Next Level Play Therapy: A Podcast for Play Therapy Excellence

Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S
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Join me on Next Level Play Therapy, a podcast for child and adolescent therapists seeking to elevate your play therapy services. Hosted by Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S, at Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training.   Each episode delves into the nuances of play therapy, exploring innovative techniques, evidence-based practices, and practical strategies for providing exceptional therapeutic experiences. These engaging discussions cover a wide range of topics, including building rapport with children, how to make sure you get great outcomes for clients, therapeutic toys and tools and strategies to use in sessions, addressing trauma and attachment issues, engaging parents, promoting emotional regulation, and nurturing resilience for children and their families. Whether you're an experienced therapist looking to refine your skills or a novice clinician venturing into the world of play therapy, the Next Level Play Therapy podcast equips you with the knowledge and insights to enhance your play therapy practice. With interviews featuring experts in play therapy, exploration of best practices, discussion of game-changing principles and strategies, this podcast equips you with the tools to unlock the amazing power of play therapy to transform the lives of children, adolescents, and families. Tune in to Next Level Play Therapy and take a journey towards becoming an exceptional play therapist as we navigate the next level strategies that lead to profound healing and growth for children and their families.

  1. Play Therapy with Adolescents: Why Teen Symptoms Are Easy to Misread

    1D AGO

    Play Therapy with Adolescents: Why Teen Symptoms Are Easy to Misread

    Send us Fan Mail What do you do when a 16-year-old walks into your office, shrugs, and says, “I don’t care”? Low motivation. Failing grades. Emotional shutdown. Estrangement from a parent after divorce. On the surface, it can look like depression, defiance, or typical teen apathy. But what if those symptoms are telling a much more layered story? In this free livestream episode, I’m walking you through a real-world adolescent case study to demonstrate why case conceptualization is the backbone of effective play therapy with teens.  Without a clear framework, it’s easy to chase symptoms, try random expressive arts interventions, or second-guess every clinical decision.  With a solid case conceptualization, your play therapy sessions become intentional, focused, and grounded in theory. Before you pull out your best expressive arts activities – like art or the sand tray – you need to get clear on what’s at the root of the problem and that’s your case conceptualization (aka - working hypothesis) We’ll explore: Why symptom-based thinking keeps play therapists stuckHow your theoretical lens shapes the way you interpret adolescent behaviorsPractical tips for formulating a culturally relevant case conceptualizationKey questions to ask before choosing expressive arts or play therapy interventionsIf you’ve ever left a session with a teen wondering, “What just happened—and what do I do next?” this conversation is for you. Case conceptualization isn’t paperwork. It’s your clinical GPS. Learn how to move from reacting to symptoms… to leading with clarity and confidence in your adolescent play therapy work. Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground. Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work. I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts. Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

    44 min
  2. Sand Tray Therapy with Teens: How to Use It Effectively in Play Therapy

    MAR 12

    Sand Tray Therapy with Teens: How to Use It Effectively in Play Therapy

    Send us Fan Mail Can you really use sand tray therapy with adolescents? Absolutely—and when you understand how to adapt it developmentally, sand tray becomes one of the most powerful expressive arts tools to use with teens. In this podcast episode, I’m diving into how to use sand tray with teens in a way that respects their autonomy, supports emotional regulation, and deepens therapeutic insight.  If you’re a play therapist who has ever wondered whether sand tray feels “too young” for adolescents—or you’re unsure how to introduce it without resistance—this conversation is for you. You’ll learn: Practical tips for introducing sand tray therapy to adolescents How to frame sand tray in a developmentally appropriate way Sand tray prompts designed specifically for teens Adolescents often struggle with traditional talk therapy when their nervous system is overwhelmed.  Sand tray therapy provides a non-threatening, expressive pathway that allows teens to communicate complex internal experiences without relying solely on words. Join me for this free weekly podcast! Whether you’re new to sand tray therapy or looking to strengthen your clinical confidence using sand tray with teens, this episode will give you practical strategies you can use immediately in your next play therapy session. If you work with adolescents in play therapy and want fresh sand tray ideas that actually engage teens, join us for this training. Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground. Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work. I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts. Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

    47 min
  3. How to Use Poetry with Teens in Play Therapy for Self-Expression

    MAR 5

    How to Use Poetry with Teens in Play Therapy for Self-Expression

    Send us Fan Mail This week I’m sharing one of my favorite ways to help teens access the therapeutic powers of play using poetry. Yes - poetry! If you’re rolling your eyes and remembering your high school English class feeling tortured by reading poetry, then rest assured - this is not your high school English class version of poetry. Poetry is an expressive arts modality that allows clients to use words and language for expression - like the lyrics of your favorite songs. This week I’m sharing my favorite ways to use poetry with my adolescent clients to help them access the therapeutic powers of play Join me for this free weekly podcast! If you work with adolescents and want some great strategies using expressive arts then you don’t want to miss this week’s free podcast episode. Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground. Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work. I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts. Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

