398 | CCPT Mythbusters: The Child Has to Talk About It

Play Therapy Podcast: A Master-Class in Child-Centered Play Therapy

In this episode of the CCPT Mythbusters series, I tackle the belief that "play therapy isn't enough" unless children verbally talk about their problems. I explain why this myth is rooted in adulthood bias and the false assumption that children process experiences cognitively and verbally the way adults do. In reality, children are experiential and emotional beings who naturally work through their world through play. Talking is not required for healing to occur, and in many cases, insisting that children verbally discuss something actually interferes with their process.

I also discuss why words themselves are not the source of therapeutic change in CCPT. Children do not even need to speak in the playroom—or share the same language as the therapist—for meaningful healing to happen. Through relationship, environment, emotional attunement, and trust in the child's process, children reveal exactly what they need to work through. This episode is a powerful reminder that our role is not to direct, interrogate, or force insight, but to faithfully provide the conditions that allow children to self-actualize in their own way and in their own time.

Join me for our LIVE 400th Episode! Register by clicking the following link to join me LIVE on a Zoom call on May 28, 2026 12:00 PM EST. (please note the time zone) www.playtherapypodcast.com/400

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: brenna@thekidcounselor.com 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.

2026-05-19 17 min Transcript

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Transcript

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You're listening to the Play Therapy Podcast with Dr. Brenna Hicks,

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your source for centered and focused play therapy coaching.

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Hi,

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I'm Dr. Brenna Hicks,

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The Kid Counselor.

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This is the Play Therapy Podcast where you get

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a master class in child-centered play therapy

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and practical support and application for your

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work with children and their families.

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In today's episode,

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we are continuing myth busting.

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And today,

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the myth we're busting is

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The child's not going to get better if they don't talk about this.

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So,

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the myth essentially is that

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play therapy isn't enough.

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And talking is somehow a necessity.

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So that's what we're gonna dive into.

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However,

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y'all,

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we only have 1 week until the 400th episode.

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And we still have spots on

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the live

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event.

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So,

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only one podcast next week.

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When,

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when a podcast doesn't drop on Tuesday,

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don't be alarmed and email me and say,

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are you sick?

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Are you OK?

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Are you dead?

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Whatever.

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We're only having one next week

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and it's on Thursday,

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so there will not be a Tuesday podcast.

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By the way,

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don't think that I'm saying that flippantly.

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When you all reach out because I don't drop a podcast on my normal

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Tuesdays and Thursdays.

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I always appreciate that you all look forward to it and you're checking in on me.

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So I really do appreciate it even though I'm laughing.

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But don't do that next week is the moral of the story because

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we're only doing one podcast and it's on Thursday at 12 Eastern.

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So,

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my time,

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Florida time,

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Eastern time,

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12.

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Enrollment

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is,

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or not enrollment,

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I suppose,

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res uh reservations are

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open right now.

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And

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go to the show notes if you want to get

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a link for that call.

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We're gonna do a Q&A and I'm gonna talk for a little bit and

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I'm gonna do some giveaways and it's gonna be a lot of fun.

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I have some things to announce.

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So,

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anyway,

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come hang out with me if you can,

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120

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Eastern,

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next Thursday,

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the 28th

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for our live 400th episode event.

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OK.

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Also,

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enrollment's open for play therapy professional.

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I know I said that last time.

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So there's a link for that in the show notes too.

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Just,

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I didn't want you to get confused when I said enrollment.

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So

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might as well say enrollments for PT Pros open as well.

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All right,

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so let's talk about

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this myth here.

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That play therapy is not enough.

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You have to talk about whatever.

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All right,

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first and foremost,

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That is predicated

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on adulthood bias.

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And

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the notion that children are going to talk,

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that they want to talk,

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that they feel comfortable talking.

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It's so skewed.

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Toward the rational and the cognitive.

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And kids are neither of those things.

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So,

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this notion that

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they have to talk because that's the only way they're going to be able to

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sort through something.

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Its premise is flawed.

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Then,

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the idea

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that

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play therapy is not enough because it doesn't involve anything else.

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Play is the child's natural way of making sense of the world.

