Playful Beginnings

Playful Beginnings

Video Podcast

di Maggie Parker and Kristie Opiola

Salute mentale Relazioni

Stagione 2

Getting to know Dr. Jenna Taylor and her research into CCPT and Internalizing Behaviors

Join us as we speak with Dr. Jenna Taylor, author of a newly published meta analysis of CCPT and Internalizing Behaviors. Drs. Kristie and Maggie speak with Dr. Jenna about her entry into Child Centered Play Therapy, her experience as a CCPT therapist, and her dissertation. We hope you enjoy this episode and look forward to learning with you!

Demystifying CCPT and Parent Consultations with Dr. Ahou Line.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ahou Line to dive into one of the most critical—and often daunting—aspects of being a play therapist: working with parents and caregivers. Dr. Line shares insights from her new Routledge textbook, Working with Parents in Play Therapy, offering clinicians a roadmap to transform parent consultations from nerve-wracking updates into culturally attuned, highly collaborative partnerships.

Back to School Transition: Adapting to a new normal

As the summer season draws to a close, some children may experience difficulties with the back to school transition, with anxiety and fears potentially manifesting prior to the start of the academic year. In this episode of Playful Beginnings, Kristie and Maggie delve into the ways in which children may respond and exhibit behaviors at home and in the playroom, providing valuable insights for parents and play therapists to better understand the needs of their young clients. This episode serves as a valuable resource for play therapists to inform their conversations with parents and for parents to gain a deeper understanding of their children's emotions as they transition back to school. The return to routine after a relaxing vacation can be challenging for all. Back to Life, Back to Reality. Listen to our latest podcast episode wherever you access your podcasts. #backtoschool #backtoschool📚 #backtoschoolblues #backtoschoolblues😢 #backtoschoolblues📚 #backtoschoolblues😭 #backtoschoolanxiety #backtoschoolanxietytips #backtoschoolanxietyhelp #backtoschoolanxietyhack #ccpt #childcenteredplaytheray #childcenteredplaytherapy #playtherapy #playtherapyuk #playtherapykit #playtherapytoys #PlayTherapyTools #playtherapyworks #playtherapytraining #playtherapycommunity #parentsofanxiouskids #parentsofanxiouschildren #parentsofanxiouslearners

Back to School Part 2: Making Space for Big Feelings

In this week's Playful Beginnings, Drs. Kristie and Maggie get practical — the routines worth shifting now, the logistics that quietly ease anxiety, and the one thing almost every family over schedules away without meaning to. Below, we've pulled the most useful pieces into two sections: one for parents in the thick of it, and one for fellow play therapists supporting families through it. Parents, you can use these at home. Play therapists, you can provide these to parents in your next consultation.

Structured Doll Play: Supporting Kids Through Transitions

Ever wonder why kids melt down before a field trip, panic over substitute teachers, or struggle with simple routine changes? 🧸👇 Transitions are hard—for kids, parents, teachers, and therapists alike. But there is a proven tool that bridges the gap between fear and feeling safe: Structured Doll Play. In this episode of Playful Beginnings, Dr. Kristie and Maggie break down this powerful intervention from the Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) Manual (Landreth & Bratton, 2006). Inside this episode, you’ll learn: What structured doll play actually is (and why it works so well for anxious kids). How play therapists can guide parents to use this technique effectively at home. Practical strategies for parents and teachers to prepare kids for big changes, field trips, and new environments. Whether you're in the clinic, the classroom, or at the kitchen table, this episode gives you actionable tools you can use immediately.

Understanding Evidence Based. What does it mean and why is it important?

In this episode, Drs. Kristie and Maggie break down what it means to be evidenced based and why you can't say that you are CCPT and CBT. We go through what that actually means and how it may not be as helpful as one would think. Sometimes, putting together two good things doesn't create something better. Same goes with theory. Listen to this week's episode to learn why. Have questions about play therapy, child development, or child mental health? Send us your questions and videos to info@playtherapyspace.com or playtherapyspace on facebook and theplaytherapyspace on instagram and we'll feature you on our an episode!

The Nuts and Bolts of Note Taking: CCPT Edition

A complete play therapy record is so much more than just weekly progress notes! 📂✨ In this episode of Playful Beginnings, we’re taking a deep dive into the essential aspects of notetaking from the initial contact to the subsequent parent consultations. We break down how to read and navigate complex parenting plans, set clear legal and clinical boundaries with caregivers up front, translate intake assessment findings into child-centered treatment goals, and write clean, objective addendums when clinical situations evolve. 🎧 Tune in to make your administrative file as strong, clear, and clinical as your playroom work!

From Playroom to Page: Effective & Efficient Documentation Strategies

How do you capture non-verbal play, behavioral themes, and clinical progress clearly in a progress note? 🎨📋 In this week's episode of Playful Beginnings, we dive deep into the fundamentals of play therapy documentation. We share simple frameworks for structuring notes, translating play behaviors into objective clinical language, and optimizing your documentation workflow. Listen in on your preferred podcast platform! 🎙️

To Note, or Not to Note? 📝

Clipboard in hand or fully in the moment? 🧸✨ In this episode of Playful Beginnings, we’re diving into one of the most debated topics in child therapy: Should play therapists take notes during a session? On one hand, real-time documentation captures the brilliant, subtle moments of play while they’re fresh. On the other hand… nothing breaks a child’s flow quite like a therapist constantly looking down at a notepad. We’re breaking down: 🎯 How note-taking impacts the therapeutic alliance and child connection 🧠 Strategies for holding onto key session details without writing mid-play ⚖️ Finding a realistic balance between thorough documentation and being 100% present Whether you’re team "write it down immediately" or team "put the pen away," we’ve got thoughts for you. 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform! #PlayTherapy #ChildTherapy #PlayTherapist #PlayfulBeginnings #TherapistLife #MentalHealthProfessionals #ChildPsychology #TherapistNotes

The Rest of the Clinical File: Custody, Informed Consent, and Addendums

Notes include a lot more than what happens in sessions and the conceptualization of clients. These include custody agreements, divorce decrees, releases of information, auxiliary notes detailing conversations, emails, CPS reports. All of these things are vital, but we don't always talk about them. This week, Dr. Kristie and Dr. Maggie share this and more to support you, the clinician, in ensuring you are exploring all aspects of note taking!

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