The Play Therapy Circle

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...

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...

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 epi...

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...

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 This episode reassures CCPT practitioners who worry they’re “not doing enough,” especially when children appear withdrawn, silent, or resistant in the playroom.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...

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 proce...

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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. 🌿

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...

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 bui...

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 a...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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....

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,...

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...

 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,...

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, emoti...