working with
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children, you belong here. Hey everyone, welcome back to
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the Play Therapy Circle podcast. I'm your host, Kylie Ellison,
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and I am so glad you are here. Hi, everyone.
1:24
Welcome to another episode, a happy Sunday.
1:28
I'm recording this on a Sunday, so trying to get ahead for the
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week that's about to come through and all of the things.
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So I hope that you guys are having a wonderful week and
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wonderful start to the year. Guys, it's the 25th of January.
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Like, I don't know what's happening, but I'm pretty sure
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it's a lot and it's happening fast.
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Yeah. Where did this?
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Where is this month going? Yeah, we have our kids going
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back to school next week, which is great.
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Great. No, I love my kids, but it's
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time to get back. So that's good.
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That's really good. And obviously in the playroom we
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will have all of our beautiful children and clients entering
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back into school settings here in Brisbane.
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So lots happening in the next week.
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But I also need to announce too. It's not really an announcement,
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just a declaration. No, that sounds even worse.
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Just to mention. Yeah, let's find that back.
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Just to mention a couple of new things I got got it upgraded the
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couch. Yeah, the other one I had, if
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you're watching on YouTube or you're watching on the video,
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you'll see it's different. Yeah.
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The last one I underestimated how small it was.
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I'm just trying to think of a nice way of saying she was too
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small so I needed one that I actually fit on.
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So there you go. I persisted for as long as I
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could and then I no no longer persisted.
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And also I have some pink glasses, new ones that are just
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really my vibe at the moment. So black is out, pink is back in
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21 following along, although I've got black nails on.
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I just went got my nails done. So I just contradicted myself.
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I love that. Okay, I want to connect with you
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all today. This is a very different episode
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to what we would normally do and I will explain all in a second.
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Usually I have a bit of a template and I because I'm ADHD
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and I'm very easily distracted and very easily going on
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tangents. And if you've been listening and
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you're a listener and a follower, you know, you know, So
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I'm trying to have a little bit of a structure today's episode,
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but it may go on a wandering journey.
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So I'm giving that disclaimer again at the head of this
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episode, right? Because my practise and our
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practise. So I have myself and I have two
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incredible women, Eva and Shaz. Hello to you both who work with
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me and have been with me for a number of years now, which I'm
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so, so grateful for. They put up with me.
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Can you imagine me as a boss? I'm all over the shop.
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So I am so grateful and I love them both.
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So we are about to celebrate on the 1st of February 10 years of
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private practise in child centred play therapy. 10 years.
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So what I thought I would do today's episode on in
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celebration of that. A bit of a look back, a bit of a
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journey. Like I said, let's go for a
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wander together. The journey that was me starting
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private practise 10 years ago and then moving into where I am
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today. So if you are, I feel like this
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is maybe an episode I want to dedicate to anyone who might be
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feeling a little bit lost, a little bit unsure of the next
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moves, a little bit unsure if they want to go into play
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therapy or become a play therapist.
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Hopefully this will give you some inspiration that there's,
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there is hope there. There is absolutely hope there.
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So I might share my journey. I'm also really mindful that we
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have, oh gosh, I want to say now I'm just thinking of the stats
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the other day, because I looked at it the other day, I want to
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say about 35% of our listeners are international and of those,
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they're from about 38 different countries.
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So and we have 39 as Australia at about 65%.
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I think it is. So I just want to acknowledge
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that for many of you listening who are regular listeners, you
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may not know really anything about my journey into play
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therapy and specifically child centred play therapy.
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So I'm hoping that this might be helpful.
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And like I said, again, for those who are unsure or feeling
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a bit lost, I think this is especially for you.
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I'm, I'm going to dedicate this to you because I think that, oh,
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there's so much to unpack about my journey and we don't have
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enough time and you guys are not my therapists.
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So I am going to do this from a reflective perspective of just
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letting you guys know, I guess the journey and how we got here.
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So I want to start with the before chapter.
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This is going to get grab a coffee, grab a tea, grab, you
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know, sit on a couch, grab a blanket.
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This is going to be this is going to be a minute.
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OK, No, I'm joking. I'm absolutely joking.
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We're not going to dwell on too much detail over this podcast
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because that's important that we talk about the full story.
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OK, So what was I doing before play therapy?
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Good question, Sue. I originally this is going to go
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back. And so anyone who's been on my
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website and seen my credentials and my bio, you'll see all of
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this. So this is nothing new, but in
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terms of my journey, I finished high school.
