Shows / Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
Your source for centered and focused Play Therapy coaching. A "Master-Class" in Play Therapy. Breaking down the barriers to high-quality Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) education. No paywalls, no ads, no fluff... all content — just expert, accessible training for every play therapist, free of charge.
Episodes
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
325 | Art of the Session: Why Reflecting Content Keeps You Engaged Without Taking Over
In this episode of the Art of the Session series, I focus on the skill of Reflecting Content—what it is, when to use it, and how to do it well. Reflecting…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
324 | Art of the Session: Tracking Behavior—The Skill You Can Always Use In Any Given Moment
In this episode of the Art of the Session series, I focus on one of the most foundational yet misunderstood CCPT skills: tracking behavior. I explain what it…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
323 | What to Do When Time Is Up But the Child Isn't Regulated Yet
In this episode, I respond to a question from Crystal, a school-based clinician in Minnesota, about how to end sessions when a child is emotionally…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
322 | Art of the Session: The CCPT Therapist's Shortlist—11 Responses That Work In Any Given Moment In A Session
In this Art of the Session episode, I walk through one of the most empowering and clarifying truths about CCPT: there's a finite list of responses we use in…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
321 | Managing Repetitive, Attention-Seeking Behaviors in the Playroom: Staying Neutral in CCPT
In this episode, I answer a unique and surprisingly common question from Zoe in Texas: what do you do when a child in CCPT is consistently farting in…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
320 | Art of the Session: The Exact Words You Say When Entering the Playroom
In this episode of the Art of the Session series, I focus on a key moment that sets the tone for every CCPT session: the exact phrase you say when entering the…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
319 | Art of the Session: Empowerment on the Way to the Playroom
In this episode of the Art of the Session series, I walk you through a phase of the play therapy process that's often overlooked—what happens on the way to the…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
318 | Mastering CPRT Announcement + Q&A: CCPT Termination Criteria (How to Know When a Child Is Truly Ready)
Mastering CPRT is open for registration - go to playtherapynow.com and use the code "CPRT100" to get $100 off for 10 days. It goes up to full price after 10…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
317 | CCPT with Tweens: Navigating the Shift from Play to Conversation
In this episode, I respond to a thoughtful question from Dearbhla in Ireland about working with a 12-year-old client who prefers to talk rather than engage in…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
316 | When Parents Join the Session: Why It Compromises the CCPT Model
In this episode, I answer a question from Hope in Kentucky about incorporating parents into the CCPT process. Her case involved a foster mom participating in…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
315 | Theoretical Integrity in Play Therapy: Why One Model Matters (The Case Against Integrative Play Therapy)
In this episode, I respond to a thoughtful question from Cassie in North Carolina about integrative play therapy and the belief that there's no "one size fits…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
314 | Art of the Session: What Happens in the Lobby Matters Too
In this episode of the Art of the Session summer series, I talk about one of the most overlooked parts of the CCPT process—our relationship with parents. While…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
313 | Art of the Session: Setting Up the CCPT Playroom With Purpose and Integrity
In this first episode of the Art of the Session summer series, I walk through one of the most essential components of effective CCPT work: the playroom itself…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
312 | CCPT Mindset: The Final Mindset Shift…From Doing CCPT to Being CCPT
In this final episode of the CCPT Mindset series, I wrap up with one of the most foundational shifts we must make as child-centered play therapists: moving…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
311 | Two Questions, One Answer: Trust the Process in Child-Centered Play Therapy
In this episode, I answer two great questions from Joy in Maryland. First, we talk about kids who spend most of their session playing with slime. I explain why…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
310 | CCPT With Toddlers and Preschoolers: What Changes and What Doesn't
In this episode, I respond to a question from Mara in North Carolina—and a handful of other listeners—about working with very young children in Child-Centered…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
309 | CCPT Mindset: When Progress Anxiety Undermines the Model
In this episode, I continue the CCPT Mindset series with a deep dive into something we all wrestle with at some point: progress anxiety. As child-centered play…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
308 | Toileting Battles and the Need for Power: CCPT Parent Coaching
In this episode, I respond to a question from Rachel in Missouri about a 5½-year-old client who refuses to poop in the toilet and insists on using a pull-up…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
307 | When Parents Call It a Bribe: Defending Choice Giving in CCPT
In this episode, I respond to a question from Sarah in California about how to explain the difference between bribery and choice giving in CCPT—specifically…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
306 | CCPT Mindset: The Myth of the Therapeutic Agenda
