Is This Even Working? Patience, Process and Patterns in Play Therapy with Lisa Forbes

Play therapy isn’t just child’s play. In this episode of Therapist Confidential, Travis Heath talks with Dr. Lisa Forbes about non-directive play therapy, where patience, process, and trust guide the therapeutic journey. They explore how stories unfold through toys, what progress really looks like, and how to support parents along the way. A must-listen for therapists who work with kids—or anyone who wants to understand what therapy looks like when the language is play. • The phases of non-directive play therapy: from rapport to narrative shifts • Understanding “embodied stories” in a child’s play • How play becomes a metaphor for internal healing • Communicating with parents about the invisible progress of therapy • The therapeutic power of patience, observation, and belief in the process