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How fun is this? We're really going back.
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Oh my God, you guys are like, this is the episode I didn't ask
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for and you're going to get anyway.
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OK, so I went and I finished high school.
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I'm not going to tell you when because it was like 10,000 years
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ago. And then I studied an
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undergraduate degree, sorry. It was a Bachelor of Arts
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majoring in psychology. So I at 18 went to university
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because I was like, that's what everyone did back in the day.
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I'm going to say back in the day because I'm not going to tell
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you. You'll probably work it out.
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But anyway, back in the day, that's what we did.
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So what did I do? I picked like a whole bunch of
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subjects. I picked things like writing
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subject, I picked an education subject, I picked a psychology
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subject, I did a social science one.
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What else did I did? I just did like a bunch of
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things to see what I wanted to be when I grew up.
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And the only thing that really stuck with for me was the
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psychology studies, which is what I eventually went on to for
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the rest of my degree. I have to share the for all of
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those from an education background who have done studies
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and qualifications in education, I just want to take my hat off
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to all of you. I mean, I do that anyway.
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But even in this space, I did like an introductory subject
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when I was 18 and I had to do like a five day placement at a
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kindy. And like when I tell you, at the
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end of the five days, I was like, OK, I've ruled this out.
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Like this is this is not for me because I literally was
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exhausted, shattered. And that was a million years ago
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before, you know, kind of today's climate.
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So I just want to like pay my respects and tip my hat to all
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of you who are either working in education or have done education
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studies because I thought I was stronger than that.
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I really wasn't. I really wasn't.
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So you guys are amazing. So I finished my undergrad
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degree. So that ended up taking four
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years. I graduated in No, no, no, it
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was three years because I graduated the end of 2004,
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graduated the end of 2004. So then I got my first job as a,
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what we would call back in the day, a child safety officer
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through the Department of Child Safety at the time.
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So that was 2005, yes. So I've been working 21 years in
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the helping profession. OK, we're doing the numbers,
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guys. We're crunching the numbers.
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So 2005, I lasted there about 18 months.
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And so again, anyone listening who is working in child
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protection, who works for any kind of government bodies in
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that space, again, I tip my hat to you because I couldn't last
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either. And anyone who has been in that
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space as well, who has been in the trenches of child protection
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and worked in as a statutory body, it's, it's not easy.
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It's, it's very, it's a lot. It's a lot on so many levels.
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And I won't unpack that. I, I just want to pay my
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respects again to those of you who are working in that space
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because it's not easy work, that's for sure.
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I think at the time in 2005 when I was there, because I was there
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for 18 months, I think the turnover rate was every six
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months a staff member. So a staff member would leave,
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they would reach like a maximum of six months and then they were
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gone. So for me to stay 18 months was
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like I was a long timer. I was almost due for a long
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service sleep. I'm just kidding.
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So that was a lot. That was a lot.
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And certainly left that profession with a good amount of
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burnout, which was great. It was amazing, literally left
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so then moved into but it gave me great skills like the skills
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and the understanding I have for here in Queensland.
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I'm going to talk to Queensland of the child protection
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legislation and my understanding of child protection processes at
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a statutory level makes it it, it has been an incredible
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advantage in terms of understanding the system.
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So I don't I don't regret it. I wouldn't do it again.
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More happy on the other side in the non government space.
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So went to the non government sort of went, OK, I tried
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government, let's try non government.
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So went to the non government. I worked.
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So one of the things that I found, and I'm sure somebody
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listening will probably psychoanalyse this, but what I
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found with any job that I went to after child safety.
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Well, even it was happening with child safety because they were
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going to, I was going to be a team leader just before I left
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and I, I was like 22. I was like 22.
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I was like, no, I should not be. But every job I've gone to, I've
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basically done the job and kind of worked really hard,
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understood the role, you know, tried my best.
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And usually I would find myself kind of migrating into middle
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management or upper management positions and then kind of get
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bored of that and move on. So I did that with Lutheran
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Community Care, got a chance to work with them.
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They were amazing. Then went to life without
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barriers, who were also amazing, and then fell pregnant with my
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daughter. So I'd had, yeah, a couple of,
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I'd had the government job and a couple of non government jobs
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before I felt pregnant and had Chelsea.
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So at that point in time I just decided that I really wanted to,
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I I'd worked in, I guess roles where I had had the opportunity
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to do direct client work. I'd also done kind of management
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work as well. And so I just really wanted
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something different. So I moved into contractor work.
