The Biggest Mistake Most New Play Therapists Make: Why You Need A Theory

You’re likely somewhere between dipping your toes in the lake of play therapy and cannonballing off the dock.  

You go to training, read some articles, and take in a podcast and then get back to your office to try it all out! And…. it all sounds SO amazing.  Different from how you have practiced, but in all the best ways. 

PS - if you are looking for more FREE play therapy content to soak in check out my Play Therapy Free Resources Vault with 125+ Free Play Therapy Resources!

SO I wanted to share with you one of the biggest mistakes most play therapists make, whether you are at the start or middle of your journey, and what to do next! 

That mistake? Not having a theory.  

Okay I know this sounds SO grad school BUT it actually just makes sense.  Knowing you do play therapy tells me some things about a clinician (like how you view kids and the essential factors for the treatment of children’s mental health) but it doesn’t tell me much beyond that.

Are you putting lotion on kids hands? Drawing on their backs?  Playing UNO? Getting attacked by a giant stuffie octopus? 

And more importantly WHY are you doing all of those things? What is the endgame? The goal? 

This is the absolutely beautiful space where all of this comes together!  Play therapy theories range from directive to nondirective and everywhere in between. Using a new technique that you heard about on a podcast without any foundation of when you are using and why, likely isn’t play therapy!

Play therapy is more than just a single technique, game, or action.  The play therapy umbrella holds many theories underneath - all with their own unique perspective of what contributes to children’s mental health and what is the path forward to healing. And because of this - there is a certain flow to each model and theory of when techniques should be utilize and what the intended outcome is.  

In short theory gives you the WHY, the WHEN, and the WHAT NEXT.  Theory helps you figure out and troubleshoot how to get un-stuck with a client. It helps you see what you need to provide to the client to create healing and change.  

So if you are in a space where you aren’t able to confidently identify your play therapy theory - don’t panic.

Starting the journey to becoming a play therapists means you are likely going to do a lot of exploring at the front end and you aren't expected to have all the answers right away! It's a process and I wanted to share with you three steps that will help you get more clarity on your theory!  

First - get more informed.

Take a foundational play therapy course that introduces you to a number of theories OR start reading foundational texts to introduce you and get you familiar with theories that might be in alignment with the populations you see and what you believe about children and change.  

Next - see out support. 

Get connected with a supervisor, consultant, or peer-to-peer consultant who has the theory that you are interested in.  Create space for yourself formally or informally (but always with HIPAA in mind!) to explore what this theory could mean for your work with kids and start to get support with troubleshooting all the road bumps along the way! 

Then - go deeper. 

In true cannonball style - go all in!  Seek out trainings, podcasts, and posts from play therapists who have the same theory as you! Go to an intensive training. Create your own DIY retreat! Connect with other therapists who have the same theory. 

My hope for you, at the end of this post, is that you can either confidently say your play therapy theory or theories OR you have a roadmap ahead of you to figure it out along the way!   

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