June 24, 2025 • 20 mins
In this first episode of the Art of the Session summer series, I walk through one of the most essential components of effective CCPT work: the playroom itself. I share the practical, intentional choices that make a playroom therapeutic—including size, layout, toy categories, visual neutrality, and why predictability matters more than decoration.
I also break down what permissiveness really requires: accessible, inviting, and affordable toys that don’t need protection. From dollhouses to sandboxes, this episode is your go-to guide for creating a space that upholds the core values of CCPT and removes barriers to healing. Whether you’re building your playroom from scratch or making the most of a borrowed storage closet, this conversation will help you return to the heart of why the environment matters so much.
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!
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
Twitter: @thekidcounselor https://twitter.com/thekidcounselor
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.
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.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
You're listening to the Play Therapy Podcast with Dr. Brenna Hicks,
your source for centered and focused play therapy coaching.
Hi,
I'm Dr. Brenna Hicks,
The Kid Counselor.
This is the Play Therapy Podcast where you get
a master class in child-centered play therapy
and practical support and application for your
work with children and their families.
In today's episode,
we are moving into a new series.
(00:23):
Last year,
we did a Summer School Series and it was
met with very positive feedback.
That was a huge hit of a series.
So we are going to do another summer series this year.
This year is called Art of the Session.
Yes,
that's a play on Art of the Relationship for those of you that caught that.
(00:43):
So this series is going to be about
all things related to
what needs to be
for sessions to take place.
And here's why
we're talking about this.
I've mentioned before the CCPT skills pyramid.
And I went through the 4 levels,
(01:04):
so you have the clinical skills at the bottom.
And if you think about the pyramid,
obviously it's going to come to an apex,
yes,
so really big at the bottom are the clinical skills.
Then there's applied skills next,
then there's refined skills,
and then there's insight skills
and I briefly touched on all of those
and I've spoken about those in different workshops,
(01:24):
but we've spent a lot of time
doing all of the clinical skills.
And I want to start moving in the direction
of the application
of some of these clinical skills,
because first of all,
there's always new listeners.
Second of all,
for those of you that have been around the block with me
so many times,
it is always helpful to have a refresher
(01:46):
of some of the things that we've already learned,
and I want this to be
a summer series where
we can take what we know clinically and
actually make sure that we're practically applying it.
And what I'm seeing over and over,
especially in some of the play sessions that I'm watching,
what I'm noticing is people that are very grounded in clinical skills
(02:07):
are missing some of the application
either because it's never been discussed,
they've never been trained in it,
it's not been made clear,
so that's what this summer series is about.
Art of the Session,
what do we need
to really make sure that our sessions are the best that they can be.
So,
let's talk about the playroom.
(02:28):
I know that not everyone has their dream playroom.
In fact,
I would argue most CCPTs do not have their dream playroom.
And I also am aware that often we are relegated to whatever spare
closet,
janitorial room,
storage space,
conference room,
library.
(02:48):
I've heard it all,
y'all.
You would not believe where CCPTs all over this world are trying to conduct
play sessions.
I know that often the environment is not ideal.
I know it is not necessarily the way that we would choose.
However,
I want us to at least know what it needs to be
to the
most that we're able to get there.
(03:10):
It may not be perfect.
It may not be fully the way that it is recommended,
but we need to do everything we can to know what a playroom should look like,
how it,
how it should be set up,
what it needs to include,
and the purpose behind all of these
expectations.
So first and foremost,
the ideal playroom
per Landreth is about 12 by 15.
(03:34):
That is big enough for the child to have room to play,
but small enough that it doesn't feel like this massive vacant space
that isn't contained.
So anything smaller than that
could be a little bit difficult for a child to have freedom to do active play.
Anything bigger than that,
it feels like there's just
(03:55):
too much room and it's not necessarily
safe and cocoon-like enough.
So 12 by 15 around that dimension is ideal.
We also need to be mindful
that when we are setting up our playroom.
Regardless of where it is,
regardless of the space.
The intention is that it is neutral.