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Watch babies,

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watch toddlers,

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watch children,

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even older kids,

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up to 12.

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They are going to play,

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and when they do,

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you will see them working out real life stuff.

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That is their natural way of understanding the world

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and processing things that they need to sort out.

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So,

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we have adulthood bias getting in the way,

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thinking that talking is required.

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We have this

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myth

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that children are naturally going to play because that is exactly how

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they are in their natural state.

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They're experiential

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and they're emotional.

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They live in the here and now,

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and

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they don't have the verbal capacity

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nor the intellectual cognitive rational capacities.

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To

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process any other way.

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Then add in the layer that we know it's an unpublished research study at the moment,

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but

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Unpublished doesn't mean

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that

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it already hasn't been proven true.

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We know

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that

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the language barrier.

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That would occur in

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normal talk therapy.

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Does not occur in child-centered play therapy.

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Because we know that the therapy,

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the CCPT

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and the child do not have to speak the same language,

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and CCPT still has the same gains.

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I coach international participants.

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I'm sure most of y'all know that by now.

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And I have watched so many play sessions in other languages.

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Now,

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I'm conversationally fluent in Spanish.

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That's a whole different story because I understand

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what's going on in my Spanish sessions.

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I'm talking about

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I've watched them in Estonian and I've watched

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them in Yiddish and I've watched them in Afrikaans

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and I've watched them in Slovenian

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and

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I,

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I have seen all kinds of other sessions that I pick up.

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Fractions.

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I mean,

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because there's cognate sometimes

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and I'm like,

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oh,

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I think that was that word.

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Or every once in a while they'll throw an English word in and I'm like,

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oh,

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look at that.

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But for the most part,

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I honestly don't know what is being said.

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But you wanna know what's

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my favorite part of watching sessions in other languages?

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I watched them ahead of time.

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When no one's around to translate for me

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before I get on the coaching call,

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and I have time stamps queued

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because I know that a moment was significant.

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I know that there was something that went on that was powerful there.

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I can tell the emotion that was wrapped up in that

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in context of what's happening.

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I have a sense of what went on there.

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I can go,

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Oh,

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I think that was a choice given.

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Oh,

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I think that was a limit set.

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Why?

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Because I'm just observing what's going on.

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I don't need to understand the words.

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So,

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when I actually cue those on the call,

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and then I have the person that speaks that language translate for me.

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It's one of the coolest moments when everyone's like,

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whoa,

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like that was a significant moment,

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you can tell.

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The words are not what gives it away.

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It's all the rest of it that gives it away.

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So,

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that's another reason why talk

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is not

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a necessity for our sessions.

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We also know that a child does not have to utter one word

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in the playroom

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for CCPT to work.

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And boy does that

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get in our craw.

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That's a,

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that's a Southern phrase,

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sorry.

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That really irritates us

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when

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not all of us,

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some of us,

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that's like,

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that's an Achilles' heel for some of us.

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Oh my word.

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You have a kid that comes in and doesn't say anything.

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Oh,

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CCPTs come unglued.

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Why do we do that?

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Because

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of adulthood bias,

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and we think that kids have to talk.

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They don't.

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I've had kids not say a word

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the entire

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course of treatment.

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Months of sessions

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never say a word in their play.

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And

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guess what parents reported,

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Guess what teachers reported.

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Guess what every other person in their life reported?

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Oh my gosh,

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he's like a different kid.

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It has absolutely transformed

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his behavior and his attitude and his confidence and so and so.

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Didn't say a word to me.

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I know a lot of us have worked with selectively mute children.

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The,

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the boy I was talking about in the first example,

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he was not selectively mute.

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He just literally didn't feel compelled to say a word when he played.

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He played in silence because he chose to.

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He would talk to me on the way back to the playroom

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and on the way out of the playroom and in the lobby,

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but then he wouldn't say a word when he got in the sessions.

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Then you have selectively mute children

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that

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their anxiety is so unmanageable and so high,

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they don't say a word because they feel like they can't.

252
00:07:53,980 --> 00:07:55,760
And what's always the agenda,

253
00:07:56,329 --> 00:07:56,739
always,

254
00:07:56,779 --> 00:07:57,519
always,

255
00:07:57,940 --> 00:07:59,329
my kid needs to talk.

