In conclusion, whether or not children should help clean up after play therapy sessions depends on a delicate balance between therapeutic and educational considerations. CCPT would typically not require a child to participate in clean up after sessions to honor the child's emotional and therapeutic process; however, the child would still be expected to tidy after oneself at home and at school. The consensus among other non-CCPT play therapy professionals is that while it can be beneficial, it should always be tailored to the child’s needs and emotional state at the moment. It is not just about keeping the space tidy but about leveraging every aspect of the therapy for the child’s growth and healing. Ultimately, the decision to involve the child in the cleanup process depends on your play therapy approach, as well as what your theoretical model would suggest about the responsibility of the therapist to maintain a secure and consistent therapeutic space for the child to explore emotions and work through difficult experiences in play therapy.
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The CCPT Perspective on Clean Up
In other forms of play therapy, children are encouraged to help clean up as a valid part of their learning; not so in CCPT. Here are some of the therapeutic reasons why CCPT therapists allow children to lead and make decisions:
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Emotional Expression: Encouraging children to clean up after themselves teaches them responsibility and instills a sense of ownership over their actions and the environment they interact with. But in CCPT, the toys and play serve a very different developmental purpose. The toys are considered the child's "words" and the play is their "language"; so children may need to use many toys and play experiences to express themselves and make therapeutic progress. They might hold back their thoughts and feelings and therefore limit their ability to engage and make progress in therapy if they are concerned about how much clean up will follow.
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Trusting Relationship: The act of cleaning up can symbolize the therapist's caring and nurturing for the child; an ability to hold and organize all of the child's most chaotic and distressed emotions and experiences within the safety and trust that the therapist should come to represent for the child. When the therapist is able to contain the child's most difficult experiences by maintaining a clean and consistent space from week to week, the child begins to experience an adult who can safely regulate the external (the playroom) and internal (emotional and psychological) spaces of therapy.
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Therapeutic Reflection: The cleanup process can also be therapeutic. It offers a moment for the therapist to reflect on the child's play session, process their emotions, and engage in a calming, mindful awareness of all of the child's experiences depicted in the play. For some, it may serve as a quiet time to absorb the therapeutic experience. Therapy can be much more successful when the therapist does not have to rush through the clean-up process, but rather, takes 10-15 minutes after the session is finished and the child has departed to place items back where they belong. The "thinking about the child" that happens during play room maintenance can be almost as important as the session itself.
Considerations for the Child to Participate in Clean Up
While the benefits are clear for CCPT therapists to take responsibility for clean up, there are also challenges to consider. A child might need the developmental experience of tidying after their playtime and this might be a valuable part of their treatment plan. Some parents prefer that children learn to clean up after play for personal or cultural reasons which are valid to the therapy process. Certain children could benefit from cleaning up a few toys to help them wind down and ease the end of session transition. The primary concern is the child’s emotional state. If a child is deeply distressed or overwhelmed, insisting on cleanup might not be therapeutic and could even be counterproductive. The therapist must carefully assess whether engaging the child in cleanup activities is suitable overall and in the moment.