The Play Therapy Circle
The Play Therapy Circle is hosted by therapist and trainer Kylie Ellison. The podcast explores Child-Centred Play Therapy and the healing power of play. Each episode offers reflections and practical insights for play therapists, students, and caregivers. It focuses on supporting children's emotional wellbeing through play.
Episodes
Episode 59- Working with Parents & Caregivers: Part Two
Welcome to part two of our conversation on working with parents and caregivers in child-centred play therapy. Picking up where last week left off, Kylie gets into the nuts and bolts of parent consultations: what to cover, how to structure them, and how to handle the challenges that inevitably come up when we partner with families.Kylie begins by revisiting the initial consultation, which always ha
Episode 58- Working with Parents & Caregivers: Part One
In the playroom, we might have 45 minutes a week with a child. Parents are there for everything else. In part one of this special two-part episode, Kylie Ellison begins a deep dive into one of the most important (and sometimes most challenging) parts of our work: partnering with parents and carers in child-centred play therapy.Coming from a Rogerian, person-centred lens, Kylie explores why parents
Episode 57- Child Development Theory: The Lens Every Play Therapist Needs
Child Development Theory: The Lens Beneath Every Play SessionWhy does a four-year-old believe their angry thoughts made their teacher sick? Why is a ten-year-old so focused on what's fair? And why is it pointless to ask a child in the middle of a meltdown to "use their words"?In this episode of The Play Therapy Circle, Kylie Ellison continues our Foundations Series by exploring child
Episode 56- The Stages of Play Therapy: How the Work Unfolds and How to Know It's Working
In this episode, Kylie Ellison kicks off a new series on the shape of what unfolds in the playroom, breaking down the framework of stages in child-centred play therapy (CCPT). Drawing on Garry Landreth's foundational work and over a decade of clinical experience, Kylie walks through why this framework matters so much, not just for practitioners trying to make sense of what's happening in s
Episode 55- Back to Basics: Esteem-Building - The Skill That Builds Self-Worth from the Inside Out
Esteem Building: Praising the Process, Not the ProductIn this episode of The Play Therapy Circle, Kylie Ellison wraps up our foundational skills series with a deep dive into esteem building statements, one of the most misunderstood skills in child centred play therapy.If you've ever caught yourself saying "good job" or "well done" in the playroom, this episode is for you. K
Episode 54- Back to Basics - Empathic Responding How Empathy Becomes Something the Child Can Actually Feel
Host Kylie Ellison continues the Back to Basics series with a deep dive into empathetic responding, the skill that takes reflecting feelings a step further. Kylie unpacks how empathetic responding differs from sympathy, agreement, and projection, why it stays with the child's felt experience rather than the cause behind it, and what it actually takes to deliver it well: warmth, congruence, fol
Episode 53- The First Session- What Actually Happens & Why It Matters
The First Session: What to Expect (and What Not to Do) in Child-Centred Play TherapyIn this episode of the Foundation Series, Kylie Ellison, therapist, clinical supervisor, and play therapy trainer, dives deep into one of the biggest sources of anxiety for new play therapists: the first session with a child. If you've just finished your training or you're still building confidence in the playroom,
Episode 52- Back to Basics: Empathic Responding & Returning Responsibility
Returning Responsibility: Handing the Power Back to the ChildIn this episode of The Play Therapy Circle, host Kylie Ellison continues the series on foundational child-centered play therapy skills. Following on from tracking and reflecting feelings, this week's focus is returning responsibility: the skill of handing decisions, choices, and problem-solving back to the child, without withholding
Episode 51- Inside the Play Room - What Belongs There and Why the Space Matters
The Playroom as the Third Therapist: Setting Up a Child-Centred SpaceIn this episode, Kylie continues the foundational series with a deep dive into the child-centred play therapy playroom, what belongs in it, why it matters, and how the space itself communicates safety, welcome, and possibility to the children we work with.Drawing on Gary Landreth's teaching that the playroom is "the chil
Episode 50- Characteristics of the Play Therapist - The Personhood at the Heart of the Work