256
00:07:59,859 --> 00:08:00,329
No,

257
00:08:00,700 --> 00:08:01,660
your kid doesn't need to talk,

258
00:08:01,739 --> 00:08:02,579
not in the playroom.

259
00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:06,320
And we're not putting a band-aid on a gaping wound either.

260
00:08:06,399 --> 00:08:08,429
So we're not going to address the selective mutism,

261
00:08:08,510 --> 00:08:09,799
we're going to address the anxiety,

262
00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:10,519
but

263
00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:12,239
we're not going to do anything to address that.

264
00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,559
We're going to create the conditions that allow for the child to work through that

265
00:08:15,859 --> 00:08:17,100
relationship and environment.

266
00:08:17,429 --> 00:08:18,179
That's our job.

267
00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:21,540
Trust the process

268
00:08:21,649 --> 00:08:24,070
is trusting in the conditions

269
00:08:24,290 --> 00:08:25,869
that allow the child to heal.

270
00:08:26,329 --> 00:08:26,660
So,

271
00:08:26,769 --> 00:08:28,630
I need to make sure the relationship

272
00:08:28,859 --> 00:08:29,670
is prioritized.

273
00:08:29,730 --> 00:08:31,380
I need to make sure the environment

274
00:08:31,730 --> 00:08:32,590
is appropriate.

275
00:08:33,558 --> 00:08:36,260
And then I have to trust that the child knows what they need to work on.

276
00:08:37,249 --> 00:08:39,109
But notice that in both of these examples,

277
00:08:39,119 --> 00:08:40,419
we don't need words.

278
00:08:42,010 --> 00:08:42,549
So

279
00:08:43,710 --> 00:08:45,929
There's a whole bunch of reasons why

280
00:08:46,349 --> 00:08:48,010
a child does not need to come in and talk,

281
00:08:48,309 --> 00:08:49,950
and we have evidence for all of it.

282
00:08:51,359 --> 00:08:52,780
But at the end of the day,

283
00:08:54,330 --> 00:08:58,979
When a child is going to naturally work through stuff in their way in their time.

284
00:09:00,140 --> 00:09:01,359
Why would we ever

285
00:09:02,179 --> 00:09:03,280
force a child

286
00:09:03,739 --> 00:09:06,080
to do something that we direct

287
00:09:06,580 --> 00:09:11,099
to sort out what we think they need to do in the order that we think is best for them?

288
00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:13,650
That is so.

289
00:09:14,539 --> 00:09:15,650
I don't even know what the word is.

290
00:09:15,700 --> 00:09:16,919
I'm trying to think of an adjective.

291
00:09:17,419 --> 00:09:19,349
Presumptuous is the best thing I can think of.

292
00:09:19,739 --> 00:09:21,780
That is the most presumptuous thing.

293
00:09:22,969 --> 00:09:23,960
To say,

294
00:09:24,130 --> 00:09:25,989
I know more than you

295
00:09:26,710 --> 00:09:30,469
about what you need and when you need it and how we're going to do this,

296
00:09:30,690 --> 00:09:34,330
and I'm just going to dictate to you how this is going to go.

297
00:09:35,299 --> 00:09:38,280
What presumptuous foolishness.

298
00:09:39,049 --> 00:09:40,030
To say,

299
00:09:40,609 --> 00:09:42,770
I'm going to take care of this for you.

300
00:09:43,789 --> 00:09:45,700
Let's translate this to someone actually said

301
00:09:45,700 --> 00:09:47,700
this on a collective call pretty recently,

302
00:09:47,710 --> 00:09:48,070
and I said,

303
00:09:48,109 --> 00:09:48,750
I'm gonna use that,

304
00:09:48,789 --> 00:09:49,849
and here I am using it.

305
00:09:51,049 --> 00:09:51,400
Let's,

306
00:09:51,489 --> 00:09:53,349
let's enlarge this to adults.

