Play Therapy Across the Lifespan

Farewell... this is my last episode of this podcast.

“You are the most important tool you have in your therapeutic work. It is critical that you take good care of it.” Do you value yourself that highly?

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Listen to my other podcast Wellness with Dr. Denis

This episode is intended to encourage you wherever you are right now. It's also a reminder that you are enough.

There are two topics that I love to talk about. One is play therapy and the other is wellness, and when I can talk about them together, all the better.

Check out my wellness podcast Wellness with Dr. Denis.

We all have areas of strength, things that come so easily to us that we may not even recognize them as a strength. Those strengths have soft underbellies, areas of vulnerability for us. We all have weaknesses, too. Part of working on the weakness is recognizing the strength. This episode explores how those two things work together.

Welcome back for Season 6. In this season, I want to share my top 5 things I want everyone doing play therapy to know and the top 5 Dr. Denis-isms based on follower feedback. I hope you enjoy this special season.

In this final episode of Season 5, Drs. Denis' and Kasie Lee share their thoughts on the intersection between play therapy and ethics.

Drs. Denis' and Kasie Lee dig deeper into the category of role-play toys. Regardless of the age of your clients, having toys and tools that help them externalize issues and trauma from their lives can be instrumental in helping them heal.

In this episode, Drs. Denis' and Kasie Lee share their thoughts on how to keep your play space organized.

Drs. Denis' and Kasie Lee discuss how to select the toys and tools you will need for your play space.

In this episode, Drs. Denis' and Kasie Lee share tips and tricks for stocking a play room in a way that’s practical and affordable.

Dr. Denis and Dr. Kasie Lee share tips on designing and setting up your play room.

In this first episode of Season 5, Dr. Denis’ interviews Dr. Kasie Lee, and together they discuss important aspects of defining a play space.

In the final episode of Season 4, Dr. Denis talks about mastery themes and knowing when your client is ready to end therapy. Rachel reviews the book, Windows to Our Children: A Gestalt Approach to Children and Adolescents, by Violet Oaklander.

In this week's episode, Dr. Denis explores three more facets of relationship play themes -- grief, loss, and resilience. Rachel Sellers shares her thoughts on the book, The Whole-Brain Child by Dan Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson.

In this episode, Dr. Denis shares her perspective on relationship play themes. Rachel Sellers reviews the book, The Connected Child, by Dr. Karen Purvis and Dr. David Cross.

In Episode 23, Dr. Denis explores the themes of inner-value, hopelessness, helplessness, and self-sufficiency. Rachel Sellers reviews the book, The Healing Power of Play, by Eliana Gil.

This episode is part two of the theme “Power and Control.” It covers how this theme can manifest in clients as chaos, revenge, and nurturing.

In this episode, Dr. Denis dives into the theme of power and control, specifically outlining how this theme manifests as perfectionism and anxiety.

In this first episode of Season 4, Dr. Denis' talks about the themes of safety, security, and protection and how those themes show up in play.

In the last episode of the summer season, Dr. Denis’ talks about advocacy. Sometimes, you shout for big change. Sometimes, you speak to have the conversations. And, sometimes, you whisper to quietly encourage your clients. With play therapy, you use your voice to empower others to use their voices and be heard.