    47 min
  4. Best Strategies to Use Play Therapy with Teens

    FEB 26

    Best Strategies to Use Play Therapy with Teens

    Send us Fan Mail Play therapy isn’t for adolescents.  It’s just for little kids. There’s a misbelief in the mental health community that play therapy is only for little kids. Maybe you’ve wondered that yourself. Play therapy can be an amazing way to help adolescents engage in healing and in a way that meets their developmental needs. Rather than asking IF play therapy works for adolescents – Ask –HOW is play therapy beneficial for adolescents? Using play therapy with adolescents requires a foundational paradigm shift from traditional talk therapy where you’re trying to help teens talk about what’s causing their difficulties. There’s a better way to help struggling teens than trying to get them to talk about their problems. If you’ve been trying to figure out how to use play therapy with adolescents in a way that respects their developmental stage and helps them heal, then 👇 Join me for this free weekly podcast! I’m going to break down 4 Strategic Shifts to use play therapy effectively with adolescents in a way that feels authentic and not treating them like little kids. 🧭How do you introduce play therapy to adolescents? 🧭How do you choose play therapy activities for adolescents? 🧭How to you hold the therapeutic space for adolescents? 🧭 How do you make sure play therapy is effective for adolescents? If you’ve ever wondered how to use play therapy effectively with adolescents, then you don’t want to miss this week’s free livestream episode. And - share the love with  your colleagues and invite them to join us! Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground. Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work. I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts. Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

    50 min
  5. Can Play Therapy Work with Teens?

    FEB 19

    Can Play Therapy Work with Teens?

    Send us Fan Mail Ever sit across from a teen in session, clock ticking, silence screaming… and your nervous system quietly panicking? Yeah. This episode is for that moment. In this week’s podcast, we’re naming the thing no one warned you about in grad school: why play therapists feel stuck with teens—and why it’s not because you’re doing it wrong. Here’s the hard truth (said with love):  👉 Trying harder to get teens to talk about their feelings is often the exact thing keeping them shut down. If you’ve ever: Asked thoughtful, open-ended questions and gotten one-word answers Left therapy sessions wondering if you’re missing something obvious Questioned your competence because “nothing happened” Googled how to get teens to open up at 10 p.m. like an imposter …pause. Breathe. You’re not failing. And they’re not resistant. In this podcast episode, we’ll unpack what’s actually happening in the adolescent brain when teens are overwhelmed by trauma, anxiety, depression, or family stress— and why traditional talk therapy often overloads their nervous system instead of helping it settle. We’ll talk neuroscience (without making your eyes glaze over), development (in real-world language), and the mindset shift that changes everything:  ✨ Stop pushing for verbal processing  ✨ Start creating pathways for expression You’ll learn how purposeful expressive arts—clay, art, music, sand, collage—help teens bypass cognitive overload, access safety, and express what they cannot yet put into words.  Not because they’re immature. But because they’re human and still developing. This is not about “playing.” This is about working with adolescent development instead of against it. If you’re ready to stop feeling stuck, stop blaming yourself, and start seeing teens engage in ways that actually lead to healing—come join the conversation. Your future sessions will thank you. Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground. Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work. I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts. Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

    39 min
  6. What’s the Difference Between Play Therapy and Using Play in Therapy?

    FEB 12

    What’s the Difference Between Play Therapy and Using Play in Therapy?

    Send us Fan Mail Happy International Play Therapy Week! 🎉 What is play therapy—and how is it different from simply using games and activities in therapy sessions? This is a common and critical question for mental health professionals working with children. While games, art, and activities are often part of therapy, play therapy is a distinct, evidence-based clinical approach grounded in child development, theory, and the therapeutic relationship. In this special International Play Therapy Week conversation, I’m joined by four play therapists who share their personal journeys into play therapy and why they chose this work. Together, we explore not just what play therapy is—but why it matters so deeply for children and families. In this episode, you’ll hear about: What defines play therapy as a therapeutic modality Why play therapy is more than “using games in therapy” The three essential components that differentiate play therapy from expressive activities and interventions How understanding these differences improves clinical decision-making and therapeutic outcomes for children Real-world experiences from play therapists who have seen the power of play therapy in action Play therapy has become a leading approach for helping children process trauma, regulate emotions, and heal within safe therapeutic relationships. Gaining clarity about what play therapy truly is—and what it is not—supports ethical practice, stronger case conceptualization, and greater confidence in clinical work. Join us in celebrating International Play Therapy Week by deepening your understanding of play therapy, hearing from fellow play therapists, and reconnecting with the heart of why this work matters. Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground. Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work. I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts. Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