307
00:09:55,030 --> 00:09:59,150
An adult therapist sits down with an adult client and the client says,

308
00:09:59,940 --> 00:10:00,190
All right,

309
00:10:00,270 --> 00:10:00,419
yeah,

310
00:10:00,549 --> 00:10:00,710
man,

311
00:10:00,789 --> 00:10:02,429
it has been a rough week.

312
00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:03,690
Let me tell you about my week.

313
00:10:04,309 --> 00:10:05,210
And the therapist says,

314
00:10:05,479 --> 00:10:05,630
no,

315
00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:06,229
sorry,

316
00:10:06,469 --> 00:10:08,789
we're actually going to talk about your anger.

317
00:10:09,070 --> 00:10:09,630
So here,

318
00:10:09,750 --> 00:10:11,409
here's something that we're gonna read together

319
00:10:11,590 --> 00:10:13,330
and then we're gonna talk about your anger.

320
00:10:13,510 --> 00:10:13,809
Well,

321
00:10:14,119 --> 00:10:14,229
yeah,

322
00:10:14,270 --> 00:10:14,789
I understand that,

323
00:10:14,849 --> 00:10:15,150
but I mean,

324
00:10:15,190 --> 00:10:16,809
I really wanna tell you about what happened

325
00:10:17,109 --> 00:10:19,820
in my week cause that's like really pressing on me right now.

326
00:10:20,070 --> 00:10:20,190
No,

327
00:10:20,270 --> 00:10:20,809
I'm sorry.

328
00:10:20,869 --> 00:10:21,090
Um,

329
00:10:21,150 --> 00:10:23,869
this is my gig here and I'm the therapist,

330
00:10:23,950 --> 00:10:24,289
so

331
00:10:24,429 --> 00:10:24,909
we're gonna,

332
00:10:24,989 --> 00:10:26,049
we're gonna do anger

333
00:10:26,179 --> 00:10:28,530
and you're not allowed to talk about anything else right now.

334
00:10:31,219 --> 00:10:33,440
We would think that was lunacy

335
00:10:33,780 --> 00:10:37,159
if we heard that was a therapist's way of handling their clients,

336
00:10:37,229 --> 00:10:38,770
and that therapist would have no clients.

337
00:10:38,890 --> 00:10:39,479
Let's be real.

338
00:10:40,659 --> 00:10:43,320
But somehow we think that that's the way that we can treat children.

339
00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:46,799
We meet children where they are,

340
00:10:46,900 --> 00:10:48,169
not the other way around.

341
00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:50,219
We trust the child

342
00:10:50,479 --> 00:10:51,979
to know what they need to do

343
00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:53,760
in their way.

344
00:10:54,609 --> 00:10:55,859
In their time

345
00:10:56,969 --> 00:10:56,979
Because

346
00:10:57,380 --> 00:10:58,359
they know

347
00:10:58,890 --> 00:11:00,140
how to get where they want to go.

348
00:11:01,289 --> 00:11:05,309
We are all wired with that natural desire to become better versions of ourselves.

349
00:11:06,340 --> 00:11:06,880
So,

350
00:11:07,340 --> 00:11:09,460
what presumptuousness to say,

351
00:11:09,590 --> 00:11:09,659
no,

352
00:11:09,700 --> 00:11:09,780
no,

353
00:11:09,820 --> 00:11:09,900
no,

354
00:11:09,940 --> 00:11:10,059
no,

355
00:11:10,179 --> 00:11:11,599
we're gonna talk about this.

356
00:11:12,109 --> 00:11:12,760
And honestly,

357
00:11:13,059 --> 00:11:14,169
parents don't know what they don't know,

358
00:11:14,260 --> 00:11:14,719
so,

359
00:11:15,179 --> 00:11:15,979
this isn't a dig.

360
00:11:16,059 --> 00:11:17,760
This is just a reality check here.

361
00:11:18,219 --> 00:11:19,320
When a parent says,

362
00:11:20,059 --> 00:11:21,840
you just need to talk to them about

363
00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:23,669
Well,

364
00:11:23,909 --> 00:11:24,159
yes,

365
00:11:24,239 --> 00:11:25,469
they don't know what they don't know,

366
00:11:25,719 --> 00:11:28,679
and so they have an agenda and they want things to get better,

367
00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:29,500
understandably,

368
00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:31,460
they're in the swirls of crazy.

