Learn About Child-Centered Play Therapy
Play is universal.
All children are drawn to play: it’s their natural language and their first way of making sense of the world. Toys become their words, their stories, their voice. Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) gives children the freedom to explore their inner world without pressure, to process their experiences, and to discover their own solutions. CCPT does teach children who they should be or how they should act. Instead, they are empowered to become the experts of themselves we know they are.
Relationship above everything.
At the heart of CCPT is relationship. More than techniques or strategies, it teaches us how to be with children — to listen, to reflect, and to offer unconditional acceptance. This relationship is what heals, what builds trust, and what allows growth to unfold naturally. When we put the relationship first, everything else follows.
Children at the center.
Unlike most behavioral programs or prescribed interventions, CCPT does not impose an agenda. The child leads, the adult follows, and the process unfolds naturally in the safety of respect and acceptance. By centering the child’s voice and agency, CCPT creates space for authentic change that can’t be forced. It is growth from the inside out, not compliance from the outside in.
Better for everyone.
When children grow in confidence and resilience, families strengthen, classrooms stabilize, and professionals feel renewed purpose. CCPT doesn’t just benefit children in the playroom — it transforms the adults who support them. Therapists find more congruence, educators discover deeper connection, and parents experience new ways of relating to their children. Research shows the effects of CCPT are lifelong. In the end, CCPT is better for everyone.
Common Questions About Child-Centered Play Therapy
Selected References:
Landreth, G. L. (2012). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Ray, D. C. (2011). Advanced Play Therapy: Essential Conditions, Knowledge, and Skills for Child Practice. Routledge.
Ray, D. C., Jayne, K., & Carlson, S. E. (2021). Child-Centered Play Therapy Research: The Evidence Base for Effective Practice (2nd ed.). Wiley.
Cochran, N. H., Nordling, W. J., & Cochran, J. L. (2010). Child-Centered Play Therapy: A Practical Guide to Developing Therapeutic Relationships with Children. Wiley.
Schottelkorb, A. A., & Ray, D. C. (2009). Child-Centered Play Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice. Wiley.
What is CCPT?
CCPT is an evidence-based treatment model where play serves as the child’s primary language for communication and problem-solving. Developed from person-centered theory, CCPT provides children with a therapeutic environment that emphasizes acceptance, empathy, independence, and consistency. Over more than 70 years of research, CCPT has demonstrated effectiveness for a wide range of presenting concerns.
What does a CCPT session look like?
Sessions are held in a structured playroom with carefully selected toys chosen for expression, creativity, and mastery. The child leads the play, while the therapist applies CCPT principles: reflecting feelings, tracking behavior, offering choices, and setting therapeutic limits. Sessions are typically once per week and progress through predictable stages of engagement, working through, and resolution.
How does CCPT help?
Research shows CCPT reduces both internalizing and externalizing symptoms, including anxiety, trauma responses, aggression, and withdrawal. Research also shows results are long-term and long-lasting. Across presenting issues, CCPT reliably produces four universal outcomes:
– Increased self-regulation (improved emotional and behavioral control)
– Improved self-concept (a stronger sense of identity and worth)
– Improved social relationships (better connection with family, peers, and teachers)
– Increased coping skills (greater problem-solving and resilience in daily life)
These outcomes generalize beyond the playroom, benefiting children in home, school, and community settings. Research also shows results are long-term and long-lasting.
Who benefits from CCPT?
CCPT is effective for children ages 3–12 across diverse backgrounds. Whole Roots Therapy’s goal is to expand the literature on CCPT with adolescents and teenagers. It has been used successfully with children experiencing trauma, grief, anxiety, behavioral concerns, neurodevelopmental differences, and family disruption. Families and educators benefit as well, seeing improvements in communication, relationships, and classroom functioning. CCPT principles — such as reflective listening, acceptance, and choice-giving — can also be used by parents and teachers to strengthen everyday relationships.
Why does CCPT matter?
CCPT is the most extensively researched play therapy approach, with consistent findings across clinical, school, and community settings. Its emphasis on relationship and child agency distinguishes it from directive or behavior-focused interventions. By prioritizing the child’s voice within a structured therapeutic relationship, CCPT produces outcomes that are both measurable in research and meaningful in lived experience.
Want to deep dive into CCPT? Here are our suggested readings.
Recommended Reading
Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship
Advanced Play Therapy
Child-Centered Play Therapy Research
Child-Centered Play Therapy: A Practical Guide
Child-Centered Play Therapy is grounded in the principles of Person-Centered (Client-Centered) Therapy, developed by Carl Rogers. Explore these readings to learn more about CCPT’s roots.
Foundations of Person-Centered Therapy
On Becoming a Person
A Way of Being
Client-Centered Therapy
Classics of Play Therapy
Dibs in Search of Self
Play Therapy
Innovations in Play Therapy
Play Therapy Interventions with Children’s Problems: Case Studies with DSM-IV Diagnoses
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