In this Game Changers episode, I tackle one of the most common objections we hear from adults: "If children aren't rational or cognitive, how do they learn in school?" I explain why this question reflects an adulthood bias and how academic learning is often misunderstood as evidence of reasoning, logic, and abstract thinking. I break down the critical distinction between conditioned, repetitive learning and true cognitive processing, and why confusing the two leads adults to expect things from children that they simply are not developmentally capable of giving.

I also offer a clear, practical way to respond when parents, teachers, or other professionals challenge the CCPT model on this point. By reframing school-based learning as memorization through repetition—rather than reasoning—we can help adults understand why children process their world emotionally and experientially, not verbally or logically. This episode gives you language, confidence, and a framework for engaging in these conversations in a way that protects the model, strengthens trust, and fundamentally changes how adults view children.

CCPT: The Field of Dreams | Live Training Event at Steinbrenner Field
More Info. & Registration go to https://corewellceu.com/tampa. For more information and to register for this LIVE training event in Tampa, FL on Saturday Jan 31, 2026.

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Topical Playlists! All of the podcasts are now grouped into topical playlists on YouTube. Please go to https://www.youtube.com/kidcounselorbrenna/playlists to view them.

If you would like to ask me questions directly, check out www.ccptcollective.com, where I host two weekly Zoom calls filled with advanced CCPT case studies and session reviews, as well as member Q&A. You can take advantage of the two-week free trial to see if the CCPT Collective is right for you.

Ask Me Questions: Call ‪(813) 812-5525‬, or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com
Brenna's CCPT Hub: https://www.playtherapynow.com
CCPT Collective (online community exclusively for CCPTs): https://www.ccptcollective.com
Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapypodcast.com
APT Approved Play Therapy CE courses: https://childcenteredtraining.com
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Common References:
Cochran, N., Nordling, W., & Cochran, J. (2010). Child-Centered Play Therapy (1st ed.). Wiley.
VanFleet, R., Sywulak, A. E., & Sniscak, C. C. (2010). Child-centered play therapy. Guilford Press.
Landreth, G.L. (2023). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (4th ed.). Routledge.
Landreth, G.L., & Bratton, S.C. (2019). Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT): An Evidence-Based 10-Session Filial Therapy Model (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315537948
Benedict, Helen. Themes in Play Therapy. Used with permission to Heartland Play Therapy Institute.