369
00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:35,739
But that's also on us for not helping a parent understand

370
00:11:35,919 --> 00:11:38,859
what the process is and what we will and what we will never do.

371
00:11:40,460 --> 00:11:43,020
So I will do lots of things in the playroom.

372
00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:44,659
I will be faithful to the model.

373
00:11:44,900 --> 00:11:46,000
I will be adherent.

374
00:11:46,500 --> 00:11:48,640
I will use those 11 responses.

375
00:11:49,719 --> 00:11:52,140
I will preserve relationship at all costs.

376
00:11:52,289 --> 00:11:53,539
I will remain neutral.

377
00:11:53,719 --> 00:11:54,840
I will remain calm.

378
00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:55,219
I,

379
00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:55,520
I mean,

380
00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:58,080
the list is very long of the things that we will do.

381
00:11:58,359 --> 00:11:59,440
Parents need to know that.

382
00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:01,539
In equal measure,

383
00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:03,840
they need to know what we will unequivocally,

384
00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:05,590
absolutely never ever do.

385
00:12:07,039 --> 00:12:09,320
And one of which is talk to their kid about something.

386
00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:11,780
So if a parent comes and says,

387
00:12:12,359 --> 00:12:12,679
by the way,

388
00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:14,299
you just need to talk to them about

389
00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,080
hitting their friends because they hit their friends at school again today.

390
00:12:17,919 --> 00:12:18,080
Well,

391
00:12:18,190 --> 00:12:19,159
you violated my,

392
00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,659
we're never going to talk about a child in front of a child rule,

393
00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:23,960
because that was obviously in the lobby before the session,

394
00:12:24,109 --> 00:12:24,820
for example.

395
00:12:25,619 --> 00:12:28,140
So that's on us for not making that clear.

396
00:12:29,070 --> 00:12:33,809
And then it's also on us for not making it clear I'm never going to go in with an agenda.

397
00:12:34,270 --> 00:12:36,789
It's also on us for not making it clear I'm not going to

398
00:12:36,789 --> 00:12:38,929
bring up a topic and force your kid to talk about it.

399
00:12:40,460 --> 00:12:40,890
So,

400
00:12:40,900 --> 00:12:43,619
these are all of the little nuances of

401
00:12:43,619 --> 00:12:46,159
setting those very clear expectations when we first

402
00:12:46,690 --> 00:12:47,260
meet with parents,

403
00:12:47,340 --> 00:12:49,559
that very initial parent consultation hour,

404
00:12:49,900 --> 00:12:50,659
it's crucial.

405
00:12:51,859 --> 00:12:53,979
Because we say things like,

406
00:12:54,299 --> 00:12:56,119
and I'm never going to bring something up

407
00:12:56,219 --> 00:12:56,650
in session.

408
00:12:56,739 --> 00:12:57,299
Your child,

409
00:12:57,419 --> 00:13:00,179
if it's important to your child and if they need to bring it up,

410
00:13:00,380 --> 00:13:00,739
they will,

411
00:13:00,820 --> 00:13:02,960
but it's not always going to be brought up verbally.

412
00:13:03,619 --> 00:13:05,030
Sometimes they'll talk about something.

413
00:13:05,419 --> 00:13:06,369
Most of the time they won't.

414
00:13:06,460 --> 00:13:07,359
They'll play it out.

415
00:13:07,859 --> 00:13:09,289
They'll experience their way through it.

416
00:13:09,340 --> 00:13:10,539
They'll feel their way through it.

417
00:13:11,469 --> 00:13:13,349
And it may not be in dialogue,

418
00:13:13,469 --> 00:13:14,969
but they're still handling it.

419
00:13:15,669 --> 00:13:17,179
These are the kinds of things that we need to say,

420
00:13:17,190 --> 00:13:19,630
and y'all don't forget 7 + or minus 2.

421
00:13:20,489 --> 00:13:21,919
We don't just say that one time.