(04:17):
And what I mean by that is,
we want it to be a space where every child
can make it his or her own.
If we paint bold colors on a wall,
if we paint murals on a wall,
if we have phrases on a wall,
if we have posters on a wall,
if we have artwork on a wall,
if we have anything on a wall.
(04:40):
That is no longer neutral.
So the purpose of setting up your playroom is not to decorate it,
it's not to make it look like kids belong there.
It's not to have giraffes and hippos and elephants,
nor is it to have blocks,
ABC blocks on the wall,
nor is it to have little sayings,
you know,
(05:01):
I know all the places that you'll go,
Doctor Seuss,
whatever.
The goal is complete neutrality.
We want neutral paint.
We want neutral walls with nothing on them.
Why?
Because the child needs to feel that it can be what they need or want it to be.
This brings me to.
(05:23):
We also do not
have anything that a child makes
displayed in the playroom.
If they make art projects,
if they paint,
if they color,
if they draw,
if they make paper airplanes,
if they make origami,
if they make garlands,
if they make snowflakes,
if they make pipe cleaner creations,
(05:43):
if they make pom-pom towers,
whatever.
They are not displayed or kept in a playroom.
Why?
Because the next child that comes in,
it's no longer neutral.
And the premise of this is, Landreth talks about this,
that
that would be like putting
psychotherapy notes up on a wall.
(06:05):
There's confidentiality in what a child makes in a playroom
that is just between you and the child.
And so even if they ask to keep it with you,
you can keep it,
but it should not remain in the playroom and I've seen so many playrooms
where there are like essentially clotheslines strung up
across the walls and there's 900 pieces of artwork
(06:29):
clothes pinned across these.
Clotheslines and then there's stuff on the windows and there's stuff
on the shelves and there's stuff that kids have made.
That is no longer CCPT.
So we need to be very intentional
about the neutrality
of the playroom.
Because that's the whole premise that the child comes
(06:50):
in and every single child feels at home there.
You realize if you paint
polka dots on your wall,
not every kid is going to like that.
You paint stripes on your wall,
not every kid's going to like that.
You paint your walls purple,
not every kid is going to like that.
The goal is
blank neutrality.
(07:11):
And therefore every child
can feel comfortable
in their playroom.
You do realize that every time a child walks in your playroom,
it feels like it's theirs and only theirs.
Yes,
they know other kids come,
they know other kids play with you.
But it feels like theirs for that hour as it should.
(07:33):
It doesn't when there's a whole bunch of stuff from other kids and there's a whole
bunch of artwork on the walls and there's a whole bunch of crafts on display.
Now that feels like a whole bunch of other people's playroom.
So that's a really important piece.
Also,
there needs to be a rug
on the floor in a playroom.
It needs to be clear
(07:53):
that there is a boundary
for where play can take place.
It doesn't matter what kind of flooring you have,
whether it's carpet or hardwood or linoleum or laminate or whatever,
it doesn't matter.
You have a rug on the floor,
and that makes it clear that
that is a play area boundary.
It's also comfortable.
(08:13):
Kids spend a lot of time on playroom floors,
so if you have a rug in there
that's comfortable on their knees,
on their hands when they lay down,
when they crouch,
when they do all the things that they do,
there's a comfort factor,
but it's very clear that there's a visual space
for where play
can happen.
Now it can take place off of the rug too,
(08:34):
but that just gives that defining visual boundary for a play area.
Also,
many of you have sand trays in your room.
In true CCPT fashion,
it is a sandbox.
We haven't talked about this.
I wanna make this really clear.
It doesn't matter whether it's on a on a stand.
(08:56):
And it's higher or if it's on the ground,
if we are treating it as a CCPT tool.
If we are using a sand tray
from any other theoretical model,
meaning if we have Jungian sandtray
background,
if we have Adlerian sand play background,
if we have any kind of directive or prescriptive background in sand work,
(09:19):
that should not be brought into a CCPT playroom.
In the full and pure CCPT model,
there's a sandbox on the floor.
Therefore,
kids can get in it,
they can play in it,
they can put toys in it.
So it serves the same purpose,
whether it's on a stand or on the floor.
But there is no expectation of how the sand is to be used.
(09:43):
They're not given prompts.
They're not told to name their world.
They're not told to choose figures that represent their family members.
They're not asked to describe what's happening in the world.
It's a tool and a toy just like anything else in a CCPT playroom.
They can choose to play in the sand or not.
They can choose to put toys and miniatures in the sand or not.
(10:04):
But
most of the CCPT playrooms at their purest form will have a box on the floor.
You could certainly put a sand tray on the floor
and it would serve the same purpose.
It would just not be as big.
But that needs to be made clear as well,
because often people will try to incorporate,
quote,
(10:25):
sand play
into a CCPT playroom,
and that is anti-theoretical.
It's just like anything else in the room,
the child can choose to play with it or not.
So I wanna make that really clear.
Also,
the setup of your toys.
There is purpose and intention in the way you lay out your playroom.
(10:47):
Ideally,
you have a U-shaped configuration.
So that each
wall
has a category of toys on it.
If you're not familiar with the three categories of toys,
which is why we're talking about this.
We have acting out aggressive toys,
we have real life toys,
and we have creative artistic expressive toys.
(11:08):
So if you walk into the room.
Theoretically,
you're going to have your acting out aggressive toys on the left wall,
your real life toys on the middle wall,
and your creative artistic expressive toys on your right wall.
That creates your U.
And what this does is it makes sense to a child's brain.
(11:31):
That all of the acting out aggressive toys are over here
and all of the real life toys are over here
and all of the creative artistic toys are over here.
If you have handcuffs next to baby dolls,
next to markers,
next to puppets,
next to swords,
next to
tigers and hollow sharks,
(11:52):
next to deer and baby chickens.
That subconsciously is overwhelming and confusing for a child.
And so we want to make sure
that the toys are grouped
intentionally
so that it makes sense.
Now,
depending on the footprint of your items,
depending on the size of your items,
(12:13):
depending on where there are doors and windows and other things in your room.
It's not always possible to fully
have those categories exclusively grouped together.
So for example,
you might have to have,
based on the size of it,
you might have to have your puppet theater
in one corner of the room
and that may be kind of where the aggressive toys are on that wall.
(12:37):
If there's only one spot for the puppet theater to go,
the puppet theater goes where it has to go.
But as much as possible,
you want to make sure that your toys are grouped.
According to category,
and they function in that U configuration.
Also,
you wanna make sure that once your toys are set up,
(12:58):
there's consistency and predictability
with where they are when kids come into the playroom.
So if you have your army cubby,
for example,
and you have all of your army related stuff in the
2nd cubby from the floor all the way to the left.
That's where your army stuff needs to be every single week.
(13:19):
If you have your police stuff
right next to that.
You want to have all of your police stuff in that same cubby every single week.
They don't have to be in exactly the same spot in the cubby,
but kids need to be able to expect
where the toys that they want to play with are going to be.
This is another reason for the U configuration because
(13:40):
you learn really quickly,
OK,
all that aggressive stuff goes over there,
all that real life stuff goes there,
all that creative artistic stuff goes there.
It's very easy to pick up your playroom
when they're grouped according to category,
and then it becomes predictable for the child.
Which brings me to this is a huge piece
of
your
(14:00):
playroom and the session.
You want to be consistent.
You want to be stable,
you want to be predictable.
The playroom is going to look almost the same every single
time you're going to say the same things every time.
It's going to be laid out the same way every time.
We don't introduce and change stuff in the playroom
(14:22):
for this very reason,
because
kids need and want and crave.
The predictability that the playroom affords them.
So we're always trying to make sure that it is as static as possible.
Now,
do things get moved do things get hidden do things get
put back in different spots that we don't realize right away?
(14:42):
Yes,
of course,
but again,
as much as we are able,
we're trying to make sure that it's predictable and consistent for our kids.
