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Getting frantic phone calls from parents about meltdowns, outbursts, and behavior problems is a stressful reality for play therapists. 

When a parent says, “My doctor (or therapist) said play therapy isn’t working,” it’s easy to feel the weight of responsibility to fix everything immediately.

In this week’s podcast episode, Cathi Spooner of Renewing Hearts Training teaches you how to handle these "dreaded" calls with confidence, even when you don't have all the answers yet. 

You’ll learn how to shift from being an "answer-giver" to a "container-holder," building trust and maintaining clinical authority.

In this podcast, we cover:

• Step 1: Regulate First – Why one intentional breath changes your nervous system and the entire tone of the call.
• Step 2: Validate Before You Explain – The #1 mistake therapists make when parents say therapy isn’t working.
• Step 3: Honest Uncertainty – How to name what you know (and what you don’t) to actually strengthen a parent's confidence in you.

Stop navigating these challenging clinical moments alone. 

Learn how to transform stressful phone calls into opportunities for deeper clinical connection.

Ready to stop feeling isolated and alone as a play therapist and get access to feedback and support?

If you want to move from knowing these steps to executing them with a community of play therapists backing you up, check out the Play Therapy Elevation CIRCLE. Something exciting is coming soon—don’t miss out!

Join the waitlist for Play Therapy Elevation CIRCLE and be the first to know when enrollment opens: https://www.rhplaytherapytraining.com/f/ptec-waitlist

Connect with Cathi: www.rhplaytherapytraining.com

#PlayTherapy #ChildTherapy #ParentConsultation #TherapistTips #MentalHealthProfessionals #CathiSpooner #RenewingHeartsTraining

Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground.

Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work.

I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts.

Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

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I want to talk about something that a lot of play therapists are silently betting their entire career on — the idea that *more time and more experience* is what's going to eventually make them feel confident and capable in the play therapy room.

That one day they'll hit some magic number of years and the self-doubt will just... disappear. 

The second-guessing will stop. 

The anxiety before parent calls will go away. 

They'll finally feel like they know what they're doing.

And I want to lovingly, respectfully push back on that — because I think that belief is keeping a lot of really talented play therapists stuck for longer than they need to be.

During this week’s podcast episode, I want to talk about what we silently say in our minds and don’t dare talk about it for fear of judgment and rejection.

This week I want to talk about what are the beliefs and behaviors feeding the self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and second-guessing clinical decisions keeping amazing play therapists from achieving confidence.

If you’ve secretly thought experience is the only reason you’re lacking confidence as a play therapist, then you don’t want to miss this episode.

Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground.

Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work.

I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts.

Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

Send us Fan Mail

Do you find yourself replaying play therapy sessions on your drive home, wondering if you made the right clinical decision? You aren't alone.

In this free weekly podcast episode, we’re diving into the 5 signs you’re second-guessing yourself as a play therapist and why clinical isolation might be your biggest hurdle. 

Being the only play therapist in your building can be incredibly lonely. 

When you don't have a peer group who speaks the language of sand trays and metaphors, it’s easy for "reflective thinking" to turn into an "anxious loop."

Today, we walk through the clinical signs of self-doubt and how to shift from isolation to confidence.

What You’ll Learn:

• Sign 1: The difference between healthy reflection and the "anxious loop."
• Sign 2: Why you dread parent phone calls (it’s not why you think!).
• Sign 3: Why Google isn't a substitute for a play therapy community.
• Sign 4: Addressing the "Am I actually helping?" doubt.
• Sign 5: The "Blank Phone List" – identifying your clinical support system.
• How to move from isolation to clinical confidence.

Join the Podcast (or watch the replay)

If you’re tired of carrying the full clinical burden alone, it’s time to find your people.

✨ Join the Play Therapy Elevation CIRCLE Waitlist here: https://www.rhplaytherapytraining.com/f/ptec-waitlist

Connect with Cathi Spooner - Renewing Hearts Training: www.rhplaytherapytraining.com

#PlayTherapy #ChildTherapy #TherapistSelfCare #ClinicalSupervision #MentalHealthProfessionals

Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground.

Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work.

I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts.

Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

Send us Fan Mail

Are you the only play therapist in your agency? Or perhaps you're in private practice and feel like you're navigating complex cases entirely on your own?

Many play therapists accept isolation as "just the reality" of the field. 

We push through, hoping that with enough time and experience, we’ll eventually "figure it out." 

