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

By Dr. Brenna Hicks

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 a... more

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The podcast currently has 434 episodes available.

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

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Number 1: 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, and I feel like I'm figuring this out by myself." Too many therapists are leaving graduate school and immediately being handed child clients without meaningful training in how to work with them. We try to fill those gaps with books, podcasts, conferences, and trainings, but Landreth identified something more than 20 years ago that remains essential today: video review is the path toward mastery in CCPT. I explain why training alone can give us information, but it can't show us what we're actually doing when we're sitting across from a child in the playroom. Having an experienced CCPT watch your sessions allows you to see where you're adherent, identify where you need to grow, and develop the confidence and competence that come from intentionally practicing the model over time. Whether that happens through coaching, mentorship, community, or reviewing your own sessions, my encouragement is simple: don't try to master CCPT alone. Video Review Based Coaching Cohorts Starting Soon! If this episode inspired you to take action on becoming a better CCPT, then go to playtherapycoaching.com for more information. 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! 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 Common References: 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.
September 07, 202612min
Number 2: 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 nothing to do, asks why you never get new toys, or seems dissatisfied with the playroom, it can be surprisingly easy to take those comments personally and start questioning whether we're providing enough. I explain why boredom isn't evidence that your playroom is inadequate—it's communication. Anxiety, resistance, avoidance, power and control, discomfort with choice, or simply not knowing what to do with freedom can all show up as "I'm bored." I also discuss how to respond without getting pulled into explaining, defending, or justifying the playroom. Rather than answering the child's question literally, we can reflect the feeling or content and allow the child to sit in the discomfort of the moment. Ultimately, boredom is another behavior we need to approach with neutrality: it isn't about us, and we don't need to fix it. Our job is to provide the consistent CCPT environment, trust the child, and remain adherent while they figure out what to do with what they're experiencing. 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! New Live Training Events Announced: New Jersey & Tampa dates are locked in and registration is open for New Jersey. Go to iamccpt.live for more information. New Resource for Play Therapists: The Parent Companion for Play Therapy is now available at author pricing for therapists. Created specifically to help parents better understand the child-centered play therapy process, this book is designed to support parent engagement, improve buy-in, and reduce attrition throughout the therapeutic journey. As a listener of the Play Therapy Podcast, you can order a copy for just $8 (our cost plus shipping). Click here to order your author-priced copy. ** Limit 1 per therapist, offer valid in the Continental U.S. only. Order copies for your practice and save with discounted bulk pricing. Bulk ordering makes it easy to place Parent Companion for Play Therapy directly into the hands of the parents you serve. 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 Common References: 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.
September 03, 202612min
Number 3: 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 or practice CCPT. When a supervisor works from a completely different theoretical orientation—or doesn't even work with children—their recommendations can directly conflict with the model we're committed to following. I discuss the difficult position this creates for supervisees, why adherence is often mislabeled as "rigidity," and why we cannot expect child-centered guidance from someone who isn't child-centered themselves. I also explore a larger problem with supervision: too often, there is no framework or structure designed to intentionally develop clinical competence. Supervision shouldn't simply be bringing in a random case and asking, "What do you want to talk about today?" I explain why CCPT supervision needs scaffolding, skill development, video review, and a clear path toward mastery—and what therapists can do when a qualified CCPT supervisor simply isn't available. New Live Training Events Announced: Indiana, New Jersey & Tampa dates are locked in and registration is open for Indiana. Go to iamccpt.live for more information. New Resource for Play Therapists: The Parent Companion for Play Therapy is now available at author pricing for therapists. Created specifically to help parents better understand the child-centered play therapy process, this book is designed to support parent engagement, improve buy-in, and reduce attrition throughout the therapeutic journey. As a listener of the Play Therapy Podcast, you can order a copy for just $8 (our cost plus shipping). Click here to order your author-priced copy. ** Limit 1 per therapist, offer valid in the Continental U.S. only. Order copies for your practice and save with discounted bulk pricing. Bulk ordering makes it easy to place Parent Companion for Play Therapy directly into the hands of the parents you serve. 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.
September 01, 202617min
Number 4: 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 because "all we do is play." I unpack what may actually be happening beneath that statement, including resistance, avoidance, parental expectations, and the overwhelming vulnerability therapy can create for an anxious child. I also explore the child's perfectionistic play and explain how anxiety, power and control, and low self-esteem often work together—especially when a child would rather destroy something than tolerate the experience of not getting it exactly right. I also address whether the therapist should bring the child's comments into the playroom—and why I wouldn't. Instead, I explain why our job is to reassure and educate the parent while protecting the child's trust and allowing therapy to unfold at the child's pace. With anxious children, we don't force or rush the work, but we also don't reinforce avoidance by allowing them to escape it. Sometimes "therapy isn't helping" is actually a sign that the child has reached a difficult and necessary part of the therapeutic process. New Live Training Events Announced: New Jersey & Tampa dates are locked in and registration is open for New Jersey. Go to iamccpt.live for more information. New Resource for Play Therapists: The Parent Companion for Play Therapy is now available at author pricing for therapists. Created specifically to help parents better understand the child-centered play therapy process, this book is designed to support parent engagement, improve buy-in, and reduce attrition throughout the therapeutic journey. As a listener of the Play Therapy Podcast, you can order a copy for just $8 (our cost plus shipping). Click here to order your author-priced copy. ** Limit 1 per therapist, offer valid in the Continental U.S. only. Order copies for your practice and save with discounted bulk pricing. Bulk ordering makes it easy to place Parent Companion for Play Therapy directly into the hands of the parents you serve. 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.
August 27, 202615min
Number 5: 394 | CCPT Mythbusters: You Have to "Do Something"... or Therapy Won't Work
In this episode of the CCPT Mythbusters series, I address one of the most persistent and widely accepted myths in the field: that therapists have to do something for therapy to be effective. I unpack how this expectation shows up—from parents, schools, and even our own training—and why it creates pressure to intervene, direct, or "produce" visible results. I explain how this mindset is rooted in an adult framework that assumes we know what the child needs and how to get them there, when in reality, that belief directly conflicts with the core principles of child-centered play therapy. I then reframe what our role actually is in CCPT. Rather than doing something to the child, we provide the conditions that allow the child to do their own work—through relationship, environment, and full adherence to the model. I emphasize that staying out of the child's way is not passive; it is intentional, structured, and grounded in trust of the process. This episode is a reminder that the pressure to "do" is often where therapeutic drift begins—and that true effectiveness in CCPT comes not from intervention, but from unwavering commitment to the model. Join me for our LIVE 400th Episode! Register by clicking the following link to join me LIVE on a Zoom call on May 28, 2026 12:00 PM EST. (please note the time zone) www.playtherapypodcast.com/400 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.
May 05, 202613min