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So that was great because it offered me really great
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flexibility when my kids were little.
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So I was working in a space where I could just work for
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myself. I could work my own hours, I
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could work from home. I could, you know, pick and not
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pick, but like schedule, I guess meetings and home visits and you
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know, work stuff around my husband's schedule.
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So that worked really well. So I was doing that for a few
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years, worked for lots of different contractor
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organisations and then kind of fell into child centre play
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therapy like I was, I was kind of thinking about how do I, how
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do I describe this in a way where it's like magical, It
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really wasn't. So what I will say is that
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having worked in government and non government before I moved
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into contracting work, I had definitely tried to use lots of
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training and strategies that I already had in my toolkit around
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working with children and families.
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So the frustration that I was finding was that I just wasn't
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really getting those outcomes that I really wanted.
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So I, I felt and, and there was something in me and I, and I
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want to flag this to anyone who has had this experience as well,
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because it's really important that you listen to it because I
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didn't initially. And I think that that if I'd
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listened to it sooner, I would have found play therapy sooner.
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But there was something around it not feeling quite right or
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not feeling like it was landing in the way that I was hoping or
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helping the client to be able to navigate their issues and their
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problems by using more directive talk based approaches.
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I did lots of activities, lots of handouts, lots of different
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strategies and suggestions and ideas both to children and to
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parents and families and just didn't feel like I was making
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that traction. So I started kind of looking
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online, kind of going, OK, well, you know, this is what I've
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done. This is the training, this is my
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professional background. Oh, during that time too, I
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started my honours in psychology.
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When did I do that? Oh, I did that in 2009, I think.
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No, no, yeah, no, yeah. Around that time, yes.
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Because yes. Anyway, I'm doing the maths.
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So in that space did my honours year in psychology at Bond
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Junior at the Gold Coast. So that was awesome too.
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I really enjoyed that. OK, so anyway, yeah.
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Went online, kind of had a look around.
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So at this point in time I had an undergrad and an honest in
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psychology. So looked up a few different
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trainings and came across play therapy and thought I really
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have no idea what this is but this sounds amazing.
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So signed up for the introductory course and that was
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over in Perth. So for the duration of my
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training which was 4 workshops, I flew from Brisbane over to
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Perth and stayed there. And so my husband at the time my
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kids were two and three. So my husband stayed in Brisbane
15:16
for the first time and then he would come and bring the kids
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with him and we would make kind of a bit of a trip of it after
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I'd done my training in Perth each time for the rest of the
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programme. So I really wasn't expecting, I
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didn't have any expectations going into the introductory
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workshop. This was back in 2015.
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So I want to also, I mean, it's 2026 now.
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So that was 11 years ago that I did my training in WA and I want
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to, I guess also emphasise that 11 years ago, play therapy.
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I mean, play therapy is constantly growing in Australia,
15:52
which is incredible and amazing. But eleven years ago it was even
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kind of less known in our community and there certainly
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was less professionals working in the space. 11 years ago for
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sure, for sure. So I went there kind of in a bit
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of an unknown of kind of, I don't know what to expect and
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completely fell in love with it. And it really was, I just think
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there was so many factors that were contributing to it at the
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time. But I think that one of the
16:18
things around not needing to be the expert, I think that was my
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moment where I was like, oh, thank God, I don't need to have
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the answers. I feel really kind of out of my
16:27
comfort zone when I feel like I need to give answers to my
16:30
clients. It doesn't feel right.
16:32
And this approach really kind of sat in the opposite of that.
16:34
And I was just like, this is it. But I always when I'm connecting
16:39
with others, when I'm sharing my play therapy work, I will often
16:43
say, and I want to say this to normalise it.
16:46
So especially those of you who might be starting some studying,
16:50
starting some studies in play therapy and still feeling a bit
16:54
unsure, I want to share with you in my first workshop, it was a
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three day workshop and I on the third day, we were doing limit
17:02
setting in groups and it was a big group, I want to say maybe
17:04
about 8, maybe more students in the group.
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And we were all having a go at just kind of people going in the
17:10
middle. We're all playing whatever and I
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just found myself like a deer in headlights.