Episode 50: Characteristics of a Child-Centered Play Therapist, The Way of Being Behind the TechniqueWe've hit a milestone, you guys, Episode 50! To mark one year of The Play Therapy Circle Podcast, Kylie Ellison is kicking off a brand-new series unpacking the core topics she covers in her CCPT training programs, starting with a question that comes up again and again in her supervision session
Episode 49- A Milestone Episode
🎉 Happy 1st Birthday, Play Therapy Circle! + Our First-Ever ConferenceIt's officially been 12 months since The Play Therapy Circle podcast began and in this special milestone episode, host Kylie Ellison (therapist, clinical supervisor, and play therapy trainer) is celebrating with a shorter, more personal episode recorded on the run between training sessions.In this episode, Kylie reflects on:
Episode 48- Dr Jodi Mullen Joins the Circle
For our very first guest interview on The Play Therapy Circle Podcast, host Kylie Ellison sits down with the incredible Dr. Jodi Mullen, a professor in the counselling and psychological services department at SUNY Oswego, where she has worked as a counsellor educator for nearly 30 years. Jodi is the founder and director of Integrative Counselling Services, a registered play therapy supervisor, a C
FLASHBACK EPISODE- #19 Self Care for Play Therapists
🎧 Flashback Episode: Self-Care for Play Therapists (A Revisit)We're pulling this one back into your feed because some conversations deserve a second listen, especially when life gets busy and self-care quietly slips down the priority list again. If that's you right now, welcome back to this one.In this episode, Kylie Ellison gets refreshingly honest about what self-care actually looks like
Episode 47- Supporting Parents when Progress Becomes 'Stuck'
When Parents Push Back: Working with Resistance in Play TherapyYou can have every handout, every strategy, every piece of psychoeducation ready to go, but if the parent sitting across from you is defended, exhausted, and quietly drowning in shame, none of it is going to land. So what do we actually do?Ever sat across from a resistant parent and thought, "If I could just get through to them, e
Episode 46- Back to Basics: Reflecting Feelings PLUS Listener Question!
Episode 46: Reflecting Feelings (Back to Basics) + Listener Q&A on Post-COVID BabiesIn this episode, Kylie returns to her Back to Basics series to unpack one of the most fundamental and often most challenging skills in child-centred play therapy: reflecting feelings. Coming live from the playroom (beanbag and all), she takes listeners through why this skill can feel so vulnerable for beginning
Episode 45- Remembering Dr Garry Landreth
This week's episode is one we didn't plan to record, but one that felt necessary.On the day our community learned of the passing of Dr. Garry Landreth, Kylie sat down to record this special tribute episode in honour of one of the most influential figures in child-centred play therapy history.Dr. Landreth's contributions to the field are immeasurable. As a Regents Professor at the Unive
Episode 44- Am I Making a Difference? When the World Outside the Playroom Is Out of Our Hands
Have you ever finished a session and wondered, did any of that even matter? You've shown up, you've held the space, you've given everything you have and then that child walks back out into a world you can't control. A chaotic home. An unstable system. A family in crisis. And you're left sitting with the quiet, heavy question of whether what happens inside the playroom can possi
Episode 43- Back to Basics PLUS Listener Question Answered
Back to Basics: Tracking Plus Your Questions | EP43This episode marks something new. Listener questions, answered on the show. And the question that came in was so good, it deserved real time and real depth.But first: a back-to-basics teaching segment on tracking — one of the very first skills we learn in Child-Centred Play Therapy, and one of the most quietly powerful. What it sounds like, why it
FLASHBACK EPISODE - #18 The Pandemic Ripple Effect
Revisited: The Pandemic Ripple EffectThis week, we're reaching back into The Play Therapy Circle archives to revisit a conversation that continues to resonate and perhaps now, more than ever, feels urgently relevant.The Pandemic Ripple Effect.If you are working with children aged 4–6 years old right now, whether as a play therapist, counsellor, early childhood educator, teacher, parent or care
Episode 42- You Are Not Doing It Wrong- The COVID Generation, the Exhaustion, and Permission to Be Good Enough
Kylie dives deep into the science behind the COVID generation - what the research is now telling us about children born between 2019 and 2022, why so many kids are struggling right now, and why that is absolutely not a reflection of your parenting. From maternal prenatal stress tripling during the pandemic, to MRI findings showing differences in brain development, to the speech delays, separation
Episode 41 - Reflections on the Road - Come with Us!
