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

In this episode, I answer a question about how a parent's own anxiety, stress, or perfectionism impacts a child's progress in play therapy. I talk through the reality that while children often absorb what they are around, their growth in CCPT is not dependent on their parent "fixing" themselves first. The child will continue to move toward self-actualization through the relationship and the playroom, even when the environment isn't ideal.
At the same time, I offer an important perspective on the role of the parent in that process. I explain why we have to be very intentional in how we work with parents—focusing less on overwhelming them with skills and more on setting them up for success with small, manageable steps. I also share why encouraging parents to pursue their own therapy is so valuable, and how a parent's willingness to grow can significantly impact the overall outcome for the child.
Finally, I walk through a powerful illustration of what happens when a child is doing the work in therapy but the parent remains unchanged. While progress still occurs, there can be a limit to how far that growth can go. The best outcomes happen when both the child and the parent are moving toward each other—each doing their own work. This episode is a reminder that while we can't control a child's environment, we can trust the process of CCPT and continue to support both the child and the parent in meaningful, realistic ways.
PlayTherapyNow.com is my HUB for everything I do! playtherapynow.com. Sign up for my email newsletter, stay ahead with the latest CCPT CEU courses, personalized coaching opportunities and other opportunities you need to thrive in your CCPT practice. If you click one link in these show notes, this is the one to click!
Topical Playlists! All of the podcasts are now grouped into topical playlists on YouTube. Please go to https://www.youtube.com/kidcounselorbrenna/playlists to view them.
If you would like to ask me questions directly, check out www.ccptcollective.com, where I host two weekly Zoom calls filled with advanced CCPT case studies and session reviews, as well as member Q&A. You can take advantage of the two-week free trial to see if the CCPT Collective is right for you.
Ask Me Questions: Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: [email protected]
Brenna's CCPT Hub: https://www.playtherapynow.com
CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://www.ccptcollective.com
Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com
APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast
Common References:
Cochran, N., Nordling, W., & Cochran, J. (2010). Child-Centered Play Therapy (1st ed.). Wiley.
VanFleet, R., Sywulak, A. E., & Sniscak, C. C. (2010). Child-centered play therapy. Guilford Press.
Landreth, G.L. (2023). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (4th ed.). Routledge.
Landreth, G.L., & Bratton, S.C. (2019). Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT): An Evidence-Based 10-Session Filial Therapy Model (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315537948
Benedict, Helen. Themes in Play Therapy. Used with permission to Heartland Play Therapy Institute.

In this episode, I challenge the widespread use of the phrase "imposter syndrome" in the therapy field and invite you to reconsider what you're saying—and believing—about yourself as a clinician. I explain how this language often gets introduced early in training and can quietly shape how therapists view their competence, especially when they're new. But in child-centered play therapy, if you are showing up, prioritizing relationship, and staying faithful to the model, there is nothing "imposter" about your work. Being inexperienced or still developing your skills does not mean you are pretending—it means you are in process.
I also explore how negative self-labeling becomes a self-fulfilling pattern, much like the labels we work so hard to undo in the children we serve. If we consistently tell ourselves that we are inadequate or don't know what we're doing, we move in that direction. Instead, I encourage you to shift your internal dialogue toward growth, effort, and commitment to mastery. You don't have to be perfect to be effective. You just have to be present, engaged, and willing to keep learning. This is a call to stop reinforcing discouraging narratives and start speaking into the kind of therapist you are becoming.
PlayTherapyNow.com is my HUB for everything I do! playtherapynow.com. Sign up for my email newsletter, stay ahead with the latest CCPT CEU courses, personalized coaching opportunities and other opportunities you need to thrive in your CCPT practice. If you click one link in these show notes, this is the one to click!
Topical Playlists! All of the podcasts are now grouped into topical playlists on YouTube. Please go to https://www.youtube.com/kidcounselorbrenna/playlists to view them.
If you would like to ask me questions directly, check out www.ccptcollective.com, where I host two weekly Zoom calls filled with advanced CCPT case studies and session reviews, as well as member Q&A. You can take advantage of the two-week free trial to see if the CCPT Collective is right for you.
Ask Me Questions: Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: [email protected]
Brenna's CCPT Hub: https://www.playtherapynow.com
CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://www.ccptcollective.com
Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com
APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast
Common References:
Cochran, N., Nordling, W., & Cochran, J. (2010). Child-Centered Play Therapy (1st ed.). Wiley.
VanFleet, R., Sywulak, A. E., & Sniscak, C. C. (2010). Child-centered play therapy. Guilford Press.
Landreth, G.L. (2023). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (4th ed.). Routledge.
Landreth, G.L., & Bratton, S.C. (2019). Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT): An Evidence-Based 10-Session Filial Therapy Model (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315537948
Benedict, Helen. Themes in Play Therapy. Used with permission to Heartland Play Therapy Institute.

