In today’s episode of the Play Therapy Podcast, I continue our Art of the Session series by outlining three key session guidelines that don’t fall into the typical “skills” category, but are essential to ensuring we remain adherent to the CCPT model. These are not...
In this episode, I answer two important questions from McKenzie in Illinois—both centered around session frequency and resistance during therapy. I explain why weekly sessions are ideal in child-centered play therapy and how communicating that clearly from the very...
In this episode of the Art of the Session series, I explore the final pillar of Child-Centered Play Therapy—Encouragement, with a bonus deep-dive into esteem-building responses. I explain why encouragement is so much more than just a phrase we say—it’s a...
In this episode, I respond to a question from Kaylia in Arkansas about how to handle children who want to look something up on a phone during a play session. As screens become more prevalent in kids’ lives, this issue is surfacing more frequently in the playroom. I...
In this episode of the Art of the Session series, I walk through one of the trickiest and frequently rushed CCPT skills: limit setting. We revisit why going back to the basics is so important—because true mastery lives there. I explain the ACT formula (Acknowledge,...
In this episode, I respond to a listener question that highlights two very different—but equally important—play therapy dynamics. One child clings to the therapist immediately, handcuffing herself to me in the first session and refusing to leave in the second. Another...
In this episode of the Art of the Session series, I focus on the second pillar of CCPT: choice giving. While limit-setting often leads to enforcement choices, empowerment choices are much rarer—and very powerful. Empowerment choices allow children to practice making...
In this episode, I respond to a listener question about how to handle situations where children want their creations or work in the playroom to remain untouched between sessions. Whether it’s a LEGO build, a coloring page, or a carefully constructed scene, children...
In this episode of the Art of the Session series, I walk through one of the most important and most underutilized CCPT skills: reflecting feelings. Despite its central role in both the reflective responses and the four pillars of CCPT, reflecting feelings is...
In this Q&A episode, I answer two questions from Mara in North Carolina—one about the House-Tree-Person drawing assessment and one about the use of consumables like glue and paint in the playroom. I clarify when the HTP assessment is developmentally appropriate...
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 content helps us stay connected and engaged in the session even when we’re not active participants in the child’s...
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 is, when to use it, and why it matters—even when it seems like “nothing is happening” in the playroom. I walk...
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 dysregulated. Especially in settings like schools, where transitions can be abrupt and expectations are high, it can be...
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 session—and mastering those is enough. I outline what I consider to be the 11 foundational responses we pull...
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 session—and seems to be doing it on purpose? We unpack how repetitive, attention-seeking behaviors like this often...
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 playroom. While it may seem like a small detail, how we introduce the session either preserves or undermines...
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 playroom. This moment may feel small, but it holds tremendous power to reinforce the child’s sense of...
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 session—and the outcome revealed why that’s not aligned with the CCPT model. I explain how parent presence in...
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 all” approach. As a CCPT purist, I explain why I believe in full adherence to a single theoretical model and...
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 we spend most of our time and training focusing on the therapeutic relationship with the child, we often...
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. I share the practical, intentional choices that make a playroom therapeutic—including size, layout, toy...