Kylie checks in live from Mildura - exhausted, dinner-less, and fresh off one of her most chaotic travel days yet (yes, there was an emergency Kmart suitcase run). But between the laughs, she unpacks the big takeaways from a massive week of Child-Centred Play Therapy training across Victoria, connecting with close to 70 practitioners in Bendigo, Ballarat, Wyndham Vale, and beyond.The conversation
Episode 40- More Than Mess Limit-Setting as Clinical Intervention in CCPT
Is mess in the playroom always therapeutic? In this milestone 40th episode, Kylie challenges some of the assumptions that can creep into Child-Centred Play Therapy practice - specifically around permissiveness and what it really means when a child tips into chaos and destruction during a session.Kylie unpacks why limit-setting isn't a restriction on a child's freedom - it's one of the
Episode 39- Finding Your People: Imposter Syndrome, Trusting Your Gut, and the Community That Makes You Whole
Ever had that nagging feeling that you're not quite good enough - even when the evidence says otherwise? This week, Kylie gets honest about something that came up in real time: imposter syndrome in the helping professions. And if you've ever quietly wondered whether you truly belong in this work, this one is for you.Imposter syndrome isn't new - the term emerged in the 1970s, originall
Episode 38- Big Feelings, Small Bodies: What Emotional Dysregulation Really Looks Like
Big Feelings, Small Bodies: What Emotional Dysregulation Is Really Telling Us | Ep. 38When a child explodes, shuts down, bolts from the room, or cries at everything, what is their nervous system actually communicating?In this episode, Kylie Ellison breaks down the neuroscience of emotional dysregulation in children, unpacking the four key presentations play therapists and caregivers see most: the
Episode 37 - The Nervous System and the Play Room
In this episode, Kylie breaks down polyvagal theory and its three key nervous system states - safe and social, fight or flight, and freeze/shutdown and explores what each one actually looks like when a child walks through the playroom door. Because understanding which state a child is in changes everything about how you respond to them.From neuroception (that unconscious, automatic threat-scanning
Episode 36- Holding Hope | Play Therapists in Times of Global Uncertainty
Holding Hope in the Playroom | Play Therapy CircleIn one of her most personal episodes yet, host Kylie Ellison pauses to name what so many play therapists are quietly carrying, the weight of showing up for children and families during a time of profound collective anxiety and global uncertainty.This episode is for you, the therapist in the trenches.Kylie explores how the state of the world filters
FLASHBACK EPISODE - #7 Understanding the Child's World Through Play
🎙️ FLASHBACK EPISODE — Episode 7: Understanding the Child's World Through PlayPlay is children's universal language — and once you understand it, you'll never look at it the same way again. In this flashback episode, we explore how children use play to communicate what they can't express in words, and what that means for us as CCPT practitioners, parents, educators, and caregivers.
Episode 35- What Happens in the Brain During Play Therapy
Why does play therapy work? And what actually happens in a child’s brain during a play therapy session?In this episode of the Play Therapy Circle Podcast, Kylie Ellison explores the neuroscience behind child-centred play therapy (CCPT) and explains why play is the natural language of children.Children’s brains are still developing, which means they often cannot process emotions through words the w
Episode 34- The Children Who Grow Us: How the playroom shapes the CCPT therapist.
