The Play Therapy Circle

Kylie Ellison
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Hosted by therapist and trainer Kylie Ellison, this podcast explores the heart of Child-Centred Play Therapy and the healing power of play. Each episode offers thoughtful reflections and practical insights for play therapists, students, and caregivers supporting children’s emotional wellbeing. ✨ Join the community: https://mailchi.mp/playtherapycircle.com/play-therapy-circle ✨ Podcast subscriptions: https://kylieellison.com.au/ptcsub

  1. 10H AGO

    Episode 37 - The Nervous System and the Play Room

    In this episode, Kylie breaks down polyvagal theory and its three key nervous system states - safe and social, fight or flight, and freeze/shutdown and explores what each one actually looks like when a child walks through the playroom door. Because understanding which state a child is in changes everything about how you respond to them. From neuroception (that unconscious, automatic threat-scanning happening in every child's nervous system, every moment of every day) to the neuroscience of co-regulation, Kylie unpacks why you simply cannot reason, teach, or connect with a child whose thinking brain is offline and what to do instead. Spoiler: it starts with you. One of the most powerful ideas in this episode is this - your regulated presence as a therapist isn't just good practice, it's the actual mechanism for change. The nervous system is a social organ, designed to be regulated by another nervous system. Which means a calm, warm, attuned adult can literally help a child's nervous system return to safety in real time. That's not a metaphor. That's neurobiology. Kylie also shines a light on the children who often get missed, the quiet ones, the compliant ones, the ones flying under the radar in the classroom and why a child in freeze or shutdown can actually be more concerning than the one having the explosive meltdown. And for the parents listening? There's a whole section for you too. Why talking to your child mid-meltdown doesn't work (and never will), what co-regulation actually looks like in practice, and why your number one job in those hard moments is to regulate yourself first. Whether you're a seasoned play therapist, a student just starting out, or a parent trying to make sense of the big behaviours happening at home, this episode offers a new lens for understanding what children are really communicating and why the playroom might just be the most neurologically sophisticated therapeutic environment we have for children. In this episode: The three states of the nervous system and what they look like in the playroomWhy the quiet, withdrawn child can be more concerning than the explosive oneNeuroception — why children can't simply choose their reactionsThe neuroscience behind co-regulation and why it's biological, not optionalWhy your own regulation as a therapist is a clinical skill, not a nice-to-havePractical guidance for parents navigating dysregulation and big emotions at homeWhy CCPT isn't "just play" it's the most neurologically aligned therapeutic approach we have for childrenThe Play Therapy Circle is now listened to in 55 countries. Wherever you are in the world — welcome to the Circle. 🎙️ Play Therapy Circle | Hosted by Kylie Ellison Free community forum: ⁠JOIN OUR FREE COMMUNITY HERE⁠

    50 min

  2. MAR 26

    Episode 36- Holding Hope | Play Therapists in Times of Global Uncertainty

    Holding Hope in the Playroom | Play Therapy Circle In one of her most personal episodes yet, host Kylie Ellison pauses to name what so many play therapists are quietly carrying, the weight of showing up for children and families during a time of profound collective anxiety and global uncertainty. This episode is for you, the therapist in the trenches. Kylie explores how the state of the world filters into the playroom - from children presenting with themes of chaos and loss of control, to parents arriving more activated and depleted than ever. She unpacks the very real psychological labour of holding hope when that hope feels genuinely hard to access, and what it means when hope is part of your professional identity. In this episode: Why children are neurologically wired to track caregiver anxiety and what that means for what you're seeing in sessions right nowThe difference between burnout and compassion fatigue, and how to recognise the signs in yourselfThe compassion satisfaction, fatigue continuum, and why collective global stress shifts the whole scaleVicarious anxiety: the less-talked-about cousin of vicarious traumaPractical anchors for holding hope, supervision, containment rituals, community connection, and returning to your whyA gentle reminder that the therapeutic relationship itself is one of the most radical acts of hope that exists right nowThis one's raw, honest, and a little bit like a therapy session - and that's exactly the point. You matter. What you do matters. And you are not alone. 🎙️ Play Therapy Circle | Hosted by Kylie EllisonFree community forum: JOIN OUR FREE COMMUNITY HERE

    39 min

  3. MAR 19

    FLASHBACK EPISODE - #7 Understanding the Child's World Through Play

    🎙️ FLASHBACK EPISODE — Episode 7: Understanding the Child's World Through Play Play is children's universal language — and once you understand it, you'll never look at it the same way again. In this flashback episode, we explore how children use play to communicate what they can't express in words, and what that means for us as CCPT practitioners, parents, educators, and caregivers. We dive into: • Why play is a child's primary mode of communication • What common play themes like shop and hide & seek are really telling us • How sand tray and art reveal a child's inner world • The power of observing without rushing to fix or interpret • Why validating feelings is the first step toward healing and growth Whether you're a seasoned play therapist or someone who simply works with or loves children, this episode will shift the way you see and respond to the children in your life. As Gary Landreth reminds us - toys are their words and play is their language. 🧸 #PlayTherapy #CCPT #ChildCentredPlayTherapy #PlayTherapyCircle

