Q&A: How To Handle A Child That Makes Animal Noises And Behaves Like A Puppy In Session

Aug 10, 2023

Listener, Yanna, emailed me with a scenario… she is seeing a child that acts like a puppy all session and she was wondering how I would handle that. I actually have a client right now that is doing that! So this was a timely question.

In this episode, I discuss the following topics:

– How to respond, staying true to CCPT principles
– Identifying the “why” for the behavior
– How to elicit feedback from the child (staying true CCPT) so you can engage with the child and continue in the child’s play
– How to preserve the relationship with unconditional acceptance

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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. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-Routledge.
Bratton, S. C., Landreth, G. L., Kellam, T., & Blackard, S. R. (2006). Child parent relationship therapy (CPRT) treatment manual: A 10-session filial therapy model for training parents. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
Benedict, Helen. Themes in Play Therapy. Used with permission to Heartland Play Therapy Institute.

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