In this episode of the Play Therapy Circle Podcast, Kylie explores how child-centred play therapy doesn’t just transform the children we work with, it also transforms us as therapists.Drawing on her experiences in the playroom, Kylie reflects on the profound lessons children teach us about authenticity, emotional courage, and the power of simply being present. She shares how the therapeutic relati
Episode 33- Behaviour is the Messenger - Listening Beyond What We See
In this heartfelt episode, Kylie explores one of the core truths of child-centred play therapy: all behaviour is communication.When children can’t put their experiences into words, they show us through play, through dysregulation, through control, chaos, withdrawal, and even aggression. But what if those behaviours aren’t problems to fix - but stories to hear?Kylie unpacks how behaviour reflects t
Episode 32- They're Just Playing! What's Really Happening in the Playroom
This week on The Play Therapy Circle, Kylie Ellison tackles a common (and often frustrating) misunderstanding: “Isn’t it just play?”. Kylie opens a timely conversation for play therapists, parents, carers, and professionals about how children communicate through play, especially when trauma, attachment conflicts, fear, or loyalty binds make verbal disclosure unlikely.Kylie explains why trauma isn’
Episode 31- Navigating Endings in CCPT
In this episode, Kylie reflects on what she’s witnessing in clinical practice right now, a significant rise in anxiety presentations among young children, particularly in the 4–6-year-old age group.Building on previous conversations about the post-COVID landscape, Kylie explores what she describes as an “anxiety epidemic” in early childhood and unpacks how this is showing up in play therapy rooms
Episode 30- Why Your Child Doesn’t Need to Talk About Their Problems in Therapy
In this episode of The Play Therapy Circle, Kylie reflects on a milestone week - celebrating 10 years of child-centred play therapy practice - and shares exciting news about the first Play Therapy Circle Child-Centred Play Therapy Conference coming to Brisbane.Kylie then dives into a question many parents (and beginning play therapists) wrestle with: Why doesn’t my child talk in therapy? Drawing o
Episode 29- Kylie's Journey to Becoming a Play Therapist
This episode is a reflective, personal milestone celebration: Kylie marks 10 years of private practice in child-centered play therapy (with a shout-out to her team, Eva and Shaz) and shares her professional journey from studying psychology, working in child protection and NGOs, to contracting work, before discovering play therapy training in 2015 and “falling in love” with the approach.She speaks
Episode 28- What Is Child-Centred Play Therapy- And How Does It Help My Child?
What is Child-Centered Play Therapy and how can it help your child? In this episode, Kylie Ellison breaks down CCPT in a clear, parent-friendly way, addressing common questions like “Is it just play?”, “Will my child learn skills?”, and “How will I know it’s working?” Kylie explains how children communicate through play, why relationship comes first, and how a safe, consistent play space helps chi
Episode 27- When doubting the effectiveness of CCPT slowly enters the Playroom: Staying true to our CCPT framework
In this episode, Kylie Ellison reflects on the real challenges of staying true to Child-Centred Play Therapy when doubt, silence, and pressure creep in. Drawing on her own practice and recent teaching, she explores why CCPT is more than a technique, it’s a way of being. Kylie normalises imposter syndrome, unpacks the urge to revert to talk-based approaches, and reminds us that the therapeutic rela
Episode 26- Returning to the Playroom: What Really Matters in the First Session Back
Welcome back to 2026! This episode offers a calm, grounded transition back into the playroom for 2026. We explore the “fresh start” myth, the pressure to return energised, confident, and immediately ‘on’, and why many of us actually come back needing time to recalibrate. This is a reminder that doubt after a break is often state-based, not a reflection of your skills. We’ll focus on what’s enough
Episode 25- Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from the Play Therapy Circle Team
In this final episode of 2025, Kylie Ellison reflects on the Play Therapy Circle podcast journey and offers sincere gratitude to the growing community of listeners. She acknowledges the emotional, often invisible work of child-centered play therapists and affirms the importance of showing up with empathy, authenticity, and care in the playroom. Kylie highlights how listening to the podcast is an a
Episode 24- Christmas Special Part Two. 10 Things Every Play Therapist Needs to Know at Christmas
In Part Two of 10 Things Every Play Therapist Needs to Know at Christmas, Kylie speaks directly to child-centred play therapists navigating the emotional, physical, and relational load of the end-of-year period. Released during Christmas week, this episode is a compassionate reminder that therapists matter too.Kylie explores the realities of end-of-year fatigue, compassion fatigue, and reduced cap
Episode 23- Christmas Special Part One. 10 Things Every Play Therapist Needs to Know at Christmas