In this episode, I answer a listener question about working with an inquisitive 11-year-old who frequently asks questions during sessions. Many child-centered play therapists struggle with how to respond when children ask for information, especially because the model encourages us to feign ignorance, avoid teaching, and return responsibility to the child. I explain why our adherence to the CCPT model should never be dictated by how a child reacts, even when frustration emerges. When a child becomes upset about not getting answers, that reaction is often revealing something important about their need for control, certainty, or responsibility—exactly the material that needs to surface in the playroom.
I also discuss how therapists can use clinical judgment when deciding whether to answer a child's question. If the question is relational and aimed at getting to know the therapist, brief and appropriate answers can support connection. But when questions are driven by power, control, or a demand for certainty, we return responsibility rather than becoming the source of information. I clarify the appropriate use of "I wonder" statements as well, explaining that they should be reserved for moments when we genuinely need information from the child to participate in the play. Ultimately, the goal is to balance fidelity to the model with genuine, relational engagement so the playroom remains both child-centered and authentic.
PlayTherapyNow.com is my HUB for everything I do! playtherapynow.com. Sign up for my email newsletter, stay ahead with the latest CCPT CEU courses, personalized coaching opportunities and other opportunities you need to thrive in your CCPT practice. If you click one link in these show notes, this is the one to click!
Topical Playlists! All of the podcasts are now grouped into topical playlists on YouTube. Please go to https://www.youtube.com/kidcounselorbrenna/playlists to view them.
If you would like to ask me questions directly, check out www.ccptcollective.com, where I host two weekly Zoom calls filled with advanced CCPT case studies and session reviews, as well as member Q&A. You can take advantage of the two-week free trial to see if the CCPT Collective is right for you.
Ask Me Questions: Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: [email protected]
Brenna's CCPT Hub: https://www.playtherapynow.com
CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://www.ccptcollective.com
Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com
APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast
Common References:
Cochran, N., Nordling, W., & Cochran, J. (2010). Child-Centered Play Therapy (1st ed.). Wiley.
VanFleet, R., Sywulak, A. E., & Sniscak, C. C. (2010). Child-centered play therapy. Guilford Press.
Landreth, G.L. (2023). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (4th ed.). Routledge.
Landreth, G.L., & Bratton, S.C. (2019). Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT): An Evidence-Based 10-Session Filial Therapy Model (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315537948
Benedict, Helen. Themes in Play Therapy. Used with permission to Heartland Play Therapy Institute.