    42 min
  7. How to Increase Play Therapy Impact & Reduce Burnout

    FEB 5

    How to Increase Play Therapy Impact & Reduce Burnout

    Send us Fan Mail More Impact. Less Burnout. isn’t a cute slogan. It’s a line in the sand. Because here’s the truth most play therapists won’t say out loud: Burnout doesn’t come from caring too much. It comes from doing this work alone. In this week’s free livestream episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on why being part of a strategic play therapy community isn’t optional if you want sustainable impact in play therapy.  Not another play therapy training. Not more play therapy activities.  But real-time support, shared wisdom, and a place where your nervous system can finally exhale with people who “get it.” We’ll talk about: Why isolation quietly drains confidence, creativity, and clinical clarityHow being in the right play therapy community sharpens your impact with clientsWhat actually helps play therapists stay grounded when the work gets heavyAnd how Play Therapy Elevation CIRCLE is intentionally designed to reduce burnout while helping you work smarter—not harderYou’ll also get an inside look at what’s inside PTEC during Open Enrollment week—how it works, who it’s for, and why so many play therapists say it’s the missing piece they didn’t know they needed. If you’ve ever thought:  “I love this work… but I’m tired.” Join me for this free weekly podcast! Less hustling. More healing. For your clients—and for you. Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground. Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work. I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts. Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

    41 min
  8. How to Get Better Results in Play Therapy Without Doing More

    JAN 29

    How to Get Better Results in Play Therapy Without Doing More

    Send us Fan Mail What if better results in play therapy didn’t come from more play therapy activities, more games, or more play therapy training — but from clearer thinking? In this week’s free livestream episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the real secret sauce: case conceptualization. Because if you don’t know what’s driving the behavior, how do you decide what to do in play therapy sessions without guessing? 👀 We’ll talk about why your play therapy model actually matters (yep—models aren’t just theory flexes), and how using a play therapy model helps you intentionally access the therapeutic powers of play instead of hoping something sticks. We’re also naming a hard truth: Going to play therapy training after training without follow-up or application? That’s how overwhelm happens. Integration is where confidence is built. Application is where deep change lives. And finally—we get real about something most play therapists feel but don’t always say out loud:  👉 You’re not meant to do this work alone. The therapeutic relationship with clients is central—but so is having a play therapy community for support, resources, idea-sharing, and strategic help using your play therapy model in real cases (not just in theory). If you’ve ever left a play therapy session thinking, “Was that enough?”  Or wondered, “Am I actually helping?” Join me for this free weekly podcast and let’s make play therapy feel grounded again. This week’s episode is for you so you can focus on 👇 Less doing. More clarity. Better results. ✨ Join my free Facebook Community Play and Expressive Arts Therapy Playground. Check out my free resources for mental health professionals working with children, adolescents, and families who want to integrate play therapy and expressive arts into their clinical work. I work with individuals and agencies to develop successful strategies and meet the treatment needs of your child and adolescent clients and their families using play therapy & expressive arts. Contact me to schedule a free 30-minute video call if you're ready to level up your skills

    43 min
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About

Join me on Next Level Play Therapy, a podcast for child and adolescent therapists seeking to elevate your play therapy services. Hosted by Cathi Spooner, LCSW, RPT-S, at Renewing Hearts Play Therapy Training.   Each episode delves into the nuances of play therapy, exploring innovative techniques, evidence-based practices, and practical strategies for providing exceptional therapeutic experiences. These engaging discussions cover a wide range of topics, including building rapport with children, how to make sure you get great outcomes for clients, therapeutic toys and tools and strategies to use in sessions, addressing trauma and attachment issues, engaging parents, promoting emotional regulation, and nurturing resilience for children and their families. Whether you're an experienced therapist looking to refine your skills or a novice clinician venturing into the world of play therapy, the Next Level Play Therapy podcast equips you with the knowledge and insights to enhance your play therapy practice. With interviews featuring experts in play therapy, exploration of best practices, discussion of game-changing principles and strategies, this podcast equips you with the tools to unlock the amazing power of play therapy to transform the lives of children, adolescents, and families. Tune in to Next Level Play Therapy and take a journey towards becoming an exceptional play therapist as we navigate the next level strategies that lead to profound healing and growth for children and their families.

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