422
00:13:22,650 --> 00:13:24,590
We say that 5 to 9 times

423
00:13:25,289 --> 00:13:25,950
because

424
00:13:26,130 --> 00:13:27,349
that's what the

425
00:13:27,849 --> 00:13:29,090
human race needs

426
00:13:29,570 --> 00:13:29,799
for,

427
00:13:29,919 --> 00:13:31,369
for digestion of information,

428
00:13:31,450 --> 00:13:32,830
7 plus or minus 2.

429
00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:36,270
So we're not just going to say that once and move on and say,

430
00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:36,520
OK,

431
00:13:36,599 --> 00:13:39,109
I've done my due diligence and they know the drill now.

432
00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:39,599
No,

433
00:13:39,719 --> 00:13:42,789
they heard it once and they need to hear it 4 to 8 more times,

434
00:13:42,799 --> 00:13:45,719
and then maybe they'll have it sorted out somewhat,

435
00:13:45,950 --> 00:13:48,280
at least to where they won't accost you in the lobby

436
00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:49,780
and tell you you need to talk to their kid.

437
00:13:51,450 --> 00:13:54,150
So the myth that play therapy is not enough

438
00:13:54,929 --> 00:13:55,750
and or

439
00:13:55,890 --> 00:13:56,130
quote,

440
00:13:56,210 --> 00:13:57,950
you have to talk to my kid about.

441
00:13:58,900 --> 00:14:00,200
We combat that

442
00:14:00,380 --> 00:14:01,479
with fidelity

443
00:14:01,739 --> 00:14:02,669
and adherence.

444
00:14:03,549 --> 00:14:04,780
Careful neutrality,

445
00:14:04,989 --> 00:14:06,469
preservation of relationship,

446
00:14:06,789 --> 00:14:09,489
and setting clear expectations because it is enough.

447
00:14:10,070 --> 00:14:11,489
They don't need to talk at all.

448
00:14:11,989 --> 00:14:14,250
They don't even need to speak the same language as us.

449
00:14:14,750 --> 00:14:16,010
They're not verbal anyway.

450
00:14:16,109 --> 00:14:16,309
I mean,

451
00:14:16,349 --> 00:14:17,690
there's so many reasons.

452
00:14:18,659 --> 00:14:22,849
And these are the things that constantly ground us and make sure that we stay on track

453
00:14:23,070 --> 00:14:23,929
with the model

454
00:14:24,309 --> 00:14:26,169
and that we get out of the child's way

455
00:14:26,429 --> 00:14:28,729
and let them do the things that they know they need to do.

456
00:14:29,460 --> 00:14:32,200
I don't need to remind a child what they need to work on.

457
00:14:34,020 --> 00:14:36,969
That's another one of my favorite things of watching play sessions

458
00:14:37,590 --> 00:14:38,690
before I get on the call.

459
00:14:39,700 --> 00:14:41,219
I know nothing about that child,

460
00:14:41,299 --> 00:14:43,140
and I know the only thing we need to know about

461
00:14:43,140 --> 00:14:45,119
a child before we go into a play session is what?

462
00:14:46,549 --> 00:14:46,960
Their name,

463
00:14:47,030 --> 00:14:47,200
yes,

464
00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:48,000
thank you.

465
00:14:48,559 --> 00:14:49,869
Not biopsychosocial,

466
00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:50,799
not intake,

467
00:14:51,039 --> 00:14:52,280
not all these questions,

468
00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:52,880
blah blah blah.

469
00:14:52,989 --> 00:14:53,080
No,

470
00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:55,080
we need their name and only their name.

471
00:14:56,059 --> 00:14:58,659
But I don't even know that sometimes when I'm watching sessions.

472
00:14:58,979 --> 00:15:01,809
So I go in absolutely blindly watching

473
00:15:02,070 --> 00:15:04,049
my coaching folks play sessions.

474
00:15:04,859 --> 00:15:06,700
And I queue spots because I'm like,

475
00:15:06,940 --> 00:15:07,580
whoa,

476
00:15:07,820 --> 00:15:08,059
oh,

477
00:15:08,140 --> 00:15:08,700
that was deep.

478
00:15:08,799 --> 00:15:09,140
Oh,

479
00:15:09,239 --> 00:15:09,940
that was important.