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I, when it was my turn to be a therapist and there was somebody
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trying to test limits and really like, it wasn't anything too
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hectic. I remember this girl that I was
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doing it with. She was beautiful and she was
17:31
being very gentle. And I was just like, like, I
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couldn't get the words out. Like my brain was trying to
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remember the words of the statements of the ACT model, but
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I couldn't get it out. And so the longer, you know,
17:46
when, like, people are waiting for you to say something and
17:50
you're not saying anything. And it's just like that awkward
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silence. It was like that forever.
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And everyone was kind of looking at me, which meant worse.
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So I felt worse. And I was like, I don't even
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know what to say. I don't even know how to stop,
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sorry. After that, went to the
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bathroom, had a meltdown, but and then ring my husband.
18:08
I was like, Oh my God, I'm just pedals funny.
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I don't know what I'm doing. And here we are 11 years later.
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So I guess there's a there's a silver lining.
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I promise I'm getting to a point I, I will never forget that
18:23
experience because I think it's really important when we are
18:26
nurturing and supporting new play therapists in this space to
18:29
all remember where we came from. And not everyone was an expert
18:33
straight out. And I am definitely not an
18:35
expert 100%. I will never call myself that.
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But I think that there's something around grounding
18:41
yourself in that humility of where you started to I guess
18:45
celebrate how far you've come. So if you are a beginning play
18:49
therapist, feeling that, regardless of kind of the
18:52
pathway that you take and the training that you do, we all
18:55
have those moments where we're kind of like, can I do this?
18:58
Have I got this? Is this, am I going to be able
19:00
to do this moving forward? And again, I want to be, I
19:04
guess, an offering here around there's potentially hope.
19:09
I don't want to like, you know, assure you that absolutely
19:12
everything's going to be fine, but there's there's definitely a
19:14
way forward. So I'll never forget that first
19:16
workshop ever that that has stayed with me for a very, very
19:20
long time. And I'm, I'm really proud now
19:23
of, of kind of where I've moved to and where I'm at now and what
19:26
I'm doing now. And you know how often people,
19:30
you'll see it on social media, they'll say, you know, if you
19:33
could have talked to yourself, you know, as a younger self,
19:36
what would you say? I feel like it's almost like
19:38
that in kind of thinking about what I would have said to myself
19:41
10 years ago, well, eleven years ago for the training of where I
19:45
am now. And it's absolutely nothing like
19:48
I imagined it, which again, I promise is a good thing, but I
19:54
definitely wasn't in the headspace of any kind of
19:56
expectations at that point. I just really wanted to try
19:59
something new and something different because I was really
20:02
feeling stuck in using more of that kind of CBT talk based
20:06
directive kind of approach. To to speaking with children and
20:10
having no kind of elements of play there in in my work.
20:13
So that was kind of the before chapter and how I discovered
20:17
play therapy. I don't know if I've terrified
20:20
anyone or you're you're OK, you're feeling OK.
20:26
I feel like I want to check in. So I finished my training and
20:32
what happens next, I decide that I am going to open my private
20:37
practise. So I make the decision at the
20:42
time because I had a two and a three year old and I was working
20:45
as a contractor so wasn't working in an employed position.
20:49
And obviously my husband works full time.
20:52
So I yeah, we did absolutely the best that we could but.
20:56
And it's just incredible that where life has taken us, but
20:59
started with a practise from home.
21:02
So definitely now 1011 years later for anyone beginning in
21:08
that space, I definitely think there's pros and cons.
21:11
So for me, and I say this as somebody now where I'm at, at
21:16
this part of my journey, I definitely feel like
21:19
specifically for me working from home in terms of doing play
21:23
therapy definitely had a shelf life.
21:25
There's a lot of challenges with it and it's definitely can be
21:29
rewarding. It can be a really welcoming and
21:31
inviting and supportive space for clients, but it also has its
21:35
downsides. So it did after about 18 months
21:38
get too much. And so I managed to get a small
21:41
space. I think that was Cleveland.
21:44
I want to say, Oh no, maybe Brendale, I'm not sure.
21:47
There was a couple of spaces that I opened early in the piece
21:50
and around that time as well. So I started my private
21:54
practise. I did that for about 18 months
21:56
and then I moved over to being from a sole trader to being a
22:01
proprietary limited company. And so then worked in a space
22:05
where I was bringing other play therapist on.
22:07
So I did that till about, oh, I want to say 2024, what are we in
22:14
now? 2026, Yeah, 2024 when I really
22:20
made a conscious decision that I wanted to be able to look at my
22:25
career kind of long term and move towards that.