In this first part of a special two-part episode, Kylie Ellison reflects on the end-of-year intensity many play therapists and families experience and introduces 10 Things All Play Therapists Need to Know for Christmas. She explores how Christmas can amplify stress, grief, and dysregulation for children and families, and what this looks like in the playroom through play rather than words. The epis
Episode 22- When You Feel Lost in CCPT - Trust Yourself, Trust the Child, Trust the Process
Kylie dedicates this episode to CCPT practitioners who feel lost, doubtful, or exhausted, especially at the end of the year. She normalises feelings of “Is this working?” and explains how they often come from caring deeply, holding a lot of grief for struggling families, and working within an over-stressed, time-poor culture. Instead of piling on strategies, she encourages going back to basics: pr
Episode 21-Imposter Syndrome in CCPT - Part Two
PART TWO from Hawaii! This episode reassures CCPT practitioners who worry they’re “not doing enough,” especially when children appear withdrawn, silent, or resistant in the playroom. It explains that meaningful therapeutic change occurs through presence, safety, and the non-directive relationship, not through directing play or speeding up progress, and that children often begin to shift just when
Episode 20- Imposter Syndrome in CCPT - Trusting the Process
Recorded in Hawaii! While on a much-needed break, Kylie explores a topic many CCPT practitioners struggle with—imposter syndrome. She discusses how self-doubt can arise at any stage of a therapist’s journey, from early skill development to managing stakeholder expectations, and highlights how community stress can intensify these feelings. The episode encourages therapists to trust the CCPT process
Episode 19- Self Care for Play Therapists
In this episode we tackle therapist burn out and ensuring you are taking care of yourself - not just others! Kylie reflects honestly on her own exhaustion and lack of breaks this year to open a conversation about self-care (or “how you’re really doing”) as a play therapist. She highlights the emotional load of holding trauma, staying attuned, and being a regulated, safe presence, and frames self-c
Episode 18- The Pandemic Ripple Effect. How CCPT Supports Children who are Beginning School
In this episode, Kylie discusses the “pandemic ripple effect” on 4–6-year-olds, exploring why so many children are now presenting with heightened anxiety and separation anxiety as they start school. We unpack emerging research and Australian census data showing declines in social competence and emotional maturity and connect this with the early-life disruptions children experienced during COVID-19
Episode 17- Communicating Progress to Parents Without Breaking Confidentiality
In this episode, Kylie explores the delicate balance of communicating updates to parents and carers while maintaining the confidentiality and trust central to Child-Centred Play Therapy (CCPT). She discusses why this process can feel challenging, even for experienced practitioners, and offers frameworks and communication strategies that protect the child’s privacy while keeping parents informed. K
Episode 16- Conducting Parent/ Carer Consultations Part Two
In this episode, Kylie outlines how to structure ongoing parent/carer consultations in three parts: reviewing progress, sharing playroom insights, and planning next steps. Every 4–6 weeks, she meets with parents to reflect on their child’s growth, revisit goals, and adjust support where needed. Kylie emphasizes communicating themes and stages of play in parent-friendly language while protecting th
Episode 15- Conducting Parent/ Carer Consultations in CCPT Part One
The episode dives into the essentials of conducting initial parent consultations in Child-Centred Play Therapy (CCPT) — from building authentic rapport and exploring formative history, to gathering insights on school, health, and family systems. Kylie offers practical guidance for beginning therapists, emphasizing that connection and caregiver involvement are key to positive outcomes. Part Two wil
Episode 14- The Parent-Therapist Relationship in CCPT
In this episode, Kylie explores how trust, empathy, and authentic connection with parents and caregivers are essential for children’s therapeutic progress, especially amid today’s complex family challenges. She also reminds play therapists to offer themselves the same compassion they give to clients, honouring boundaries, collaboration, and self-reflection in their work. 🌿
Episode 13 - Stages of the Therapeutic Process in CCPT
In this episode, Kylie Ellison takes us through one of the foundational frameworks of Child-Centred Play Therapy (CCPT), the stages of the therapeutic process, exploratory, aggressive, regressive, and mastery. She unpacks what each stage looks like in the playroom, how to recognise progress, and why growth in CCPT is rarely linear. Kylie shares insights for therapists on staying grounded, trusting
Episode 12: Limit Setting in CCPT - The ACT Method
