378 | Stop Rescuing Children in the Playroom

Mar 2, 2026

In this episode, I address something I see far too often in child-centered play therapy: therapists struggling to let children struggle. If it is painful for you to watch a child wrestle with frustration, anger, failure, or confusion in the playroom, we need to examine that. Returning responsibility is not a technical skill we check off a list — it is a philosophical commitment. When we subtly rescue, hint, guide, or ease a child’s struggle, we undermine the very growth CCPT is designed to produce.

I revisit the butterfly-and-cocoon metaphor from the CPRT curriculum to illustrate why struggle is not harmful — it is strengthening. The resistance, frustration, and emotional intensity children experience in the playroom are the very processes that build regulation, grit, competence, and self-trust. Our role is not to fix, save, or soothe away difficulty. Our role is to stay grounded, neutral, and expectant — trusting that what the child is working through is exactly what they need. If we are internally distressed by their struggle, that is our work to do. Fidelity to the model requires that we celebrate the struggle, not relieve it.

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.

Listen to the Play Therapy Podcast on Apple Podcasts

Listen to the Play Therapy Parenting Podcast on Spotify

Subscribe to my email newsletter JUST FOR THERAPISTS!

Join the CCPT Collective Online Community just for Child-Centered Play Therapists!

We bring together aspiring and seasoned child-centered play therapists to support and inspire each other with the shared goal of preserving and advancing the effectiveness of the child-centered model so that we can positively impact children and families worldwide.

Join the Collective!

Discover The Kid Counselor® Family

Get Brenna’s Latest Book

Device Detox: A Parent’s Guide To Reducing Usage, Preventing Tantrums, And Raising Happier Kids.

Buy Now

“Dr. Brenna Hicks does an excellent job of sketching the problem, but the book shines brightest when Dr. Hicks offers a suite of practical, evidence-based strategies for coping with screen overuse in children. A valuable book that deserves to be read by parents everywhere.”

ADAM ALTER

New York Times bestselling author of IRRESISTIBLE and DRUNK TANK PINK