It’s Not About the Toys: The Power of the Therapeutic Relationship in CCPT

Play Therapy Podcast

In this episode of the Play Therapy Podcast, I answer two thoughtful questions from Mikayla, a graduate student and new play therapist in Illinois. Mikayla asks whether child-centered play therapy (CCPT) will still work if she doesn’t have a fully stocked playroom and whether the approach can be effective even when she feels she’s still learning. I reassure her that while having a variety of toys is helpful, children will use whatever materials are available to express themselves and work through their issues. It’s the therapeutic relationship, not the toys, that is the heart of CCPT.

I also address her concerns about technical application, emphasizing that none of us apply the CCPT model perfectly all the time — and that’s okay! The most important element is maintaining the child-centered relationship and trusting the process. If you focus on being present, using reflective responses, and practicing the core be-with attitudes, you are on the right path.

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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. Bratton, S. C., Landreth, G. L., Kellam, T., & Blackard, S. R. (2006). Child parent relationship therapy (CPRT) treatment manual: A 10-session filial therapy model for training parents. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group. Benedict, Helen. Themes in Play Therapy. Used with permission to Heartland Play Therapy Institute.