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

442 | When Parents Feel Kept in the Dark: Protecting Confidentiality in CCPT

In this episode, I answer a question about one of the more delicate aspects of child-centered play therapy: how do we protect a child's confidentiality while reassuring p

441 | Do You Really Trust the Child? (What Landreth Teaches Us About Trusting Children)

In this episode, I return to the topic of limit setting, but this time I'm focusing on something even more foundational than the ACT process itself: trust. Drawing from a

440 | Do AI-Generated Notes Have a Place in Child-Centered Play Therapy?

In this episode, I answer a question about the growing use of artificial intelligence in therapy, particularly AI tools that record sessions and automatically generate cl

439 | The Floor Belongs to the Child — Wait Until You're Invited to Sit on the Floor

In this episode, I focus on a deceptively simple part of what it means to let the child lead in child-centered play therapy: the floor belongs to the child. Landreth is c

438 | "Guess What?" How to Handle When a Child Insists That You Guess

In this episode, I answer a question about a familiar playroom dynamic: the child who constantly wants the therapist to guess. "Guess what I ate for lunch." "Guess what I

437 | Ultimate Limits Are Still a Choice - Getting the Final Step Right

In this episode, I continue last week's conversation about ultimate limits by focusing on a piece I think we often miss: an ultimate limit is still a choice. Landreth tel

436 | Should You Ever End a CCPT Session Early? (Clarifying Ultimate Limits in CCPT)

In this episode, I clear up an important misconception about ultimate limits in child-centered play therapy: Can a child ever "choose" to lose the rest of their play sess

435 | When a Child Cheats Because They Have to Win: What's Really Happening in the Playroom?

In this episode, I answer a question about an 8-year-old who loves playing games but will do almost anything to make sure he wins—including cheating, changing the rules,

434 | What's Wrong With Our Field? Research. (A Call for the Next Generation of CCPT Research)

In this final episode of the What's Wrong with Our Field? series, I tackle what I believe is a significant gap in child-centered play therapy: research. We have decades o

433 | What Do You Say When a Child Asks If You Actually Like Them?

In this episode, I answer a question about an 11-year-old who repeatedly tells his therapist, "You don't really want to spend time with me," "You'd rather be somewhere el

432 | The Missing Piece in Your CCPT Training

In this episode, I talk about something I hear constantly from child-centered play therapists: "I'm the only CCPT in my office, I wasn't prepared to work with children, a

431 | What Do You Do When a Child Says 'I'm Bored' in the Playroom?

In this episode, I answer a question about something nearly every child-centered play therapist will eventually hear: "I'm bored." When a child complains that there's not

430 | What's Wrong with Our Field? Supervision

In this episode of the What's Wrong with Our Field? series, I tackle a major challenge for child-centered play therapists: supervision from someone who doesn't understand

429 | "All We Do Is Play": When an Anxious Child Wants to Quit Therapy

In this episode, I answer a question about an 11-year-old with significant social anxiety who, seven sessions into CCPT, tells a parent that therapy is a waste of time be

428 | What's Wrong with Our Field? Novelty and "Innovation"

In this episode, I continue the What's Wrong with Our Field? series by looking at our profession's fascination with novelty and innovation. I challenge the assumption tha

427 | How Anxiety Shows Up—and Changes—in the Playroom

In this episode, I answer several questions about two anxious girls whose play is giving us a fascinating look at what happens when children begin confronting the very th

426 | What's Wrong with Our Field? CCPT-ish

In this episode of the What's Wrong with Our Field? series, I tackle something I've been talking about for years: CCPT-ish. We have a complete, empirically supported mode

425 | How to Coach Parents Through Severe Power Struggles

In this episode, I answer a question about helping parents whose child has gradually taken control of the entire home. When a child constantly interrupts conversations, m

424 | What's Wrong with Our Field? The Problem with ABA

In this episode of the What's Wrong with Our Field? series, I examine why I believe Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) remains one of the most concerning practices in pediat

423 | What If a Child Tells You to Stop Talking?

In this episode, I answer a question about one of the most uncomfortable moments a child-centered play therapist can experience: when a child tells you to stop talking be