And another note about the toys,
they need to be inviting,
which means
they're not in packaging,
they're not
still unwrapped,
they don't have tags on them,
(15:03):
they don't have the cellophane from the store,
they're inviting,
which means they're ready to be used.
They are visible,
which means they're easily seen.
And they are accessible,
meaning they're within reach.
You don't want stuff super high up where a kid can't reach it.
You don't want shelving units that are so tall
(15:24):
that you are forced to get something for a child
and or they can't even see what's up there.
You don't want things in bins,
you don't want things in cupboards,
you don't want things in baskets,
you don't want things behind doors or drawers.
As much as possible,
you want them accessible,
visible.
And inviting
(15:45):
A child needs to be able to access the things that they need or want to play with.
It is prohibitive if they have to rummage through bins,
if they have to dig through boxes,
if they have to open stuff up to find stuff,
if it's too high for them to even reach or see it.
Now all of a sudden there are barriers to their play.
And therefore we want to make sure that as much as possible,
(16:08):
everything
is within reach and ready to be used.
And then
finally,
another thought about toys.
You need to have
your playroom set up
and the toys within your playroom.
Where it allows you to be permissive.
In other words,
you don't want stuff in your room
(16:30):
that costs a lot of money.
You don't want stuff in your room that you have an emotional attachment to?
And you don't want stuff in your room that you
have to constantly be worried about or try to protect.
So if you are in an environment where there's all kinds of stuff that
requires a lot of limits,
see if you can find a different space.
(16:52):
Because the premise of a CCPT playroom is
there's freedom,
there's autonomy,
there's permissiveness.
Do not buy a $300 doll house
if that $300 is going to
make you
want to die inside every time a kid wants to throw it to the ground or stomp on it
(17:12):
or
hit it with a sword or whatever if you're thinking,
oh my gosh,
don't break my $300 doll house every time a kid goes to play with it.
You shouldn't have bought a $300 dollhouse.
Now,
if,
look,
doll houses are not cheap,
I get it.
If you spend $300 on a doll house,
you have to be OK with the fact that it might get ruined.
(17:32):
Do not bring expensive stuff into the playroom that you feel compelled to protect.
Don't have stuff that you have to constantly be worried about in your playroom.
This is going to require either
you can no longer accept the child's behavior
and or you have to set too many limits.
And that all of a sudden now is going to get in the way
(17:53):
and be a barrier to the work that the child needs to do.
So,
that is my
go to list of all things you need to know
related to setting up your playroom and maintaining your playroom,
so that it can be the most helpful and therapeutic environment
that it can be
for our kids.
(18:13):
So I hope that that is helpful as we go through this summer series Art of the Session,
we're going to be tackling all kinds of things
and it's really going to hopefully equip you
to make sure that everything about your session from
the start to the end,
from the first session to the last,
everything about it,
you know that you have
(18:35):
intentional choices that you've made
that are adherent to the model
so that it supports you in your work.
All right,
if you want to reach out to me,
I would love to hear from you,
brenna@thekidcounselor.com.
If you'd want to ask a question,
please email me and I'll be happy to cover it on an episode.
I love y'all.
Keep doing what you're doing,
keep serving kids,
keep serving families,
(18:57):
keep working to be adherent to CCPT.
It is incredible seeing what is going on.
Oh my gosh,
speaking of which,
I just got an email today.
Here's a little
pep talk,
make you feel good before we
end for the day.
I just got an email from Tracy in New Zealand.
New Zealand just launched a new play therapy association
(19:17):
and it is wholly CCPT.
So I just went on the website,
I checked it out,
and New Zealand now has launched
an association for play therapy
that is 100% CCPT in theoretical orientation.
So,
Kia ora to all of my Kiwis and all of my people on the other side of the world,
(19:40):
I'm so excited for you all and what
an incredible moment of celebration for our field,
for your country,
for our kids.
This is what we need more of in the world,
people that get it,
associations that support it,
and the training that we all need and want.
So,
really excited for New Zealand.
