Playful Beginnings

Unlocking Potential—How Child-Centered Play Therapy Transforms School Experiences with Dr. Kristi Perryman

Episode 2: Join us for an insightful conversation with Dr. Kristi Perryman as we delve into the transformative power of Child-Centered Play Therapy in schools. Discover how this approach not only enhances the school experience but also nurtures emotional growth and resilience in children. Tune in to learn why play is more than just fun—it's a vital tool for development and understanding.

🧸 Honoring a Legend: Remembering Dr. Garry Landreth 🕊️

"Toys are children's words and play is their language." It is with heavy hearts, but profound gratitude, that we dedicate this episode to the father of Child-Centered Play Therapy, Dr. Garry Landreth. The play therapy community lost a giant, but his legacy lives on in every playroom, every therapeutic relationship, and every child who has ever been truly seen and heard through the power of play. In this special tribute episode, we look back at the radical empathy, wisdom, and warmth Dr. Landreth brought to our field. He didn't just teach us a modality; he taught us a way of being with children—reminding us always to follow the child’s lead and trust their capacity for growth. 🎙️ In This Episode, We Reflect On: * The Heart of CCPT: How his foundational teachings transformed the landscape of child counseling and play therapy. * His Timeless Wisdom: Revisiting the core principles that continue to guide our clinical practice and parenting every single day. * Our Personal Reflections: What Dr. Landreth’s mentorship, books, and presence meant to us as clinicians, educators, and human beings. Dr. Landreth taught us that the most powerful thing we can offer a child is our complete, unconditional presence. We hope to honor that gift by continuing to share his message with clinicians, teachers, and parents everywhere. Thank you, Dr. Landreth, for teaching us how to listen with our hearts. You will be deeply missed, but your words will echo in playrooms forever. 🎒🧸 🎧 Listen now: Click the link in our bio or search for Playful Beginnings wherever you get your podcasts. If you have a favorite memory, quote, or lesson from Dr. Landreth, please share it in the comments below. Let’s fill this space with the love and connection he so beautifully championed. 👇❤️ #PlayTherapy #ChildCenteredPlayTherapy #CCPT #GarryLandreth #PlayTherapists #MentalHealthMatters #PlayIsTheirLanguage #PlayfulBeginningsPodcast #CounselorEducation

Healing in the Hallways: Bringing Play Therapy into Schools with Dr. Kristi Perryman

What happens when we meet children where they spend the majority of their lives—not in an isolated clinic, but right in the school building? In this episode, we sit down with the incredible Dr. Kristi Perryman, Director and Founder of the Office of Play Therapy Research and Training at the University of Arkansas and Chair-Elect for the national Association for Play Therapy (APT) Board. Long before she was a leading researcher and counselor educator, Dr. Perryman was on the front lines as a special education teacher, elementary school counselor, and middle school counselor. She lived the realities of the school system firsthand. Dr. Perryman shares the powerful story of what drove her from the classroom to the playroom, and how her early days in the schools shaped her passion for Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT). We dive deep into: * The "Why": The turning points in her early career that revealed a massive gap in how schools address emotional and trauma-related barriers to learning. * The "How": Practical strategies for successfully advocating for, setting up, and integrating sustainable play therapy programs within public school systems. * The Impact: How her landmark research proves that honoring a child's natural language—play—directly shifts behavioral, emotional, and even academic outcomes. Whether you are a school counselor trying to carve out a therapeutic space, a clinician looking to partner with local districts, or an educator wanting to understand the neuroscience of healing, Dr. Perryman’s journey provides a masterclass in systemic advocacy and deep compassion.

Dr. PJ Blanco provides Tips and Insights for CCPT in Schools

In this episode, the hosts sit down with prominent child-centered play therapy (CCPT) researcher Dr. PJ Bianco to discuss the complex real-world challenges of practicing in school environments. The conversation centers heavily on a common point of friction for school counselors and contracted clinicians: navigating school administrations that ban or restrict aggressive toys from the playroom. The guest and hosts share clinical anecdotes, strategy adaptations, and therapeutic mindsets for maintaining programmatic success when systemic bureaucracy limits your toolset.

CCPT and Academic Success with Dr. PJ Blanco

Play Therapy & Academic Success In this episode of Playful Beginnings, the hosts sit down with Dr. PJ Blanco to unpack his groundbreaking research on the correlation between Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) and academic achievement. Key Takeaways from the Conversation: * The Academic Disconnect: Schools frequently pour resources into traditional academic interventions (tutoring, extra drills, remedial classes). However, Dr. Blanco’s research reveals that for many children, academic struggles are not a cognitive capability issue, but an emotional and regulatory barrier. * The Power of the Data: Dr. Blanco discusses his empirical studies showing that children who received CCPT demonstrated statistically significant gains in academic achievement—particularly in reading and math—compared to control groups, even though academic material is never introduced in the playroom. * Unlocking Intrinsic Motivation: By providing a non-directive environment where children experience unconditional acceptance and autonomy, CCPT directly targets and reduces performance anxiety, stress, and learned helplessness. When the emotional weight is lifted, the child’s natural desire and capacity to learn are unlocked. * Systemic Advocacy: The episode emphasizes the necessity of using this concrete data to advocate for play therapy funding and dedicated spaces within school systems, shifting the narrative from play being "just a reward" to play being a foundational catalyst for school success.