Child Centered Play Therapy: CCPT

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I finished my training in CCPT but what does that mean? Well, I’m glad you asked.
Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) is a type of evidence based practice within Play Therapy. Although I am a Registered Play Therapist it is important, to me, to continue seeking additional education and using proven techniques with my clients. CCPT is like any other evidence based therapy like CBT or DBT; however, it is specific to play therapy.
CCPT is a non-directive play therapy session where the kiddo leads while I instill various principles. CCPT is a proven technique that takes on a holistic approach for children. Because of this all encompassing technique it decreases symptoms of depression, aggression, other various symptomatic behaviors. This is partly due to using the natural language of the child through play and believing these basic principles:
  • Foundational Principles: (1)
    • Children possess an innate capacity to strive toward growth and maturity. The play therapy relationship facilitates the development of that capacity.
    • Play is the children’s most natural medium of communication.
    • Play is the concrete expression of the child and is the child’s way of coping with their world.
    • Child’s feelings are often inaccessible at a verbal level and play provides a means through which conflicts can be resolved and feeling can be communicated.
  • CCPT Goals: (1) 
    • Develop a more positive self-concept
    • Assume greater self-responsibility
    • Become more self-directing
    • Become more self-accepting
    • Become more self-reliant
    • Engage in self-determined decision making
    • Experience a feeling of control
    • Become sensitive to the process of coping
    • Develop an internal source of evaluation
    • Become more trusting of self
If you are interested in diving deeper into CCPT, check out this article: https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.a4pt.org/resource/resmgr/publications/pt_theories/ChildCentered_Sept2019_FINAL.pdf References: