221 | Staying True to the Model: Encouraging New Therapists to Trust CCPT

Episode summary

In this episode of the Play Therapy Podcast, I respond to a question from Deidra in Virginia, a first-year supervised therapist whose supervisor isn't child-centered and often suggests teaching coping skills to young clients in play therapy sessions. I share my perspective on why child-centered play therapy (CCPT) doesn't involve directive instruction like teaching coping skills and how children naturally develop coping mechanisms through the CCPT therapeutic process itself. I offer encouragement to Deidra and other therapists in similar situations, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the CCPT model.

I also discuss how CCPT encourages therapists to trust the process, the model, and the child's ability to work through challenges in their own way. I remind listeners that it's natural to feel unsure in moments when others advocate for a different approach, but staying true to the CCPT model yields powerful, transformative outcomes over time.