But here is the honest truth: Clinical isolation is a liability—for you and your clients.

In this free weekly podcast, we’re breaking down why the "solo endeavor" mindset is holding you back and how connecting with a play therapy community is the key to better clinical results and reduced burnout.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Structure of Isolation: Why graduate programs and agencies often leave play therapists without the specific support they need.
• The Clinical Cost: How second-guessing your decisions and processing complex issues, like trauma, in a vacuum slows down client progress.
• The Mindset Shift: Moving from "I can handle this" to "I need a community that speaks play therapy."
• Clinical Confidence: How having a "backup plan" and a peer network improves the quality of your work in the playroom. 

Stop second-guessing your clinical decisions and start building the support network you deserve. Your clients (and your personal life) will thank you.

Connect with Cathi & Renewing Hearts Training: www.rhplaytherapytraining.com

#PlayTherapy #ChildTherapy #PlayTherapistSupport #ClinicalIsolation #TherapistBurnout #RenewingHeartsTraining

Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground.

Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work.

I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts.

Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

Send us Fan Mail

If you're a play therapist — especially in your first few years — and you're the only one in your agency or you're in private practice figuring this out by yourself, this is for you.

You went into this work because you genuinely believe in the power of play therapy to heal kids. You're passionate about this. 

You're not here because it was easy — you're here because it matters to you

And the reality is that you’re probably the only “kid therapist” in your agency or maybe you’re in private practice in an office surrounded by adult therapists asking you to keep the noise down in your office because it’s distracting their sessions.

In today’s free podcast episode we’re talking about what’s not being talked about out loud 👇

the cost of trying to be a play therapist without a strong community to support you and the impact this has on your clinical decision-making (and if we’re being honest - your own emotional well-being).

We’re discussing The Isolated Play Therapist Syndrome.

What it is and why it’s keeping your clients from making progress and leaving you feeling overwhelmed, second-guessing your clinical decisions, and wondering if you’re good enough.

If you’re feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and frustrated as a play therapist, then you don’t want to miss this episode.  

Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground.

Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work.

I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts.

Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

Send us Fan Mail

What is Jungian Analytic Play Therapy, and how does it actually work in the playroom? 

In this podcast, we dive deep into the symbolic world of Jungian theory with guest Jared Andes, LCSW, RPT-S. 

We explore how Jungian Analytical Play Therapy uses archetypes and other concepts to facilitate healing, and we compare this model to other popular play therapy approaches.

Join us for an insightful conversation as we explore the transformative power of Jungian Play Therapy! 

Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or new to this model, this episode will provide you with practical ideas.

In this free weekly podcast episode, we’ll cover:

• What is Jungian Play Therapy? An introduction to the core concepts.
• Practical Ideas for the Playroom: Symbolic play and therapeutic techniques you can use.
• Comparative Analysis: How Jungian Play Therapy differs from—and where it aligns with—other popular models.
• Live Q&A: Get your questions answered by Jared!

Connect with Jared Andes:

Website: www.fullspectrumcounseling.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584175263892

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jared_andes_therapy

Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground.

Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work.

I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts.

Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

Send us Fan Mail

Are you tired of leaving your play therapy sessions wondering if you’re actually helping or just "playing"?

You’ve invested in the play therapy training, you’ve gathered the strategies, and you have a playroom full of tools. 

But if you’re like many play therapists, having more information has only led to more confusion. 

When you’re in the middle of a play therapy session with a traumatized child or teen, it’s easy to second-guess your decisions and feel overwhelmed by which direction to take.

The secret isn’t another weekend workshop or a new set of play therapy activities—it’s having a reliable Play Therapy Roadmap.

In this week’s podcast, we’re discussing how to move from clinical overwhelm to grounded confidence. 

We’ll explore why a trauma-informed play therapy model acts as your professional GPS, guiding your decision-making through every stage of the healing process.

We’ll be diving into:

• The Play Therapy GPS: Why a play therapy model is essential for knowing exactly where you are (and where you’re going) in treatment.
• The Neuroscience & Attachment Lens: How grounding your work in these two pillars simplifies your clinical choices.
• Healing the "Second-Guessing": How to tell if your interventions are truly helping your traumatized clients heal.
• The Power of Community: Why the "secret ingredient" to clinical success is never practicing in isolation.

Stop wondering if you’re doing enough and start using a play therapy framework that provides clarity for you and better outcomes for your clients.

