Unlike individual play therapy, CPRT engages the family as a whole. It offers parents the opportunity to better understand their children while children learn how to communicate their needs and process their emotions with parents. Additionally, CPRT is sustainable. Children who attend play therapy often gain skills that last throughout the rest of their lives. However, they are bound to run into new challenges after moving through the therapeutic process. When parents are equipped to continue implementing play therapy skills, they can support their children as they navigate those new challenges. Overall, we see happier, healthier families through the growth that comes with CPRT.

CPRT is specifically designed for parents of children between two and twelve years old. It can be modified for older kids as well, but in its original form, it is most effective for this age range. It is perfect for parents who want to help their children navigate any kind of challenges they might be facing. For example, it can be used to support children who struggle with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, angry outbursts, impulsivity, difficulties with self-control, preparing to move, navigating a parent’s deployment, processing a divorce, changing family dynamics, or a variety of other challenges. It can even strengthen an already healthy, secure parent-child attachment, so your child does not need to be struggling in order for your family to benefit!

The main goal of CPRT is to heal and/or strengthen relationships between parents and children. In the process, CPRT also serves to help children overcome mental health challenges and behavioral difficulties. It strengthens self-esteem while teaching children to regulate their own behavior so that they are equipped to make healthy choices for the future.

This is an important question! Children who have experienced serious trauma (such as physical, emotional, or sexual abuse) are often better served by play therapy with a licensed mental health professional before beginning CPRT. This is not to say that CPRT will not benefit them but that some in-depth processing may need to occur first, and a licensed mental health professional would be trained to help with that.

Our CPRT groups run for 10 weeks. Each week, you’ll be sent a video (generally 20-30 minutes in length) with information about the skill that is being introduced for that week. You’ll watch that video before our group meeting, and you’ll maintain access to all of the skills videos so that you can go back and revisit them anytime. Along with the videos, our group will meet one hour each week to review what you have learned, practice our skills, and discuss how to implement those skills during the week. Beginning in the third week of the course, you’ll also hold a 30-minute play session with your child each week. When we meet as a group, we’ll review portions of these play sessions together so that you can gain the best possible information from our time together. Our groups are always real, authentic, and meaningful. Sometimes it can be uncomfortable to review play sessions together, but THIS is where the growth happens and THIS is where the most meaningful connections are made! We are all on this wild parenting adventure together!

In order to participate, you’ll need a computer with a microphone and speakers, as well as an Internet connection. Our content will be sent to you online and we will meet in a secure online meeting room. Along with those things, you’ll also need a play kit made up of basic toys from a few different categories. The toys in your kit do not need to be new. (In fact, it’s better if they are used!) This is something that we’ll discuss more in-depth during the training. You will have three weeks at the beginning of the training to gather the supplies you need for your play kit, so there is no reason to worry ahead of time.

The average play therapy client attends therapy for roughly 20 sessions. Follow-up sessions may be needed past that point depending on the challenges that a child encounters. In comparison, CPRT lasts 10 weeks and equips parents to follow up with their children when future challenges arise. Additionally, CPRT is offered in a group format, while play therapy is often individual. Because of these differences, CPRT tends to be less than a third of the cost of play therapy.

Currently, one or two parents from the same family can join a CPRT group for $85 per week. Each group lasts 10 weeks, and if paid in full prior to the start date, you can save $100 off the total cost of the training.

Registration opens Wednesday, June 1, 2022 for our next round of CPRT. That training will begin on June 9, 2022. We have limited space available for this round of training, so sign up for our newsletter to be notified as soon as registration opens!