(20:00):
Tracy,
thank you for emailing and letting me know that.
And this is what we're working toward,
y'all.
One step at a time,
we want to see changes like this take place across the world.
Love y'all.
We'll talk again soon.
Bye.
Thank you for listening to the Play Therapy Podcast with Dr.
Brenna Hicks.
For more episodes and resources,
please go to www.playtherapypodcast.com.
You're listening to the Play Therapy Podcast with Dr. Brenna Hicks,
your source for centered and focused play therapy coaching.
Hi,
I'm Dr. Brenna Hicks,
The Kid Counselor.
This is the Play Therapy Podcast where you get
a master class in child-centered play therapy
and practical support and application for your
work with children and their families.
In today's episode,
we are moving into a new series.
(00:23):
Last year,
we did a Summer School Series and it was
met with very positive feedback.
That was a huge hit of a series.
So we are going to do another summer series this year.
This year is called Art of the Session.
Yes,
that's a play on Art of the Relationship for those of you that caught that.
(00:43):
So this series is going to be about
all things related to
what needs to be
for sessions to take place.
And here's why
we're talking about this.
I've mentioned before the CCPT skills pyramid.
And I went through the 4 levels,
(01:04):
so you have the clinical skills at the bottom.
And if you think about the pyramid,
obviously it's going to come to an apex,
yes,
so really big at the bottom are the clinical skills.
Then there's applied skills next,
then there's refined skills,
and then there's insight skills
and I briefly touched on all of those
and I've spoken about those in different workshops,
(01:24):
but we've spent a lot of time
doing all of the clinical skills.
And I want to start moving in the direction
of the application
of some of these clinical skills,
because first of all,
there's always new listeners.
Second of all,
for those of you that have been around the block with me
so many times,
it is always helpful to have a refresher
(01:46):
of some of the things that we've already learned,
and I want this to be
a summer series where
we can take what we know clinically and
actually make sure that we're practically applying it.
And what I'm seeing over and over,
especially in some of the play sessions that I'm watching,
what I'm noticing is people that are very grounded in clinical skills
(02:07):
are missing some of the application
either because it's never been discussed,
they've never been trained in it,
it's not been made clear,
so that's what this summer series is about.
Art of the Session,
what do we need
to really make sure that our sessions are the best that they can be.
So,
let's talk about the playroom.
(02:28):
I know that not everyone has their dream playroom.
In fact,
I would argue most CCPTs do not have their dream playroom.
And I also am aware that often we are relegated to whatever spare
closet,
janitorial room,
storage space,
conference room,
library.
(02:48):
I've heard it all,
y'all.
You would not believe where CCPTs all over this world are trying to conduct
play sessions.
I know that often the environment is not ideal.
I know it is not necessarily the way that we would choose.
However,
I want us to at least know what it needs to be
to the
most that we're able to get there.
(03:10):
It may not be perfect.
It may not be fully the way that it is recommended,
but we need to do everything we can to know what a playroom should look like,
how it,
how it should be set up,
what it needs to include,
and the purpose behind all of these
expectations.
So first and foremost,
the ideal playroom
per Landreth is about 12 by 15.
(03:34):
That is big enough for the child to have room to play,
but small enough that it doesn't feel like this massive vacant space
that isn't contained.
So anything smaller than that
could be a little bit difficult for a child to have freedom to do active play.
Anything bigger than that,
it feels like there's just
(03:55):
too much room and it's not necessarily
safe and cocoon-like enough.
So 12 by 15 around that dimension is ideal.
We also need to be mindful
that when we are setting up our playroom.
Regardless of where it is,
regardless of the space.
The intention is that it is neutral.
(04:17):
And what I mean by that is,
we want it to be a space where every child
can make it his or her own.
If we paint bold colors on a wall,
if we paint murals on a wall,
if we have phrases on a wall,
if we have posters on a wall,
if we have artwork on a wall,
if we have anything on a wall.
(04:40):
That is no longer neutral.
So the purpose of setting up your playroom is not to decorate it,
it's not to make it look like kids belong there.
