Toy Story 5: For the Adults Raising Brains Still Under Construction
Episode Description Dr Kate Renshaw sits down with fellow APPTA Registered Play Therapist (RPT™) Caz Hynes to unpack what Toy Story 5 gets right, about childhood in the age of AI companions. From Bonnie's shifting attention toward Lilypad, a talking AI tablet, to a sleepover scene that captures exactly what's lost when screens do the socialising, this episode moves through doll play and theory of mind, the "cortical complexity gap" between adult and child brains, and why the drawer of retired...
13 Jul 2026
Freedom to Play: Supporting Neurodivergent Children with Meg Ellard
Episode Summary In this episode, Dr Kate Renshaw (Dr Play) is joined by Meg Ellard, Senior Play Therapist and Clinical Lead at Playroom Therapy, and newly elected APPTA Board Member. Meg brings both clinical expertise and lived experience as a neurodivergent practitioner to a rich conversation about what neuro-affirming practice actually looks like — in the playroom, in schools, and at home. Together they explore what neurodiversity really means (it's broader than you might think), why reject...
7 Jul 2026
More Than a Kit: Medical Play, Multi-Tiered Support and Why Both Matter
Guest BioMary Jenner, is a nurse, healthcare innovator, and founder of The Butterfly Pig, a company dedicated to transforming children’s healthcare experiences through play-based education and trauma-informed tools. Her educational tools are used by over 150 hospitals worldwide, and by tens of thousands of families. She is also the host of the Care Rewritten podcast, deepening her mission to end preventable medical trauma in children — not by asking overstretched clinicians to do more, but by...
9 Dec 2025
Bringing Research Home: Monica Jones on Evidence-Informed Play Resources
Episode Description What happens when a research analyst with expertise in paediatric immunology turns their attention to creating developmentally sensitive resources for families? In this conversation, Dr Kate sits down with Monica Jones from My Binkie Bear to explore how rigorous research translates into joyful, practical tools that support children through life's transitions. Monica shares her unique journey from reviewing academic literature on child development to designing playfu...
8 Aug 2025
The Car That Takes a Detour: How Tiny Surprises Transform Ordinary Play
What if science could demonstrate that authentic connection between parent and child creates literal brain synchronization? In this fascinating conversation, Dr. Kate Renshaw welcomes Dr. Ezgi Kayhan Wagner founder of Mumbi, neuroscientist and clinical psychologist to explore the remarkable intersection of brain science and playful parenting. Dr. Ezgi reveals groundbreaking insights about what happens in our brains when we sit down to play with our children, why stressed parents struggle to f...
5 Jul 2025
From Sandboxes to Sustainability: Children's Play-Based Wisdom
Dr Kate Renshaw 'aka' Dr Play in conversation with guest, Rachel Parker on the topic of the relationship between global citizenship and play. Rachel Parker is the Founder of Global Play Lab and Voice of the Child Foundation Lead at Murdoch Children's Research Institute. Her experience includes: 20+ years in educational programming and researchInternational work with Lego Foundation, UNICEF, and the Australian GovernmentEpisode Highlights The Natural Global Citizen Children naturally value ani...
22 Jun 2025
From Wilderness to Windowsill: Harnessing Nature's Therapeutic Powers Anywhere
Industry experts explore nature-based play therapy, highlighting Australian research and practical methods for therapists to help children heal and thrive using natural resources.
8 Jun 2025
The Play Therapy Partnership That Changed Two Careers Forever
Dr. Kate Renshaw and Jenny Bowers discuss their play therapy partnership, revealing how it evolved into advocating for educational supervision and unlocked professional insights for educators in this interview.
23 May 2025
The Fight for Therapeutic Choice: Play Therapists Advocating for Children
Dr. Kate Renshaw interviews Natalie (Nat) Scira about the future of play therapy in Australia, highlighting challenges and opportunities facing the profession and their NDIS advocacy work.
16 May 2025
Coming Full Circle: How Play Shapes Friendships, Therapists and Parents
The host of “Dr Play”, Dr. Kate Renshaw chats with fellow Play Therapist Caz Hynes Episode highlights: Personal Journey: Caz Hynes shares her path from psychology studies to nursing and finally to play therapy, describing it as coming "full circle" to where she always wanted to be professionally.Friendship Foundation: Dr. Kate Renshaw and Caz reflect on their decades-long friendship that began in university, where Kate helped Caz discover the importance of play and lightness in life.Professio...
15 May 2025
Sweet Beginnings: From Fruitcake Mishaps to Community Impact
Episode highlights: How small interactions can lead to significant community changeThe importance of mentorship and connection in both personal and professional settingsHow Operation Presidium emerged from simple conversations to address complex community issuesThe contrast between traditional community support systems and today's time-pressured realityHow play and simple acts of kindness can rebuild community connections
24 Jun 2024
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Who has been a guest on Dr Play
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dr Kate Renshaw
Jenny Bowers
Natalie (Nat) Scira
Reach and audience
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Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 8 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
3
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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