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Play Therapy PodcastAuthor: Dr. Brenna Hicks
Your source for centered and focused Play Therapy coaching. A "Master-Class" in Play Therapy. Breaking down the barriers to high-quality Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) education. No paywalls, no ads, no fluff... all content just expert, accessible training for every play therapist, free of charge. Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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388 | Why Are These Kids So Happy?: What I Learned About Parenting (and CCPT) from Japan
Episode 388
Tuesday, 14 April, 2026
In this episode, I share some observations from my recent trip to Japan and reflect on what I noticed about children and their parents. What stood out to me most wasn't a specific experience or attraction—it was the consistent presence of calm, content, and genuinely happy children. Over the course of two weeks, I observed something very different from what we often see: children who were regulated, autonomous, and simply enjoying being kids, alongside parents who were calm, neutral, and highly engaged without being reactive. I process what these observations might mean for us as child-centered play therapists. While I don't claim to have all the answers, I connect what I saw back to the foundational principles of CCPT—especially the role of relationship, autonomy, and parental regulation. This episode is a reminder that the work we do extends beyond the playroom. As we support parents in interacting differently with their children, we are contributing to something much bigger: helping create environments where children can thrive. What I witnessed reinforced the long-term vision we all share—a world where children are supported well enough to grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults. 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! Topical Playlists! All of the podcasts are now grouped into topical playlists on YouTube. Please go to https://www.youtube.com/kidcounselorbrenna/playlists to view them. 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 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. Landreth, G.L., & Bratton, S.C. (2019). Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT): An Evidence-Based 10-Session Filial Therapy Model (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315537948 Benedict, Helen. Themes in Play Therapy. Used with permission to Heartland Play Therapy Institute.
