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Help! I Have Kids!
Help! I Have Kids! is the podcast for moms who are doing their best, asking all the right questions, and still wondering if something’s being missed. Hosted by Pam—a mom of five and pediatric occupational therapist with 35 years of experience—this show helps you trust your gut, advocate for your child, and partner with professionals without the overwhelm.
Each week, you’ll get practical tips, real-life stories, and heartfelt encouragement from experts and fellow moms who’ve been in your shoes. Because, as moms, we are the head of our child's medical team!
Help! I Have Kids!
What Is AutPlay Therapy? A Mom's Guide to Autism-Affirming Play Therapy
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Play therapy gets thrown around a lot — but most moms have no idea what it actually looks like, or whether it's even an option for their neurodivergent child. In this episode, Pam sits down with Allison, a marriage and family therapist working toward her Registered Play Therapist credential, who's also certified in AutPlay Therapy — a neurodiversity-affirming approach designed specifically for autistic and neurodivergent kids.
Allison breaks down what a real play therapy session looks like, how it's different from talk therapy, how she reads a playroom, and why "meeting the child where they are" — not changing them — is the whole point.
In this episode:
- What play therapy actually is (and isn't)
- Why play is how kids process their world, long before they can talk about it
- What AutPlay Therapy is and how it supports autistic and neurodivergent kids specifically
- What a typical session looks like, and how long treatment usually takes
- How to know therapy is working
- Pam's honest question every mom asks: "Is it really worth it?"
- How to find the right play therapist for your child — and what to ask them