22:29
So I definitely in the beginning wanted to have an incredible
22:33
company that was going to have lots of offices and lots of
22:36
staff. And I can certainly hand on
22:38
heart say that I certainly had that experience and was able to
22:42
do that. But I think for me, this is
22:44
going to sound so sad, but I'm like in my 40s now.
22:46
I feel like I'm a geriatric millennial for real.
22:49
And so hitting my 40s, I was kind of like, what do I want to
22:53
do? Like for the rest of my life?
22:55
And some people don't necessarily have that thought
22:57
process. So I really want to just
22:58
acknowledge this was my journey. But I think for me, and the
23:03
other part, which was a significant part of my decision
23:08
making, there was kind of a couple of things. 1 was my
23:10
health. So I think definitely wanting to
23:13
have a bit more of a focus on my health and looking after myself
23:17
was a big part of me wanting to downsize at that point and
23:22
really focus on my practise specifically as opposed to
23:27
building a big company. And I realised too that my kids,
23:33
they're both now in high school. So for my daughter, she said,
23:37
she just said to me in the car the other day, she's like, I
23:39
graduate high school in 2029 and like 3 years time, 3 1/2 years
23:43
time. And I was like, what, what, what
23:47
do you mean you're graduating? Like that means then you're
23:49
gonna have your own life. Like what?
23:51
So I literally feel and have felt for the last year or so
23:55
that I, I just have this small, becoming smaller window of time
24:01
with my kids before they are gonna go out and venture into
24:04
the wild. And I just didn't want to having
24:07
started my business when they were two and three, I really, it
24:11
took so much time away from my kids and I really wanted to have
24:15
those last few years with them before they grew up and left.
24:18
So I needed to make that kind of life decision.
24:21
So I did. And really especially in the
24:25
last 12 months, it's just been, I have come back to my joy of
24:30
play therapy and my passion of play therapy.
24:34
It's given us the chance last year just to launch this
24:37
podcast, which has been truly amazing.
24:39
I've really, really enjoyed it, getting into all things CCPT.
24:44
I'm obviously involved in helping with training.
24:46
So our organisation also started delivering training.
24:51
So not play therapy Circle, my private practise delivered and
24:54
started delivering training since 2018.
24:56
So I've been doing that for about 7 years.
24:58
And so I really wanted to define I guess where I wanted to go in
25:05
terms of my career. And it really is at this point
25:10
about specialising, but also too about sharing.
25:15
As Gary Lynn, I I'm constantly thinking and so I have share.
25:18
I just thought of his quote. I love in Gary Landers the out
25:22
of the relationship. His quote around the fact that
25:24
child centre play therapy shouldn't just live in the play.
25:27
I'm paraphrasing, but he basically says shouldn't just
25:30
live in the playroom. It should be shared with
25:31
everyone and I really really truly at my core believe that.
25:35
And what I'm realising now, obviously 1011 years later is
25:42
having, you know, really kind of worked in that space of child
25:45
centre play therapy the whole time.
25:47
I feel like I have so much I can offer.
25:48
So that has been, and this is starting to sound like a therapy
25:52
session. You guys welcome, welcome, have
25:54
a seat. I'm just kidding, Sue.
25:57
It really has felt like this is now the next step in my journey
26:02
is doing some of this. So I'm getting back into
26:03
conferences this year. I've got a couple of conferences
26:05
booked, one in Cairns in May and one in Brisbane in June, and I'm
26:11
sure more to come. So doing that, doing the
26:14
podcast, working in private practise, I'm truly loving
26:19
because I was kind of doing clients here and there over, you
26:21
know, kind of the course of when my company was bigger, You know,
26:25
in the last couple of years, really getting back into the
26:27
playroom and doing that work consistently has just been so
26:31
nice. And then supporting play
26:33
therapists in their clinical journey with clinical
26:36
supervision has just been incredible and such a privilege
26:39
to do as well. So it's been quite the journey
26:42
to get me here. But I have to say, at the this
26:46
point in my life, I guess doing this work and you know, showing
26:51
up in this way, like I said, with doing my private practise,
26:55
you know, offering some connection and support to play
26:58
therapist in the field, being able to go to conferences and
27:01
talk about play therapy, doing the podcast, all those things
27:05
feels so aligned. It just feels right.
