Next Level Play Therapy: A Podcast for Play Therapy Excellence Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S

Have you ever felt like you’re lost and not sure what to do when you’re providing play therapy?Maybe you’ve secretly thought that you aren’t cut out to be a play therapist because you’re terrible at it.At some point in your learning journey to help your clients heal using play therapy, you’ve probably felt lost, overwhelmed, and frustrated.Typically, you’re imposter syndrome kicks it and can leave you feeling like you aren’t helping your clients and you worry that you may actually be making t...

What’s the point of learning to recognize themes in play therapy sessions?Does it really matter?Play therapists often talk about what play themes occurred in their clients’ play therapy sessions.Are play themes even real or are we just making them up to justify that play therapy is actually working?We know that play therapy has become the “go-to” treatment approach for children and several play therapy models are considered evidence-based.But what about play themes? We talk about them, ...

Do children who’ve experienced trauma prior to developing language have the capacity to remember what happened to them?Does the traumatic experience go away on its own?I’ve often heard people, including child serving professionals, dismiss the possibility of the negative impact of neglect and early trauma on infants and young children.Especially the trauma caused by invasive medical procedures on infants and children even though the procedures are necessary.I find it perplexing that professio...

Using play therapy effectively requires child and adolescent therapists to know how to use a theoretical play therapy model to access the therapeutic powers of play.When choosing play therapy to facilitate healing, it’s important to consider what your clients need and how you will use play therapy to accomplish that goal.Want some ideas?Join me for this free weekly podcast, I’ll share tips for activities to use focused on facilitating attachment and connection.Join my free Facebook Community ...

Play therapists often talk about the therapeutic powers of play.But what exactly does that mean and why are they so important in play therapy?How do you explain play therapy to others? Actually, knowing the answer to these questions are core competencies for play therapists because 👇The therapeutic powers of play are what set play therapy apart from all the other expressive arts therapies.Understanding how to help your young clients access the therapeutic powers of play is the difference...

Writing play therapy documentation is hands down the least favorite task for play therapists, myself included.It’s overwhelming, confusing, and exhausting. It can feel never ending and burn you out.It’s often avoided altogether, which is never good. Avoiding it just creates more stress because you feel like you’re always behind or worse you get in trouble because it’s not done.What if I told you that there are strategies that can help reduce the confusion and overwhelm?I know, I c...