In this episode of the Play Therapy Circle podcast, Kylie Ellison introduces the concept of limit setting in child-centered play therapy (CCPT), focusing on the ACT model (Acknowledge feelings, Communicate the limit, Target alternatives). She reflects on her own challenges learning this skill, reassures beginning play therapists that it becomes easier with practice, and emphasizes that limits buil
Episode 11- Reflecting Feelings in CCPT
This episode explores the foundational CCPT skill of reflecting feelings, building on last week’s focus on tracking. The discussion highlights how reflecting feelings validates children’s emotions, deepens the therapeutic alliance, and supports emotional literacy and self-regulation. Practical strategies are shared for tone, timing, and language, along with common pitfalls and the importance of au
Episode 10- Tracking in CCPT
Kylie introduces the core CCPT skills of tracking and reflecting content, framing tracking as the foundational way therapists show they’re following a child’s play (e.g., starting statements with “You/You are…”). She explains how brief, non-judgmental tracking supports co-regulation, invites permissiveness, and keeps the child in the lead, while reflecting content offers short summaries of what th
Episode 9- Facilitating Emotional Expression Through Play
Kylie Ellison explores how play serves as a powerful avenue for children to express emotions they cannot yet verbalise, highlighting the importance of meeting children where they are developmentally. She emphasises the therapist’s role in creating a safe, authentic, and supportive space while observing themes and symbolic play without rushing to interpret. The episode encourages practitioners to t
Episode 8- Setting up the Playroom: Tools, Toys and Environment
Kylie Ellison explores how to set up a therapeutic playroom from a child-centered play therapy (CCPT) perspective, highlighting the importance of intentional toy selection, clear layout, and safety. She emphasizes that quality over quantity matters, and that therapists should choose resources they feel congruent and comfortable with. Beyond the physical setup, Kylie reminds listeners that the ther
Episode 7- Understanding the Child's World Through Play
In this episode of the Play Therapy Circle podcast, Kylie Ellison reflects on the importance of play as a child’s natural language of communication. She highlights how play therapy, particularly Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), provides unique insights into children’s inner worlds, allowing practitioners, parents, and caregivers to understand emotions and experiences that children cannot yet ex
Episode 6: Non Directive vs Directive Approaches in Play Therapy
In this episode of the Play Therapy Circle podcast, host Kylie Ellison explores the differences between directive and non-directive (child-centered) play therapy. Kylie highlights the benefits of both methods, noting that directive strategies can be useful for short-term goals and measurable outcomes, whereas non-directive approaches build trust, resilience, and deeper emotional exploration. She e
Episode 5: The Importance of the Therapeutic Relationship
This episode is a little longer than your commute to work or your lunch break - but it an important one not to miss. Join Kylie as she explores the therapeutic relationship as the foundation of child-centered play therapy and why building trust, safety, and connection with children, especially when rapport doesn’t come instantly, is more crucial to therapeutic outcomes than any specific technique.
Episode 4: The Role of the Therapist in CCPT
In this episode, we dive into why the therapist is the heart of child-centered play therapy. It’s all about the therapist being real, showing up as their true self, and creating a space where kids feel safe, seen, and heard. Kylie discusses the importance of embodying the three core tenets of CCPT, empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard, highlighting they aren't just buzzwords,
Episode 3: The History and Roots of CCPT Axline & Beyond
This episode explores the historical roots and evolution of Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), emphasizing its foundations in psychodynamic psychotherapy, particularly the work of Anna Freud and Melanie Klein, who introduced play as a means to access the unconscious mind and build therapeutic alliance. Join Kylie as she shares her personal journey of integrating these psychodynamic insights with
Episode 2: What is Child Centred Play Therapy
Join host Kylie Ellison in this enlightening episode as she delves into the essence of Child-Centered Play Therapy. Drawing from her 10 years of experience in the field, Kylie provides a thorough overview of this distinctive therapeutic modality, perfect for both seasoned therapists and beginners alike. Whether you're new to the field or deepening your practice, this conversation offers insight,
Episode 1: Welcome to the Circle
Welcome to The Play Therapy Circle, a space for soulful, thoughtful conversations at the heart of play-based healing. Hosted by Kylie Ellison, therapist, clinical supervisor, and play therapy trainer, this podcast invites you into a nurturing circle of reflection, curiosity, and growth. Each episode offers thoughtful, soulful conversations about the power of play-based therapy, attachment, emotion