27:09
And so I guess that's the message that I want to send to
27:12
each of you listening, whether you are in play therapy or
27:16
you're beginning in your journey, it is so important to
27:19
listen to yourself and listen to your gut and listen to what
27:25
truly aligns for you because that's so important in where you
27:31
go in your career. And so I've always been super
27:35
goal orientated and I love that about myself.
27:38
But I think what I'm learning as well is really, I guess not just
27:43
looking at my goals, but kind of looking at where am I best
27:47
serving myself, my family, and my community.
27:51
So it's been a journey, you guys.
27:53
It's been a journey. Yay.
27:55
How fun was that going through that journey?
27:57
Oh my lordy, lordy, lordy. So what do I want to do?
28:03
I guess in terms of reflecting back on this and looking at the
28:07
last 10 years it's been knowing that the 10th birthday was
28:12
coming up, it definitely means a lot because I think when I look
28:18
back, you know, you know, some of the stats, right, in terms of
28:23
small businesses when I first started out and then now as a
28:25
small business. But also, I guess along the way,
28:30
during the middle of of my private practise journey was
28:33
COVID and COVID lockdowns and navigating all of that.
28:38
There's been so much that's happened.
28:40
So to get here means a lot. It really does.
28:43
It just is so nice to be able to say I didn't give up.
28:48
I, I kept going and I kept believing in child centre play
28:51
therapy because I truly, truly believed in it.
28:54
And now at this point feel so connected with the work, which
28:58
is just so nice that the most I ever have, the most I ever have.
29:01
So what am I most proud of? I think it's like I was just
29:07
saying believing in child centred play therapy no matter
29:13
what. There was many, many times I
29:16
could have doubted it. I could have maybe taken other
29:21
opinions or other beliefs around therapy and you know, different
29:27
journeys around that. But ultimately I stayed true to
29:31
it and I'm really, really proud of the fact that it never swayed
29:38
my belief in it, my hope in it, that offering child centre play
29:46
therapy to children and families in our communities is important
29:50
and that it works and that it is something that we need to trust
29:55
the process with. And I think we say trust the
29:57
process in child centre play therapy.
29:59
It's also about our own journey as play therapist.
30:02
We've got to trust the process. It's something where I'm
30:05
learning that it's not so important to have an idea of the
30:09
outcome or the goal. It's actually enjoying the
30:12
process in the middle, which means slowing down, which means
30:16
slowing down. So that's certainly been the
30:17
journey for me. So I think now, because I went
30:23
through such a journey where it was lots and lots of work,
30:27
obviously to run a practise. And now that I've been able to
30:32
come back and it's just myself and Eva and I have the amazing
30:35
shows with me to help me as well, that it feels like I can
30:39
slow down a bit. And when I've been able to slow
30:41
down, obviously then be able to regulate my nervous system,
30:45
which means then I'm able to be more present and means that the
30:49
richness of my work is so much better.
30:51
And so I've learned a lot of stuff along the way.
30:55
And I think now that I'm in this space, I catch myself a lot in
31:01
the day when I'm in the playroom with my clients thinking I can't
31:04
believe this is my job. I am beyond grateful that I'm
31:08
still here, beyond grateful and that it is a privilege to do
31:14
child centre play therapy with children and families in my
31:16
community. So I absolutely don't take it
31:19
for granted at all. What I learnt about myself is
31:23
that man, I, I have a kind of a funny quote that comes to mind
31:30
immediately. I don't know if this is
31:31
necessarily appropriate, but I kind of think about that idea of
31:35
that we can all do hard things. You know, we can do hard things.
31:40
We often say that when we are about to kind of have a
31:42
difficult conversation with a parent, we might suck ourselves
31:45
up and say, I can do hard things.
31:46
I think that if it's gosh, if it's worth the journey and if
31:53
it's worth the hard work, it's worth it, right?
31:56
But it's never, it's never going to be straightforward, It's
31:58
never going to be easy. So I think for those of you who
32:00
are thinking about going into private practise, there are so
32:03
many things to consider. And so make sure, because I wish
32:06
that I had make sure you think it through when you become a
32:10
sole trader and you're working in that space of really where
32:13
you want to go and really taking that time to invest.
32:17
So we often, you know, obviously talk about a business plan
32:19
that's obviously by the by, that's something totally
32:21
separate to this, but I think it's having intentionality and
32:25
that comes when you're able to kind of slow down and and kind
32:28
of stop. And that's certainly been it for
32:30
me later in my career. So in the last 12 months, I've
32:34
also discovered through lots of different how to put this events
32:40
chain of events that I have also been diagnosed with ADHD.