    33 min

  4. MAR 19

    Episode 35- What Happens in the Brain During Play Therapy

    Why does play therapy work? And what actually happens in a child’s brain during a play therapy session? In this episode of the Play Therapy Circle Podcast, Kylie Ellison explores the neuroscience behind child-centred play therapy (CCPT) and explains why play is the natural language of children. Children’s brains are still developing, which means they often cannot process emotions through words the way adults do. Instead, they communicate, process experiences, and regulate their nervous systems through play. Understanding this brain science helps therapists, parents, and educators better support children’s emotional development. In this episode, Kylie breaks down key concepts from neuroscience, trauma research, and child development, including: • Why children communicate through play rather than words • The role of the prefrontal cortex in emotional regulation • Understanding the window of tolerance in children • How the amygdala and nervous system respond to stress and trauma • The power of co-regulation and the therapeutic relationship • How neuroplasticity allows children’s brains to heal and grow You’ll also learn how child-centred play therapy creates a safe therapeutic environment that helps children regulate emotions, process experiences, and develop healthier coping strategies. If you’re a play therapist, child therapist, educator, mental health professional, or parent, this episode will help you understand the science behind why play therapy is an evidence-based and effective approach for supporting children’s emotional wellbeing. Play therapy isn’t “just playing.” It’s neuroscience, relationship, and healing through play. Links & Resources: • Play Therapy Circle Community & Membership • Upcoming Play Therapy Circle Conference (Brisbane) • Follow us on Instagram, Facebook & TikTok

    37 min

  5. MAR 19

    Episode 34- The Children Who Grow Us: How the playroom shapes the CCPT therapist.

    In this episode of the Play Therapy Circle Podcast, Kylie explores how child-centred play therapy doesn’t just transform the children we work with, it also transforms us as therapists. Drawing on her experiences in the playroom, Kylie reflects on the profound lessons children teach us about authenticity, emotional courage, and the power of simply being present. She shares how the therapeutic relationship, rather than technique alone, creates healing, and why learning to trust the process, tolerate uncertainty, and sit with big emotions is central to effective play therapy. This episode is an invitation for play therapists to reflect on their own journeys: the children who have shaped them, the growth that happens alongside their clients, and the deep privilege of holding space for young people’s stories. Whether you’re new to play therapy or years into practice, this conversation offers encouragement, insight, and a reminder that the work changes us too.

    46 min

  6. MAR 19

    Episode 33- Behaviour is the Messenger - Listening Beyond What We See

    In this heartfelt episode, Kylie explores one of the core truths of child-centred play therapy: all behaviour is communication. When children can’t put their experiences into words, they show us through play, through dysregulation, through control, chaos, withdrawal, and even aggression. But what if those behaviours aren’t problems to fix - but stories to hear? Kylie unpacks how behaviour reflects the nervous system, attachment experiences, and unmet needs, and why play therapists must look beyond compliance to meaning-making. She reflects on the power of transference and countertransference, the importance of therapeutic limits, and the courage it takes to sit in the uncomfortable rather than rush to “fix.” This episode is a reminder that when we silence behaviour, we silence the story and that child-centred play therapy is an act of advocacy, resistance, and deep attunement. For play therapists holding big stories in the playroom: your work matters.

    36 min

  7. FEB 19

    Episode 32- They're Just Playing! What's Really Happening in the Playroom

    This week on The Play Therapy Circle, Kylie Ellison tackles a common (and often frustrating) misunderstanding: “Isn’t it just play?”. Kylie opens a timely conversation for play therapists, parents, carers, and professionals about how children communicate through play, especially when trauma, attachment conflicts, fear, or loyalty binds make verbal disclosure unlikely. Kylie explains why trauma isn’t stored in neat narratives for children, how the brain’s language systems can shut down under threat, and why silence is not the same as safety, it can be survival. She then outlines key indicators often seen in trauma-driven play: repetitive and driven themes, rigid “stuck” storylines, high emotional intensity, developmentally atypical content (power, control, secrecy, punishment, rescuing), and a lack of resolution over time. Importantly, she emphasises ethical practice: play therapists don’t diagnose from a single play sequence, and concerns should be formed holistically, documented carefully, and supported through clinical supervision and appropriate reporting pathways. If you need language to translate play-based clinical observations into stakeholder conversations, this episode is for you.

    31 min

  8. FEB 12

    Episode 31- Navigating Endings in CCPT

    In this episode, Kylie reflects on what she’s witnessing in clinical practice right now, a significant rise in anxiety presentations among young children, particularly in the 4–6-year-old age group. Building on previous conversations about the post-COVID landscape, Kylie explores what she describes as an “anxiety epidemic” in early childhood and unpacks how this is showing up in play therapy rooms across Australia. From increased emotional dysregulation to heightened separation anxiety and nervous system overwhelm, this episode examines the broader community context impacting children and families. Kylie also shares insights into how child-centred play therapy (CCPT) uniquely supports anxious children, not by managing symptoms alone, but by strengthening emotional safety, regulation, and a child’s internal sense of competence and self-trust. She reflects on the responsibility and privilege of holding therapeutic space during seasons of collective stress, and the importance of maintaining empathy, unconditional positive regard, and strong clinical boundaries as demand increases. With growing referrals and stretched services, this episode is both a professional check-in and an encouragement to fellow practitioners: how do we sustain ourselves while continuing to show up for children in meaningful ways? If you’re a play therapist, early childhood professional, or someone supporting young children navigating anxiety, this episode offers thoughtful reflection, validation, and practical perspective from the field.

    41 min
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About

Hosted by therapist and trainer Kylie Ellison, this podcast explores the heart of Child-Centred Play Therapy and the healing power of play. Each episode offers thoughtful reflections and practical insights for play therapists, students, and caregivers supporting children’s emotional wellbeing. ✨ Join the community: https://mailchi.mp/playtherapycircle.com/play-therapy-circle ✨ Podcast subscriptions: https://kylieellison.com.au/ptcsub

Information

  • Creator
    Kylie Ellison
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    38
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Kylie Ellison
  • Show Website
    The Play Therapy Circle

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