If Being a Play Therapist Feels Lonely, This Is for You

This year, I took a short two-week break to rest, reconnect with my family, and get grounded again. And as I returned, I asked myself the question I often pose to others: “What will help us most in 2026—not just to grow as clinicians, but to truly thrive?”

The answer that kept coming up was simple: community.

We talk about goals at the start of the year—and those are great—but for many play therapists, it’s not about setting more goals. It’s about not feeling so alone as we do the work. It’s about not sitting in our offices carrying the weight of tough cases, second-guessing ourselves, wondering if anyone else understands what we’re going through.

I created this episode (and this blog) for you if you’ve ever felt like that.

My Early Years as a Play Therapist: Alone in a Fully Stocked Room

I still remember my first job after grad school in 1992. I was thrilled to start working with children, adolescents, and families—and they even had a playroom! I thought I’d hit the jackpot. But here’s the catch: no one actually knew how to use the playroom.

My supervisors were lovely people, but they didn’t have any training in play therapy. They handed me worksheets and said, “You’ll figure it out.” But worksheets didn’t resonate with me—and still don’t. I wanted to play—because that’s the language of children.

Eventually, I joined consultation groups, hoping for support. And while those colleagues were amazing therapists, most didn’t work with children. I got more advice about board games and behavior charts than about how to process trauma through sand tray or how to navigate parent-child dynamics in play.

It felt like I was piecing things together in isolation—guessing, improvising, hoping I was on the right track.

And here’s the wild part: over 30 years later, I still hear versions of this same story from play therapists all over the world.

The Hidden Weight We Carry

Play therapy is beautiful. It’s fun. It’s meaningful. And—let’s be honest—it can also be emotionally exhausting.

We move from session to session—maybe battling dragons in one hour and processing trauma in the next. We hold space for children and families. We navigate tricky parent dynamics. We bring our full selves into the room. And then we try to transition into our own families and responsibilities after a day of emotional labor.

It’s no wonder we feel drained.

What I hear, again and again, from play therapists I meet through Play Therapy Academy or our newer Elevation Circle, is that this work is hard enough without also having to carry it alone.

You might be the only play therapist in your agency. Or the only one in your building. Or the only one in your private practice.

When that’s the case, even simple questions—“Am I seeing this theme clearly?” “Is it me or is something off in this session?” “Do you have ideas for how to support this parent-child relationship?”—can become mental loops with nowhere to land.

Why Community Matters More Than Ever

When you’re surrounded by other play therapists, you don’t have to explain why you're not using a worksheet or why you're not relying on behavior charts.

You don’t have to justify why you spent a full session building a sand tray scene that no one spoke about aloud—because we get it.

We understand that play therapy is grounded in theoretical models, rooted in the therapeutic powers of play, and requires attuned presence. That’s why being in community isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.

In Play Therapy Academy, we’ve created a space where people can say, “I don’t know what just happened in that session,” or “I think it’s this, but I need a second set of eyes,” and immediately receive grounded feedback from people who speak the same language.

In Elevation Circle, we’ve designed a space for connection—for peer support, themed consultation (aka masterminds), and even a book club to deepen the work.

And in both, something magical happens: people start to feel less alone.

You Don’t Have to Know Everything—That’s What We’re For

Here’s the truth I’ve learned after almost 35 years in the mental health field: you cannot know everything. There’s no way to stay current on every theory, every technique, every diagnosis, and every intervention.

But when you’re part of a play therapy community, you don’t have to.

You get to lean on others’ strengths, borrow their ideas, access their wisdom, and share your own. You get to show up authentically—without the pressure to be perfect—and leave with insight, energy, and clarity.

You become a better therapist for your clients and a more present person for your own family.

And maybe most importantly, you start to realize: you were never meant to do this alone.

Want to Join Us?

If 2026 is the year you want to stop doing play therapy in isolation, here are two ways to get support:

✅ Play Therapy Academy

This is a high-support consultation group for play therapists working toward their RPT credential (or who want more intensive mentoring). We meet twice a month for structured case consultation and support. It’s a smaller, more intimate group with access to courses, resources, and direct guidance.
📅 Schedule a free 30-minute video call to see if it’s a good fit: rhplaytherapytraining.com

✅ Play Therapy Elevation Circle

This is our newer, more community-based membership designed for play therapists who don’t need (or aren’t ready for) Play Therapy Academy, but want ongoing support.
We meet once a month for a mastermind-style consultation call, plus a book club focused on integrating theory into practice.
Enrollment opens later this month for a small group only. Get on the waitlist at rhplaytherapytraining.com

Let’s make 2026 the year you stop doing this work alone.

Even if it’s not with us—connect with someone who gets it. You deserve that. Your clients deserve that. And your nervous system definitely deserves that.

We’re better together.

Categories: : Burnout, Community, Imposter Syndrome, Play Therapy, Play Therapy Academy, Play Therapy Elevation Circle, Podcast, Self care