32:45
And I'm sure for anyone that has connected with me, that is 0
32:50
surprise, zero surprise. But I think that and often for
32:54
those of you who are, can I say geriatric millennials as well,
32:58
where are you? I see you in your 40s and you
33:01
get diagnosed. I think that there is a moment
33:04
where you kind of go and now everything makes sense about
33:09
your life. And I could go into all of those
33:12
things, but I won't because this is an this is an episode about
33:18
becoming a play therapist, but it makes a lot of sense.
33:21
And so I think in me taking that time over the last couple of
33:26
years and that journey around getting to know myself better
33:30
and getting to understand myself better, it really has changed my
33:34
perspective and certainly where I'm going in terms of my work.
33:38
So I am incredibly grateful for every experience I've had in
33:44
bringing me to this moment because it wouldn't have brought
33:46
me here. So I'm so, so grateful for that.
33:48
But I'm even more appreciative now of where I'm at and where
33:52
I'm going because it really is what feels connected and right
33:56
and true to me and true to the work that I want to do.
34:00
So I think I want to, I guess, kind of finish up this episode
34:05
because this really does feel like therapy session and you
34:09
all, I didn't give you a warning about that before we started.
34:12
Oh man, I want to I guess talk about at this 10 year mark, my
34:17
reflections. We've started doing it.
34:19
But just to finish it off, like I said, I have incredible
34:22
gratitude for everyone I've connected with because you have
34:26
taught me something about myself, my practise, and where
34:32
I'm going. So I am truly, truly grateful to
34:35
absolutely every person I've connected with and more so that
34:39
I'm so excited for the people I will connect with this year.
34:41
And for those of you who I am currently connected with, Oh my
34:44
gosh, this is so much about connection that I'm currently
34:47
connected with. And you know who you are, those
34:49
people who are just incredible, like I can't tell you how much I
34:57
love and adore you guys. You are so important to me and I
35:01
am so grateful, especially for those, you know, kind of in
35:07
closer circle connection to me, your belief in me, even when I
35:12
kind of sometimes lose it, you're there to kind of pick me
35:15
up and remind me of the journey and where I'm going and what
35:20
value I bring in child centre play therapy.
35:22
And I'm just so grateful. I'm so, so grateful.
35:24
I love each of you. So I think after all this time,
35:29
it's just so amazing that I'm even more passionate about child
35:32
centre play therapy than evermore than ever before.
35:36
And so I really want to in kind of signing this off because I
35:41
think this feels really nice as a way of kind of summarising.
35:46
I definitely want to reassure you guys if you are going into
35:50
this space or you're about to go into the space or you've been in
35:53
this space, that growth isn't linear.
35:57
She's not, definitely not. Yeah, it's the line is not
36:02
straight. It's all over the place.
36:06
You have the permission to connect and align and do what
36:14
absolutely lights your heart up. And for me, that's child Centre
36:17
play therapy. That's what it is.
36:19
I am passionate about it, I'm grateful for it, I am connected
36:25
to it. I love sharing about it.
36:28
And so I want to give you that hope that if you feel a little
36:34
bit overwhelmed or unsure, you don't need to have it all
36:37
figured out. You don't need to.
36:39
And I'm talking to myself now too.
36:42
We're all doing this. Let's all our hands and say that
36:43
together. Yeah, you don't have to have it
36:48
all worked out. And in fact, we talk about this.
36:53
It's written again in, I believe it's in Cochrane, Cochrane,
36:56
actually Nancy and Jeff Cochrane.
36:57
I'm a big, big fan as well of their textbook child centre play
37:01
therapy. They talk about when you are
37:04
communicating with parents, when you're connecting with them.
37:07
So I believe just jumping everywhere.
37:09
I believe child centre play therapy lives everywhere,
37:11
everywhere. You guys who are regular
37:14
listeners know that well. So I'm going to share it now in
37:16
terms of my journey of becoming a play therapist and a
37:19
professional, right? That they talk about when you
37:22
are connecting with parents in that initial consultation or
37:27
connecting with stakeholders like teachers that you honour,
37:31
obviously them as being the experts, but you also let them
37:34
know that you've got this as a child centre play therapist.
37:38
You might not necessarily say those words, but it's about
37:40
communicating to them. I believe in you.