It's not to have giraffes and hippos and elephants,
nor is it to have blocks,
ABC blocks on the wall,
nor is it to have little sayings,
you know,
(05:01):
I know all the places that you'll go,
Doctor Seuss,
whatever.
The goal is complete neutrality.
We want neutral paint.
We want neutral walls with nothing on them.
Why?
Because the child needs to feel that it can be what they need or want it to be.
This brings me to.
(05:23):
We also do not
have anything that a child makes
displayed in the playroom.
If they make art projects,
if they paint,
if they color,
if they draw,
if they make paper airplanes,
if they make origami,
if they make garlands,
if they make snowflakes,
if they make pipe cleaner creations,
(05:43):
if they make pom-pom towers,
whatever.
They are not displayed or kept in a playroom.
Why?
Because the next child that comes in,
it's no longer neutral.
And the premise of this is, Landreth talks about this,
that
that would be like putting
psychotherapy notes up on a wall.
(06:05):
There's confidentiality in what a child makes in a playroom
that is just between you and the child.
And so even if they ask to keep it with you,
you can keep it,
but it should not remain in the playroom and I've seen so many playrooms
where there are like essentially clotheslines strung up
across the walls and there's 900 pieces of artwork
(06:29):
clothes pinned across these.
Clotheslines and then there's stuff on the windows and there's stuff
on the shelves and there's stuff that kids have made.
That is no longer CCPT.
So we need to be very intentional
about the neutrality
of the playroom.
Because that's the whole premise that the child comes
(06:50):
in and every single child feels at home there.
You realize if you paint
polka dots on your wall,
not every kid is going to like that.
You paint stripes on your wall,
not every kid's going to like that.
You paint your walls purple,
not every kid is going to like that.
The goal is
blank neutrality.
(07:11):
And therefore every child
can feel comfortable
in their playroom.
You do realize that every time a child walks in your playroom,
it feels like it's theirs and only theirs.
Yes,
they know other kids come,
they know other kids play with you.
But it feels like theirs for that hour as it should.
(07:33):
It doesn't when there's a whole bunch of stuff from other kids and there's a whole
bunch of artwork on the walls and there's a whole bunch of crafts on display.
Now that feels like a whole bunch of other people's playroom.
So that's a really important piece.
Also,
there needs to be a rug
on the floor in a playroom.
It needs to be clear
(07:53):
that there is a boundary
for where play can take place.
It doesn't matter what kind of flooring you have,
whether it's carpet or hardwood or linoleum or laminate or whatever,
it doesn't matter.
You have a rug on the floor,
and that makes it clear that
that is a play area boundary.
It's also comfortable.
(08:13):
Kids spend a lot of time on playroom floors,
so if you have a rug in there
that's comfortable on their knees,
on their hands when they lay down,
when they crouch,
when they do all the things that they do,
there's a comfort factor,
but it's very clear that there's a visual space
for where play
can happen.
Now it can take place off of the rug too,
(08:34):
but that just gives that defining visual boundary for a play area.
Also,
many of you have sand trays in your room.
In true CCPT fashion,
it is a sandbox.
We haven't talked about this.
I wanna make this really clear.
It doesn't matter whether it's on a on a stand.
(08:56):
And it's higher or if it's on the ground,
if we are treating it as a CCPT tool.
If we are using a sand tray
from any other theoretical model,
meaning if we have Jungian sandtray
background,
if we have Adlerian sand play background,
if we have any kind of directive or prescriptive background in sand work,
(09:19):
that should not be brought into a CCPT playroom.
In the full and pure CCPT model,
there's a sandbox on the floor.
Therefore,
kids can get in it,
they can play in it,
they can put toys in it.
So it serves the same purpose,
whether it's on a stand or on the floor.
But there is no expectation of how the sand is to be used.
(09:43):
They're not given prompts.
They're not told to name their world.
They're not told to choose figures that represent their family members.
They're not asked to describe what's happening in the world.