In this episode of the CCPT Mindset series, I unpack the "myth of the therapeutic agenda" and how even well-intentioned goals can lead us away from true…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
305 | Shared Walls and Noisy Lobbies: Preserving the CCPT Playroom Environment
In this episode, I answer a question from Jill in Pennsylvania about how to handle playrooms that share a wall with a waiting area—and the issues that come…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
304 | Facilitating CPRT With Challenging Parent Dynamics
In this episode, I respond to a question from Tess in Illinois about coaching parents with personality disorders—specifically borderline and narcissism—within…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
303 | CCPT Mindset (New Series): Examining the Language That Pulls Us from the Model
In this episode, I kick off a new CCPT Mindset Series focused on the hidden beliefs and unconscious language that quietly pull us away from full adherence to…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
302 | Bringing CCPT Into Schools: Group Sessions, Teacher Buy-In, and Special Education Support
In this episode, I answer a question from Robin in New York, a school-based counselor who's navigating how to implement Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) in…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
301 | CCPT Skills for Quiet Sessions: Narrative Summary & Commentary Explained
In this episode, I talk about how to use narrative summary and narrative commentary in Child-Centered Play Therapy sessions—especially when you're working with…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
300th Episode Livestream: Three Years, One Mission—Preserve and Advance the Classical CCPT Model
In this special 300th episode of the Play Therapy Podcast, and on a special day (the podcast launched three years ago today!), I share the full audio from our…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
299 | You're Not Behind—You're Becoming: The CCPT Growth Journey Via the Summit Framework
In this episode, I offer encouragement and clarity for those of you who feel like you're not where you "should" be in your CCPT journey. If you've ever felt…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
298 | They Promised No Court—Then Sent a Subpoena: What Now? - Court and Legal Policy in CCPT
In this episode, I respond to a question from Lujaina in Texas about what to do when you've clearly communicated that you won't participate in court…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
297 | CCPT Purism: The Child Knows the Way—A Call to Re-Center
In this final episode of the CCPT Purism series, I wrap up our 11-episode journey with a reflection on what it truly means to live and practice Child-Centered…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
296 | Responding to Suicidal Statements in CCPT Sessions
In this episode, I respond to powerful questions from Angelica and Mikayla about how to approach suicidal statements made by children in CCPT sessions. These…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
295 | Confidentiality, Character Toys, and Religious Topics in CCPT
In this episode, I answer a thoughtful series of questions from Mikayla in Illinois that touch on several important topics in CCPT practice: confidentiality…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
294 | CCPT Purism: Practicing CCPT in a Directive World
In this episode of the CCPT Purism series, I talk about the reality of practicing child-centered play therapy in a world that doesn't understand it. From…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
293 | CCPT Purism: Why Non-Directivity Works
In this episode of the CCPT Purism series, I take a deep dive into one of the most foundational—and often misunderstood—truths of our model: non-directivity…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
292 | When It Feels Like "Nothing" Is Happening in Session—How to Add Variety Without Losing the Model
In this episode, I respond to a question from Melissa in Colorado about how to handle sessions where children aren't showing much emotion or verbalizing…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
291 | When Kids Assign You Roles: Staying Adherent to the CCPT Model During Role-Play Scenarios
In this episode, I answer a question from Amanda in Wisconsin about how to respond when a child assigns us a role in play and expects us to make choices—like…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
290 | CCPT Purism: Small Drifts and Deviations That Undermine the Model
In this episode of the CCPT Purism series, I talk about a critical but often overlooked common drift points that shift us from pure CCPT practice. These are…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
289 | CCPT Purism: The Paradox of Non-Directive but Highly Structured
In this episode of the CCPT Purism series, I unpack one of the most misunderstood truths about Child-Centered Play Therapy: that while it's non-directive, it…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
288 | Making Sense of "Baby Talk" in a CCPT Playroom: What It Means and How to Respond
In this episode, I answer a question from Kelli in Washington about how to respond when children use baby talk in the playroom. While it may seem like a small…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
287 | "You Be the Baby!" — What to Do When Kids Assign You Roles — Staying Child-Centered During Dramatic Play
In this episode, I answer a question from Laura, a grad student in Canada who's navigating how to stay fully adherent to the CCPT model during dramatic…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
286 | CCPT Purism: How Garry Landreth Established and Preserved the Integrity of the Child-Centered Play Therapy Model
In this episode of the CCPT Purism series, I focus on Garry Landreth and the essential role he played in shaping modern Child-Centered Play Therapy. While…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