37:43
I believe in your child. I believe in child centre play
37:45
therapy. We've got this and I will keep
37:48
you updated along the way. That's basically I'm summarising
37:51
and I really truly, if I could like send a message to anyone
37:55
listening who is feeling any kind of doubt or overwhelm or
37:59
being unsure or feeling unsure, please, please, please listen to
38:03
this, that you absolutely have got this.
38:07
Anytime in your mind where you start to wonder and doubt
38:11
yourself, remind yourself you've got this.
38:14
You absolutely do because you've been through so much already and
38:19
you're still here. So if you can do that, you can
38:23
do this moving forward. So I really am truly, truly
38:26
passionate about supporting those in our community who are
38:30
feeling unsure, who want to navigate and become a child
38:34
centre play therapist but don't know where to start.
38:36
I'm all about supporting them to say you've got this, truly, I
38:41
believe in each and every one of you listening that you are going
38:45
to help children, you are going to help support families and
38:49
you're going to make a difference in your community.
38:51
And how incredibly amazing is that?
38:56
And I look forward to the next 10 years private practise, which
39:01
is wild to me. Wild.
39:04
So what are we doing for our birthday?
39:07
OK, so we are going to have a live.
39:10
Because of course to anyone who wants to join, feel free.
39:14
It'll be 1:00 Queensland time on Monday the 2nd of February 2026.
39:21
So we will have a live. We have a couple of big
39:23
announcements that we are keen to share with you all.
39:28
But I think even more than that, we're going to have cake.
39:30
But do you know what I'm most excited about On the weekend?
39:33
I went to spotlight and bought a helium tank.
39:36
Never done it before, never ever.
39:38
I didn't even know this was the thing.
39:39
She was like, go and buy one. I was like, what?
39:41
That's a thing? That's amazing because I've
39:42
always ordered them, right. So bought a bought a tank.
39:48
I haven't opened it. I don't even know what to do.
39:49
So I'm going to take it to the office and I'm just going to
39:52
fill our probably our, our staff room.
39:56
I, we were talking about this the other day.
39:58
I was like, let's do the waiting room.
39:59
I was like, Nope, that's not a good idea.
40:01
Because the kids will go crazy with it, they'll enjoy it.
40:06
So we're going to do our staff room, but I'm just going to fill
40:07
the room with balloons. We're going to have cake and
40:10
we're just going to celebrate it that we have made it.
40:13
And here's to another 10. So feel free to join us if you
40:17
would like. I'm sure there's some way that
40:20
we'll probably record it somehow.
40:21
I don't know. I'm sure there's a way, but for
40:25
all of you listening, if you're just starting out in your
40:27
journey or you're 55 or 10 or 15 years down the line, make sure
40:31
that you are celebrating it because it's a bloody big
40:34
achievement. It's not something little that
40:37
to make it in business for 10 years is massive, massive,
40:43
especially in child centre play therapy.
40:45
So I want to send all of my love to each of you.
40:48
Thank you to each of you for listening and supporting the
40:51
podcast. I've absolutely loved it.
40:54
And I hope that you've enjoyed this episode today to get to
40:56
know me a little bit more. I don't know, let me know, I
40:59
guess on the socials messages, comment all of the things if you
41:04
would like something different in the future or if you enjoyed
41:07
this and what more next week we're going to return.
41:11
Okay, so here's my ADHD brain going in the wrong direction.
41:15
So I know this week was supposed to be another episode to help
41:19
and support parents and share information with parents about
41:22
play therapy. Promise guys, next week we'll
41:24
get back into it. We just had to do this kind of
41:28
unique and special episode for obvious reasons.
41:31
So I want to say to each of you, take care of yourselves and each
41:34
other, look after yourself and each other, be kind to
41:38
yourselves and each other because that's so important.
41:41
I am so grateful for each and everyone of you.
41:43
Thank you so much for being here.
41:45
And I can't wait to share with you next week more about child
41:47
and play therapy. So wherever you are, sending my
41:50
love and we'll talk to you again soon.
41:52
Bye. Thank you so much for being here
41:56
for another episode of The Play Therapy Circle.
41:59
If anything resonated with you today, I'd love it if you could
42:03
follow the podcast, share it with a colleague, or leave a
42:06
short review. It really helps others find our
42:09
circle. And if you have a topic or
42:11
question you'd love me to explore, I'd love to hear from
42:14
you. This space is for you and I want
42:17
it to feel like a conversation. Until next time, take care of
42:22
yourself and remember you belong here.