It's a tool and a toy just like anything else in a CCPT playroom.
They can choose to play in the sand or not.
They can choose to put toys and miniatures in the sand or not.
(10:04):
But
most of the CCPT playrooms at their purest form will have a box on the floor.
You could certainly put a sand tray on the floor
and it would serve the same purpose.
It would just not be as big.
But that needs to be made clear as well,
because often people will try to incorporate,
quote,
(10:25):
sand play
into a CCPT playroom,
and that is anti-theoretical.
It's just like anything else in the room,
the child can choose to play with it or not.
So I wanna make that really clear.
Also,
the setup of your toys.
There is purpose and intention in the way you lay out your playroom.
(10:47):
Ideally,
you have a U-shaped configuration.
So that each
wall
has a category of toys on it.
If you're not familiar with the three categories of toys,
which is why we're talking about this.
We have acting out aggressive toys,
we have real life toys,
and we have creative artistic expressive toys.
(11:08):
So if you walk into the room.
Theoretically,
you're going to have your acting out aggressive toys on the left wall,
your real life toys on the middle wall,
and your creative artistic expressive toys on your right wall.
That creates your U.
And what this does is it makes sense to a child's brain.
(11:31):
That all of the acting out aggressive toys are over here
and all of the real life toys are over here
and all of the creative artistic toys are over here.
If you have handcuffs next to baby dolls,
next to markers,
next to puppets,
next to swords,
next to
tigers and hollow sharks,
(11:52):
next to deer and baby chickens.
That subconsciously is overwhelming and confusing for a child.
And so we want to make sure
that the toys are grouped
intentionally
so that it makes sense.
Now,
depending on the footprint of your items,
depending on the size of your items,
(12:13):
depending on where there are doors and windows and other things in your room.
It's not always possible to fully
have those categories exclusively grouped together.
So for example,
you might have to have,
based on the size of it,
you might have to have your puppet theater
in one corner of the room
and that may be kind of where the aggressive toys are on that wall.
(12:37):
If there's only one spot for the puppet theater to go,
the puppet theater goes where it has to go.
But as much as possible,
you want to make sure that your toys are grouped.
According to category,
and they function in that U configuration.
Also,
you wanna make sure that once your toys are set up,
(12:58):
there's consistency and predictability
with where they are when kids come into the playroom.
So if you have your army cubby,
for example,
and you have all of your army related stuff in the
2nd cubby from the floor all the way to the left.
That's where your army stuff needs to be every single week.
(13:19):
If you have your police stuff
right next to that.
You want to have all of your police stuff in that same cubby every single week.
They don't have to be in exactly the same spot in the cubby,
but kids need to be able to expect
where the toys that they want to play with are going to be.
This is another reason for the U configuration because
(13:40):
you learn really quickly,
OK,
all that aggressive stuff goes over there,
all that real life stuff goes there,
all that creative artistic stuff goes there.
It's very easy to pick up your playroom
when they're grouped according to category,
and then it becomes predictable for the child.
Which brings me to this is a huge piece
of
your
(14:00):
playroom and the session.
You want to be consistent.
You want to be stable,
you want to be predictable.
The playroom is going to look almost the same every single
time you're going to say the same things every time.
It's going to be laid out the same way every time.
We don't introduce and change stuff in the playroom
(14:22):
for this very reason,
because
kids need and want and crave.
The predictability that the playroom affords them.
So we're always trying to make sure that it is as static as possible.
Now,
do things get moved do things get hidden do things get
put back in different spots that we don't realize right away?
(14:42):
Yes,
of course,
but again,
as much as we are able,
we're trying to make sure that it's predictable and consistent for our kids.
And another note about the toys,
they need to be inviting,
which means
they're not in packaging,
they're not
still unwrapped,
they don't have tags on them,
(15:03):
they don't have the cellophane from the store,
they're inviting,
which means they're ready to be used.
They are visible,
which means they're easily seen.
And they are accessible,
meaning they're within reach.
You don't want stuff super high up where a kid can't reach it.