285 | Q&A Lightning Round #8: Four Questions From Three Listeners Answered
In this episode, I answer four questions from three different listeners in another Q&A Lightning Round. I talk with Megan in Pennsylvania about how to present…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
284 | CCPT Purism: How The Guerneys and Filial Therapy Extended the CCPT Model
In this episode of the CCPT Purism series, I explore the work of Bernard and Louise Guerney, who extended the principles of child-centered play therapy beyond…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
283 | Supporting Parents Through Divorce: A Conversation with Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
In this special episode, I'm joined by Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby—licensed psychologist, marriage and family therapist, and founder of Growing Self Counseling &…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
282 | CCPT Purism: From Rogers to Axline and the Eight Principles That Shaped the Child-Centered Play Therapy Model
In this episode of the CCPT Purism series, I take you through the foundational role of Virginia Axline in translating Carl Rogers' person-centered theory into…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
281 | Playroom Representation: Sensitivity Without Over-Complication
In this episode, I answer a question from Mia in California about how to approach dollhouse families and representation in the CCPT playroom. We don't often…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
280 | When Kids Say "Stop Copying Me", Session Outside? Sandtray Use? Can I Take This Toy Home? Answering Real CCPT Questions
In this episode, I answer questions from Heather, who provides play therapy in a boys' home setting for ages 10–12. We cover a wide range of topics, including…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
279 | Client "Fit" in CCPT Isn't About the Child—It's About Expectations, Policies, and Processes
In this episode, I answer a question from Chloe in Georgia about how to assess whether a client or family is a good "fit" for CCPT. I clarify that CCPT is…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
278 | CCPT Purism: The Core Tenets & Conditions That Shaped Child-Centered Play Therapy
In this episode, I continue the CCPT Purism series with a deep dive into the core tenets and core conditions of Child-Centered Play Therapy. I walk through…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
277 | When Directive Play Therapy Backfires: A Case for CCPT
In this episode, I respond to a question from Sasha in Oregon about a challenging session with a 9-year-old client. She attempted to incorporate directive…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
276 | Following a Child's Lead vs. Returning Responsibility: Knowing the Difference
In this episode, I answer a question from Sandi in Iowa about how to respond when children ask or tell us to do things in the playroom. Whether it's a power…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
275 | CCPT Purism (New Series): How Rogers Broke the Rules—And Changed Child-Centered Play Therapy Forever
In this episode, I kick off a brand new series: CCPT Purism—a deep dive into what it truly means to be a pure Child-Centered Play Therapist. I've seen a…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
274 | Room Wrecking, Risk-Taking, and Sensory-Seeking: What's Behind the Play?
In this episode, I answer a question from Danielle in Georgia about a six-year-old child processing grief after the loss of his father. His play includes room…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
273 | Keeping CCPT on Track: When a Child Refuses to Stay in the Playroom
In this episode, I answer a question from Hannah in Texas about what to do when a child leaves the playroom mid-session—especially when limits have already…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
272 | Fine Tuning Limit-Setting: Clarifying the "A" in the ACT Framework
In this episode, I clarify the difference between reflecting feelings as a standalone reflective response and reflecting feelings within limit-setting (ACT…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
271 | When Limit-Setting Feels Endless & Does Setting Limits in CCPT Feel Coercive? Let's Clarify
In this episode, I answer two questions from Michal in New York. The first question explores whether setting limits in CCPT could feel manipulative or coercive…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
270 | When a Child Falls Asleep in Play Therapy: Trusting the CCPT Process
In this episode, I answer a question from Chris about working with a 14-year-old client who frequently falls asleep during play therapy sessions. This…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
269 | Adulthood Bias: The Barrier to Parents Understanding Children's Behavior
In this episode, I introduce the concept of adulthood bias—the tendency for adults to forget what it was like to be a child, leading to unrealistic…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
268 | When You and the Child Don't Speak the Same Language in CCPT
In this episode, I address a question about the role of verbal communication in CCPT. Research shows that play therapy is effective even when the therapist and…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
267 | Think You're an Independent Contractor? You Might Not Be. Know the Difference Between Independent Contractor Vs. Employee Categorization
In this episode, I take a break between series for a much-needed "palate cleanse" to address an issue that keeps coming up in conversations with play…
- Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy
266 | Fighting for CCPT: How to Advocate for Child-Centered Play Therapy in Sexual Abuse Cases and Trauma Work
In this episode, I answer a question from Lisa in Maryland about the role of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) in cases involving trauma and sexual behavior…