How To Talk to Parents About Difficult Issues in Play Therapy

If you've ever dreaded a tough conversation with a parent because you were afraid they'd pull their child from treatment, you're not alone. This is one of the biggest struggles play therapists face—and avoiding these conversations often leads to stalled progress and frustration for everyone.

The good news? With a few shifts in how you set expectations, conceptualize cases, and approach parents, you can strengthen your partnership with caregivers, reduce conflict, and help create the changes children need most.

Why We Avoid Difficult Conversations

Many play therapists hesitate to bring up sensitive topics because of:

Fear of losing the client — Worried parents will pull their child from treatment.
Imposter syndrome — Feeling like you don’t know “enough” to guide parents.
People-pleasing tendencies — Avoiding conflict and prioritizing harmony.

But difficult conversations are often necessary to help parents make the shifts that support their child’s healing. And you can have these conversations in a way that builds trust rather than breaks it.

Tip 1: Get Clear on Your Expectations

Before you can confidently talk to parents, you need to know exactly what you expect:

How often you’ll meet with the child
How long sessions will last
How frequently you’ll meet with parents
What role caregivers play in supporting their child’s progress

When expectations aren’t clear, frustration builds—on both sides. Set your standards early and communicate them from the very first phone call. Parents aren’t mind readers, and clarity upfront sets the stage for a stronger therapeutic partnership.

Tip 2: Communicate Early and Often

Once you’re clear on your expectations, communicate them to parents right away—and keep reinforcing them:

During intake calls
At the first diagnostic session
Throughout treatment

Explain how play therapy works, what your role is, what you expect from parents, and why their involvement matters. Being transparent helps parents understand their part in the process and makes them less likely to disengage later.

Tip 3: Use Your Case Conceptualization as Your Guide

Your case conceptualization—how you make sense of the child’s struggles within their environment—should guide your recommendations and conversations with caregivers.

This means looking at:

What’s driving the child’s behavior
The patterns sustaining the challenges
How family dynamics and attachment play a role
How your play therapy model informs your approach

When parents understand the why behind your recommendations, they’re more likely to stay engaged and committed to treatment.

Tip 4: Integrate Neuroscience and Attachment to Build Partnerships

Approaching conversations through a neuroscience and attachment lens helps shift the dynamic from confrontation to collaboration.

Parents are the primary agents of change—they’re with their child far more than you are. Your role is to partner with them, empower them, and equip them with the tools to support their child outside of sessions.

This approach also creates safety and trust, making it easier to hold boundaries and have challenging conversations without escalating resistance.

Bringing It All Together

The goal isn’t to avoid hard conversations—it’s to have them with clarity, compassion, and confidence. By setting expectations, communicating openly, grounding your recommendations in case conceptualization, and using a neuroscience-based lens, you create a foundation where parents feel supported, not judged.

When that happens, you’re more likely to see lasting change—and parents are far less likely to pull their child from treatment.

Want More Support?

If you struggle with engaging parents, holding boundaries, or navigating high-conflict situations, my online self-paced course is for you:

Getting Grounded: Partnering with Parents in Play Therapy

This comprehensive training gives you:

Practical strategies for handling challenging caregiver dynamics
A neuroscience and attachment-based framework for collaboration
Tips for setting expectations and maintaining healthy boundaries
Guidance for navigating high-conflict divorce cases

You’ll get step-by-step tools to help you confidently partner with caregivers and keep them engaged in their child’s healing journey.

Learn more and register here →

Categories: : Assessment, Case Conceptualization, Imposter Syndrome, Neuroscience of attachment, Play Therapy, Play Therapy Model, Podcast, Therapeutic Rapport