480
00:15:10,059 --> 00:15:10,659
Oh my gosh,

481
00:15:10,729 --> 00:15:11,400
that was significant.

482
00:15:11,900 --> 00:15:12,059
Whoa,

483
00:15:12,179 --> 00:15:13,419
look at that anxiety coming up.

484
00:15:13,530 --> 00:15:14,140
Oh my word,

485
00:15:14,219 --> 00:15:15,359
look at the power and control.

486
00:15:15,559 --> 00:15:15,820
Wow,

487
00:15:15,940 --> 00:15:17,000
look at the fear facing.

488
00:15:17,510 --> 00:15:20,380
And I'm queuing stuff because I can see how relevant it is,

489
00:15:20,500 --> 00:15:21,880
but I don't know the backstory.

490
00:15:22,549 --> 00:15:25,789
And then the coolest thing is when I get on the call and I say,

491
00:15:25,869 --> 00:15:26,229
all right,

492
00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:26,859
give us,

493
00:15:26,909 --> 00:15:27,190
you know,

494
00:15:27,349 --> 00:15:29,809
a little bit of information about this kid we're about to watch.

495
00:15:30,549 --> 00:15:31,929
And then they talk about

496
00:15:32,109 --> 00:15:32,989
the anxiety.

497
00:15:33,700 --> 00:15:35,210
And the trauma

498
00:15:35,349 --> 00:15:37,140
and all this stuff that's going on,

499
00:15:37,150 --> 00:15:37,909
and I'm like,

500
00:15:38,190 --> 00:15:39,179
I already know that.

501
00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,340
You didn't need to tell me that for me to tell you

502
00:15:43,679 --> 00:15:45,080
what was going on in that session.

503
00:15:45,739 --> 00:15:47,159
It connects the dots,

504
00:15:47,380 --> 00:15:47,710
like,

505
00:15:47,780 --> 00:15:48,219
oh yeah,

506
00:15:48,289 --> 00:15:48,609
of course,

507
00:15:48,659 --> 00:15:49,760
that makes sense because,

508
00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:50,359
but

509
00:15:50,700 --> 00:15:52,659
I already knew the child was dealing with anxiety.

510
00:15:52,739 --> 00:15:54,799
I already knew the child was dealing with power and control.

511
00:15:55,340 --> 00:15:57,719
I already knew the child had an aggressive release need.

512
00:15:58,609 --> 00:15:59,150
Because

513
00:15:59,369 --> 00:16:00,669
they just showed

514
00:16:00,890 --> 00:16:02,890
what's going on right in the middle of the session.

515
00:16:03,890 --> 00:16:05,409
That's the beauty of CCPT.

516
00:16:05,609 --> 00:16:07,510
We don't need words of any kind,

517
00:16:07,690 --> 00:16:09,309
not even from parents most of the time.

518
00:16:10,369 --> 00:16:12,849
And that flies in the face of parents are the experts

519
00:16:12,849 --> 00:16:15,830
on their kids and therapists are the experts on the kids.

520
00:16:16,690 --> 00:16:18,669
The child is the expert,

521
00:16:18,969 --> 00:16:19,710
always.

522
00:16:19,969 --> 00:16:20,909
It's their life.

523
00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:21,929
It's their experience,

524
00:16:21,969 --> 00:16:23,190
it's their reality.

525
00:16:23,750 --> 00:16:24,890
It's their process.

526
00:16:25,650 --> 00:16:26,729
Their healing journey,

527
00:16:26,809 --> 00:16:28,289
their self-actualization,

528
00:16:28,650 --> 00:16:29,109
they

529
00:16:29,229 --> 00:16:29,880
are the experts.

530
00:16:29,929 --> 00:16:30,669
We trust them

531
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and we trust the process.

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I love y'all.

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Have a great week.

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Please join me on the live call,

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28th,

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noon Eastern.

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Sign up.

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Love y'all.

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Bye.

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Thank you for listening to the Play Therapy Podcast with Dr. Brenna Hicks.

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For more episodes and resources,

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please go to www.playtherapypodcast.com.

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