In this episode, I talk through the differences between independent play and collaborative play in child-centered play therapy sessions, and why understanding the distinction is so important. Early in the therapy process, children often play independently as they are still orienting to the playroom, building trust, and determining whether the relationship feels safe. Independent play is not a problem to solve and does not mean the child is "stuck." In fact, a child may play independently throughout the entire course of therapy and still be doing exactly what they need to do for their own healing process.
I also explain the different degrees of collaborative play that can emerge when a child begins to include the therapist. These invitations can range from very small moments—such as asking the therapist to retrieve an object or count something—to deeper levels of shared play where the therapist takes on a character or participates directly in the action. The first time a child invites us into their play at any level is incredibly meaningful because it reflects trust, alliance, and the child's recognition that we are part of their therapeutic journey. I also discuss how noticing and documenting these shifts can help therapists track progress and communicate meaningful changes to parents during consultations.
PlayTherapyNow.com is my HUB for everything I do! playtherapynow.com. Sign up for my email newsletter, stay ahead with the latest CCPT CEU courses, personalized coaching opportunities and other opportunities you need to thrive in your CCPT practice. If you click one link in these show notes, this is the one to click!
Topical Playlists! All of the podcasts are now grouped into topical playlists on YouTube. Please go to https://www.youtube.com/kidcounselorbrenna/playlists to view them.
If you would like to ask me questions directly, check out www.ccptcollective.com, where I host two weekly Zoom calls filled with advanced CCPT case studies and session reviews, as well as member Q&A. You can take advantage of the two-week free trial to see if the CCPT Collective is right for you.
Ask Me Questions: Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: [email protected]
Brenna's CCPT Hub: https://www.playtherapynow.com
CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://www.ccptcollective.com
Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com
APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast
Common References:
Cochran, N., Nordling, W., & Cochran, J. (2010). Child-Centered Play Therapy (1st ed.). Wiley.
VanFleet, R., Sywulak, A. E., & Sniscak, C. C. (2010). Child-centered play therapy. Guilford Press.
Landreth, G.L. (2023). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (4th ed.). Routledge.
Landreth, G.L., & Bratton, S.C. (2019). Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT): An Evidence-Based 10-Session Filial Therapy Model (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315537948
Benedict, Helen. Themes in Play Therapy. Used with permission to Heartland Play Therapy Institute.

In this episode, I answer two listener questions that highlight common challenges child-centered play therapists face in session and in communication with parents. First, I respond to a question about a child who unexpectedly leaves the playroom and begins knocking on another counselor's door. I explain how to think clearly about the actual limit in the situation, why identifying the correct limit is essential for offering effective choices, and how therapists can position themselves proactively once they know a child may try to leave the room. I also walk through examples of choices that map directly to the limit so the child can return to compliance while still maintaining the integrity of the play therapy process.
In the second question, I discuss how to handle parents who send frequent, lengthy emails analyzing their child's behavior. I explain why this often stems from parents' anxiety and their previous experiences with other systems like schools or medical providers. I emphasize the importance of clearly articulating communication expectations from the very first parent consultation and outline a simple script therapists can use to acknowledge emails without reinforcing constant communication. I also explain how to reset expectations with parents when boundaries were not clearly established at the beginning of the relationship.
PlayTherapyNow.com is my HUB for everything I do! playtherapynow.com. Sign up for my email newsletter, stay ahead with the latest CCPT CEU courses, personalized coaching opportunities and other opportunities you need to thrive in your CCPT practice. If you click one link in these show notes, this is the one to click!
Topical Playlists! All of the podcasts are now grouped into topical playlists on YouTube. Please go to https://www.youtube.com/kidcounselorbrenna/playlists to view them.
If you would like to ask me questions directly, check out www.ccptcollective.com, where I host two weekly Zoom calls filled with advanced CCPT case studies and session reviews, as well as member Q&A. You can take advantage of the two-week free trial to see if the CCPT Collective is right for you.
Ask Me Questions: Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: [email protected]
Brenna's CCPT Hub: https://www.playtherapynow.com
CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://www.ccptcollective.com
Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com
APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/playtherapypodcast
Common References:
Cochran, N., Nordling, W., & Cochran, J. (2010). Child-Centered Play Therapy (1st ed.). Wiley.
VanFleet, R., Sywulak, A. E., & Sniscak, C. C. (2010). Child-centered play therapy. Guilford Press.
Landreth, G.L. (2023). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (4th ed.). Routledge.
Landreth, G.L., & Bratton, S.C. (2019). Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT): An Evidence-Based 10-Session Filial Therapy Model (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315537948
Benedict, Helen. Themes in Play Therapy. Used with permission to Heartland Play Therapy Institute.