You don't want shelving units that are so tall
(15:24):
that you are forced to get something for a child
and or they can't even see what's up there.
You don't want things in bins,
you don't want things in cupboards,
you don't want things in baskets,
you don't want things behind doors or drawers.
As much as possible,
you want them accessible,
visible.
And inviting
(15:45):
A child needs to be able to access the things that they need or want to play with.
It is prohibitive if they have to rummage through bins,
if they have to dig through boxes,
if they have to open stuff up to find stuff,
if it's too high for them to even reach or see it.
Now all of a sudden there are barriers to their play.
And therefore we want to make sure that as much as possible,
(16:08):
everything
is within reach and ready to be used.
And then
finally,
another thought about toys.
You need to have
your playroom set up
and the toys within your playroom.
Where it allows you to be permissive.
In other words,
you don't want stuff in your room
(16:30):
that costs a lot of money.
You don't want stuff in your room that you have an emotional attachment to?
And you don't want stuff in your room that you
have to constantly be worried about or try to protect.
So if you are in an environment where there's all kinds of stuff that
requires a lot of limits,
see if you can find a different space.
(16:52):
Because the premise of a CCPT playroom is
there's freedom,
there's autonomy,
there's permissiveness.
Do not buy a $300 doll house
if that $300 is going to
make you
want to die inside every time a kid wants to throw it to the ground or stomp on it
(17:12):
or
hit it with a sword or whatever if you're thinking,
oh my gosh,
don't break my $300 doll house every time a kid goes to play with it.
You shouldn't have bought a $300 dollhouse.
Now,
if,
look,
doll houses are not cheap,
I get it.
If you spend $300 on a doll house,
you have to be OK with the fact that it might get ruined.
(17:32):
Do not bring expensive stuff into the playroom that you feel compelled to protect.
Don't have stuff that you have to constantly be worried about in your playroom.
This is going to require either
you can no longer accept the child's behavior
and or you have to set too many limits.
And that all of a sudden now is going to get in the way
(17:53):
and be a barrier to the work that the child needs to do.
So,
that is my
go to list of all things you need to know
related to setting up your playroom and maintaining your playroom,
so that it can be the most helpful and therapeutic environment
that it can be
for our kids.
(18:13):
So I hope that that is helpful as we go through this summer series Art of the Session,
we're going to be tackling all kinds of things
and it's really going to hopefully equip you
to make sure that everything about your session from
the start to the end,
from the first session to the last,
everything about it,
you know that you have
(18:35):
intentional choices that you've made
that are adherent to the model
so that it supports you in your work.
All right,
if you want to reach out to me,
I would love to hear from you,
brenna@thekidcounselor.com.
If you'd want to ask a question,
please email me and I'll be happy to cover it on an episode.
I love y'all.
Keep doing what you're doing,
keep serving kids,
keep serving families,
(18:57):
keep working to be adherent to CCPT.
It is incredible seeing what is going on.
Oh my gosh,
speaking of which,
I just got an email today.
Here's a little
pep talk,
make you feel good before we
end for the day.
I just got an email from Tracy in New Zealand.
New Zealand just launched a new play therapy association
(19:17):
and it is wholly CCPT.
So I just went on the website,
I checked it out,
and New Zealand now has launched
an association for play therapy
that is 100% CCPT in theoretical orientation.
So,
Kia ora to all of my Kiwis and all of my people on the other side of the world,
(19:40):
I'm so excited for you all and what
an incredible moment of celebration for our field,
for your country,
for our kids.
This is what we need more of in the world,
people that get it,
associations that support it,
and the training that we all need and want.
So,
really excited for New Zealand.
(20:00):
Tracy,
thank you for emailing and letting me know that.
And this is what we're working toward,
y'all.
One step at a time,
we want to see changes like this take place across the world.
Love y'all.
We'll talk again soon.
Bye.
Thank you for listening to the Play Therapy Podcast with Dr.
Brenna Hicks.
For more episodes and resources,
please go to www.playtherapypodcast.com.
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