Coming Full Circle: How Play Shapes Friendships, Therapists and Parents

The host of “Dr Play”, Dr. Kate Renshaw chats with fellow Play Therapist Caz Hynes

Episode highlights:

• Personal Journey: Caz Hynes shares her path from psychology studies to nursing and finally to play therapy, describing it as coming "full circle" to where she always wanted to be professionally.
• Friendship Foundation: Dr. Kate Renshaw and Caz reflect on their decades-long friendship that began in university, where Kate helped Caz discover the importance of play and lightness in life.
• Professional Insights: Caz discusses how her nursing career revealed the profound impact of childhood experiences on adult physical and mental health, motivating her transition to play therapy.
• The "Good Enough" Philosophy: Both therapists explore Donald Winnicott's concept of being "good enough" and how this principle applies to parenting, therapy, and professional development.
• Parenting Revelations: Caz shares her experiences as a "first pancake parent" (which Kate delightfully renames "Picasso pancake"), highlighting how different children require different approaches.
• Trusting Children: A powerful discussion about how children intuitively know what they need, and the importance of respecting their readiness and choices.
• Learning from Children: Caz emphasizes how every child she works with teaches her something new, describing it as "a privilege to bear witness to healing."
• Speaking Kid: The importance of "translating" children's communication to the adults in their lives, which is the foundation of Caz's practice "We Speak Kid."
• The Power of Supervision: How professional supervision creates a supportive environment for therapists to continue growing and developing their skills.
• Breaking Perfectionism: Personal reflections on overcoming perfectionism in both parenting and professional practice.
• Preventative Mental Health: Brief discussion on the importance of early intervention and preventative approaches to mental health.
• The Value of Play: Throughout the conversation, both therapists emphasize how play creates safe spaces for deep therapeutic work to happen naturally.