Don't forget to subscribe and follow for more weekly insights on mastering trauma-informed play therapy!

#PlayTherapy #Neuroscience #AttachmentTheory #TraumaInformed #CathiSpooner #ClinicalSupervision #PlayTherapistLife #MentalHealthProfessionals

Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground.

Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work.

I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts.

Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

Send us Fan Mail

Is trauma actually "stored" in our organs, or have we been looking at it all wrong?

For years, play therapists have repeated the mantra that "trauma is stored in the body," but a groundbreaking 2026 peer-reviewed article is challenging this foundational belief. If you’ve ever felt like the "storage" explanation didn't quite click, this episode is for you.

Join me, Cathi Spooner, for this week’s podcast as we explore the evolution of trauma research and what it means for your playroom interventions. 

We’re diving deep into the science of Predictive Coding and 

Metastability to understand why the autonomic nervous system actually activates during traumatic triggers.

In this episode, we’ll explore:

• The "Storage" Myth: Why trauma is likely a "disorder of prediction," not physical storage in organs.
• Predictive Coding 101: How the brain-body feedback loop assesses danger before conscious awareness.
• Healing Through "Flow": How flow states and high-challenge activities can disrupt rigid neural patterns.
• Smarter Psychoeducation: How to explain these complex shifts to parents and caregivers using clear, accurate language.

As play therapists, staying current with evolving research is critical to providing the best care for traumatized children and teens. 

Let’s ground your approach in the latest science and move toward more effective, somatic-based regulation strategies.

Don't forget to subscribe to Cathi Spooner - Renewing Hearts Training for weekly play therapy clinical tips!

Citation:

Kolter, S., Mannino, M., Fox, G., and Friston, K. (2026). The body does not keep the score: Trauma, predictive coding, and the restoration of metastability. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience. doi.10.3389/fnsys.1812957

#PlayTherapy #TraumaInformed #Neuroscience #PredictiveCoding #CathiSpooner #MentalHealthProfessionals #TraumaHealing

Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground.

Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work.

I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts.

Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

Send us Fan Mail

Helping children and teens identify and label their emotions is a core therapeutic goal in play therapy, but simply naming a feeling isn't enough. 

In fact, an overfocus on "feeling good" can sometimes hinder the healing process. To build true resilience, we need to help clients move from basic affect to high emotional granularity.

In this free weekly podcast, we dive into the science of how emotions are constructed and how play therapists can move beyond simple labeling to help traumatized children differentiate between real and perceived threats.

What you’ll learn:

• What is Emotional Granularity? Why the ability to distinguish "frustrated" from "sad" is a predictor of better mental health and regulation.
• Affect vs. Emotion: Exploring Lisa Feldman Barrett’s research on how emotions are mental constructions based on past experience and culture.
• The Role of Emotions in Play Therapy: Using strategies that promote resilience in play therapy
• Common Mistakes with Trauma: Why we must address the belief systems (cognitions) tied to emotions to avoid over-focusing on the feeling alone.
• Predictive Brain & Safety: Using the therapeutic relationship and co-regulation to help children rewire their brain's predictive responses to trauma.

About Cathi Spooner: I help play therapists and mental health professionals master the art of play therapy with children and families. 

Subscribe for weekly discussions on building resilient hearts through play therapy.

Citation:

Feldman Barrett, L. How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain (2017)

Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground.

Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work.

I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts.

Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

Send us Fan Mail

Using play therapy with traumatized children and teens is complex, and many play therapists find themselves asking: 

"Where do the parents fit in?"

“What do I do if my client is in foster care?  How do I include parents?”

Too often, parents or caregivers are left out of the process or integrated without a clear plan. This can lead to missed healing opportunities or accidentally triggering trauma.

In this free weekly podcast, we’re diving deep into the critical role of parents (caregivers) in the trauma healing process. 

I’ll walk you through a fictitious case study (Carla) to show you exactly how to move from case conceptualization to successful treatment planning, including parent integration.

🎯 In this week’s episode, we discuss:

• The Conceptualization Process: How to identify the "what" and "how" of parent inclusion.
• Neuroscience & Attachment: Understanding the parent's role through a biological and relational lens.
• Practical Strategies: Key things to consider when bringing parents into the playroom.

Stop feeling overwhelmed and start building a clear plan for your clients' success. 

Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground.

Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work.

I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts.

Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills