Playful Parenting Podcast

Playful Parenting tackles telling kids the truth this week, and discusses the complexities regarding talking to your children about some of the harsh realities in this world, and how we can learn about ourselves and grow as parents and people through the process of exploring our discomfort around these conversations.Support the show

Do I have all the answers about children and technology? Of course not. Do I have some of the answers about children and technology? Unlikely. Have I spent enough time thinking and feeling about it that I can ramble on the topic for twenty minutes? Absolutely. Enjoy!Support the show

Playful Parenting comes at you with this PSA to help remind you to laugh at your child the next time they are disobeying you in a way that is hilarious. It's connective, fun, and can avoid some of those pesky power struggles that feel like they go nowhere. Support the show

Play Time is back for Season 2! This episode introduces the new season of Play Time, called 'Playful Parenting'.  Missed being with you all, feels good to be back. Support the show

Hello Playtimers, this is the last episode of Play Time. Stay subscribed if you want to see what I am up to next, I have a feeling I will make another podcast (or Season 2 of Play Time??) at some point, but I have said what I need to say for now.Thank you for listening, thank you for writing in, and thank you for all the support. To know the podcast has been helpful in any way means the world to me, and I leave with a heart full of love.Support the show

Everything has a shadow side, yes? Empathy included. We explore empathy through the lens of how it can destabilize an individual, and highlight the value of grounding children and ourselves in the reality of our emotions, our body, and our experience, in contrast to being fixated on how other people are  doing.Support the show

Firing a therapist is sometimes the right thing to do. We talk about the importance of client's feeling power and autonomy in the therapeutic relationship, and then without getting into do's and don'ts, get into the sometimes complex question of getting the state involved when working with children.Support the show

On this very 78th episode, we take a look at being a parent in the modern world, name the trends towards deeper respect for emotions in both children and adults, and talking about working with parents with various systems of values and beliefs regarding parenting and how we can support all families as therapists regardless of their values regarding childhood and child rearing. Enjoy!Books named in this episode include:'For Your Own Good' by Alice Miller'The History of Childhood' by Lloyd de MauseSupport the show

On this one we name the value of connective and playful time with children, and of the instinctive ability of parents and caregivers to make aspects of life a game for children, as a way to help adults cultivate playfulness and game like qualities into life. We also take a detour into how to turn your own life as an adult into a game, and the potential benefits of it.Support the show

For the second anniversary of Play Time, we open up the mailbag to answer some questions about helping students in school who are having a hard time, and also discuss the value of a free and protected space, and how to create it.The book mentioned in the episode was 'Sandplay: A psychotherapeutic Approach to the Psyche' by Dora Kalff.Support the show

People get divorced all the time, and families separate all the time. These events are often discussed as being 'traumatic' in the life of a child, which can be the case, but is it always? Is it appropriate to put divorce in the same category as child abuse or other traumatic events? Play Time's stance is a firm 'no'. Give it a listen if you're curious why.Support the show

Children are brought to therapy by adults for all sorts of reasons, but from the child's perspective, the biggest problem they often face on a day to day basis is boredom. So let's talk about it!Support the show

As a field, we talk a whole heck of a lot about attachment these days, and with good reason, but emotional autonomy is not only an aspect of secure attachment but it is both the bedrock of being child-centered as well as a firm foundation for children to be able to develop their unique identity and move through their unique journey in this world.And some placebo stuff as mentioned in the fictional advertisement:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18171452/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18171451/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0883073818756403The book mentioned in the podcast was, 'A Way to the Soul of the Mentally Ill' by Gertrude Schwing. It is a little hard to find cheap, but well worth it.Support the show

Of course we hope as adults that children are learning from us (and they are, constantly, whether we like it or not) but what do we learn from them? What knowledge can we gain about ourselves and our relationship to the world through spending time with children? The answer is all kinds of knowledge! And I would name more, but at this point you might as well just check out the episode.Support the show

Should we always honor children with their feelings? Is it possible that through being child-centered that we are actually creating little monsters who have little to no impulse control and who wreak havoc on their environments with their nefarious ways? Find out on this episode of Play Time, where we explore the dark side of being child-centered.....Support the show

Let's chat about something that has been sorely lacking in 2020....joy! Children benefit on all levels when adults are enjoying their company, and on this Play Time, we dive into the very beautiful reality that we are entrusted with the privilege of spending time with children and can truly be at out best when we are grateful for the opportunity to get to know children so well and so deeply through spending consistent, quality time with them.Support the show

As adults, we encourage children to have relationships with different magical beings. On this episode, we dive into Santa, and explore what children might learn through our current conception of Santa Claus, as well as what other ways of connecting to children in the magical world they exist in could look like to harness the full benefits and wonder of co-existing with children in a magical space.Support the show

How does one go about helping a child be more oriented to their space? To cultivating an ability to notice when a space is messy, or when they are being disruptive? How do we help children navigate the complexities of the material world, and assist them in tuning back into their imagination and creativity when they feel out of whack?Children naturally guide us back into helping them simply through their questions and observations, and this Play Time explores the value of meeting them in that space.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

Play is light enough, free enough, and distanced enough from reality to be capable of handling any pain or difficulty, and is therefore a safe space for children to be able to approach topics that can feel too heavy to discuss in conversation. On this Play Time, we  appreciate play for its ability to allow children to explore all elements of their experience.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

We often talk about children in terms of their struggles with anger, emotion regulation, and their conflicts with authority and peers, but rarely do we focus on a child's relationship to forgiveness, what forgiveness looks like in a child's home and school life, and how we can cultivate forgiveness inside of children through creating a culture of forgiveness in our relationships with them. So let's talk about it now!For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

As therapists we all spend a fair amount of time speculating on how children and people come to struggle, but what exactly is the relationship between understanding why someone is struggling and finding a cure for the struggle? How does understanding a child's struggle inform our ability to treat children? And are there cures to be found in the explanations we come up with? For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

This week, we go back to basics to talk about witnessing, how it is a foundational skill that can be used in therapy with kids both online and in person, and how feeling witnessed  is one of the greatest gifts we can offer to children as part of the therapeutic process.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

On this episode, we tackle boundaries, naming how children naturally have boundaries, and the importance of respecting children's boundaries when we can and even learning as adults how we can cultivate better boundaries for ourselves by witnessing and honoring children's limits with who or what they choose to connect to.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

On this episode, we tackle talking with children about the election, and how the confrontation with ourselves as adults as we consider what we want to pass on to children can allow for deeper connection to our own values and less focus on whatever vitriol we feel towards those who disagree with us.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

On this one we compare purgatory and therapy, and name the uniqueness of every child's play and how the internal frictions that often arise in that play are important in terms of them having a confrontation with themselves and evolving towards something new.Support the show

On this episode of Play Time, we talk about self awareness as a goal of therapy, and how it can be the foundation for emotional development for children in a multitude of areas. For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

On this episode, we talk about the seriousness of play, both in terms of its value for the developing child, but also in the context of how seriously children take their play, and the importance of a container and a set of rules inside of the play in order to foster deeper levels of depth, development, and engagement.Support the show

On this episode of Play Time, we take a look at punishments and rewards and ask if there might be a different way, with more potential for growth on the part of the child, to go about raising children.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

On this episode, we rip open the Play Time mailbag for the first time before venturing into consent, how consent creates an atmosphere of mutual respect between adult and child, and also talk about the times when we give children choices when we actually have a choice that we want them to make, and the relationship damage that can be caused by doing so.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/playtimepodcast)Support the show

On this episode, we contrast using the diagnostic language of complexes rather than disorders, and dive into viewing and treating children as if they are possessed by something inside of them, in contrast to seeing them as inherently damaged or disordered, and how we can use the wisdom of spiritual traditions who have worked with the 'possessed' in our work with children.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

On this episode, we take a look at abstract art and how it can be used to foster love in children for their creative energy, provide them the creative freedom to explore new aspects of themselves, and develop love for their creative energy, which can serve them in the future in becoming dynamic individuals capable of manifesting meaningful change in our increasingly fragmented world.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

On this episode of Play Time, we tackle the diagnosis of Attention-Defecit Hyperactivity Disorder, explore attention and focus from a child-centered lens, and name the reality of how little many children care for school, and ways we can approach children differently who are struggling with attention.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

On this episode, we take a look at the placebo effect, and how we can utilize the power of the mind in our sessions with children and our conversations with caregivers to provide a foundation of intention and hopefulness in working with children.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

On this Play Time, we approach two blocks to being able to connect and view children through a lens of curiosity, one being the idea that stability and routine are inherently beneficial to children, and the other being the myth of chemical imbalance as a rationale for disregulated behavior and unwanted emotions.For more of my work, check out barnettchildtherapy.com.Support the show

On this episode, we use gardening as a lens to frame both working with children in therapy as well as parenting children, and draw what are hopefully illuminating parallels between raising people and raising plants.As always, contact me at [email protected] if you would like and check out barnettchildtherapy.com to see more of my work, including children's books!Support the show

On this episode, we discuss healing and growth in terms of being a spiral in contract to a closed circle, and aim to challenge the concept of linear growth and hold up the idea that growth is a circular process, and that what we are looking for is what are often small and subtle differences when children cycle back towards difficult feelings and behaviors.As always, contact me at [email protected] if you would like and check out barnettchildtherapy.com to see more of my work, including children's books!Support the show

On this episode of Play Time, we talk about children and technology use approaching the topic through the lens of addiction.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this Play Time, we name the reality of racism as a mental health disorder, explore what some of the destructive effects of being racist entail, and cast some shade at the helping professions for pathologizing anxiety and depression but refusing to pathologize hate.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this Play Time, we take a look at tears through the lens of seeing them as sources for new growth, insight, and healing.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this episode of Play Time, we take a look at children through the lens of research which shows remarkable similarities between the brain states of children and babies and the brain states of those taking substances which are currently being utilized to treat PTSD and complex trauma.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this episode of Play Time, we discuss what in psychology we normally pathologize as 'visual and auditory hallucinations' and name a different way of going about working with children who experience these phenomena.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this episode, we take a look at how child therapy can be guilty of fostering systems of oppression and racism, and expose the shadow side of our profession in order to understand what we are capable of at our worst.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this episode, we take a look at emotions through the lens of 'respiration', name the 'inhale' and 'exhale' of the cycle of emotions, and aim to identify the times when children and all of us get stuck somewhere in that cycle, and how we can help liberate children from the experience of not having dynamic flow in their emotional lives.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this episode, we take a look at emotional wounds, normalize the experience of pain for all of us, and tackle naming what it is that occurs when the self-actualizing principle of the self is given the facilitation to activate and heal emotional damage.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this episode, we tackle research in psychology and child therapy, name the difficulties researchers have had in replicating studies in the field of psychology, and attempt to ground our work with children in the lived experience of healing that happens in child therapy.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this episode, we take a look at the value for children of being connected to the reality of their own experience, both emotional and otherwise, and also the benefits of allowing children into our own world as adults to both normalize emotional difficulties as well as building empathy and a knowledge of the complexity of other people's experience.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this one, we take a look at the question of how the adults in a child's world go about determining whether a child is in need of therapeutic treatment, which is a more loaded question than it would seem.....As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this episode, we tackle love and fear, name the distinction between acting from a place of love and acting from a place of fear, and highlight the necessity of the felt experience of love for all of us, and especially for children, in this trying time.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this episode, we explore the new waters of telehealth therapy, including resistance on the part of clinician's to telehealth and what is behind that, what changes we might have to make in how we conduct sessions, and the mindset we can have going into working therapeutically with children in a new format.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show

On this Play Time, we discuss how conversations with children are often not helpful and reemphasize the value of play as the child being able to liberate themselves from the projections and emotions they have become locked into, and through that liberation discovering new parts of themselves and developing a new relationship to the world.As always, I can be reached at [email protected]. Check out barnettchildtherapy.com for more audio, video, and to learn about the Child-Centered Children's Book series.Support the show