Pondering Play and Therapy Podcast

About Pondering Play and Therapy Podcast

In a world where play can be seen as frivolous or unnecessary, Julie and Philippa set out to explore its importance in our everyday lives. Pondering play and therapy, both separately but also the inter-connectedness that play can in its own right be the very therapy we need. Julie and Philippa have many years of experience playing, both in their extensive professional careers and their personal lives. They will share, ponder, and discuss their experiences along the way in the hope that this might invite others to join in playfulness.

Publisher

Julie and Philippa

Category

health & fitness · kids & family · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Nov 2024

Latest episode

16 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

84 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Oct 2026

   Understanding Bodies in Motion: Occupational Therapy for Neurodivergent Kids. With Georgie Leeson.

   In this episode of Pondering Play and Therapy, host interviews Georgie, a children’s occupational therapist from Little Peaks OT, about her move from NHS roles into independent practice to address a gap in sensory processing support. Georgie explains OT as helping children overcome barriers to everyday “occupations” (e.g., dressing, handwriting, cutlery, sitting in lessons) through play-led, child-centred therapy, focusing on strengths and confidence. She describes sensory regulation as helpi...

2. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Unlocking Empathy: Play as a Catalyst in Therapy and Social Work. With Pete Ayling

   Julie interviews play therapist and social work lecturer Pete Ayling about how playfulness supports understanding, empathy, and perspective-taking for children and adults. Pete describes his roles teaching social work students, supervising play therapists, and quality-assuring UK play therapy training, and reflects on play in his life through relationships, arts, nature, and identity exploration. They discuss play as symbolic representation that can loosen thinking when experiences are hard t...

3. 

   2 Oct 2026

   Pathways to Recovery: Lee Smith on Reforming Children's Mental Health

   Philippa interviews Lee Smith, a mental health nurse with 30 years’ experience in Tier 4 inpatient children’s services, whose NHS roles included ward management, clinical specialist and consultant posts. Lee describes entering nursing via an interest in psychology, working in forensic CAMHS, and helping rehabilitate highly detained young people through structured leave and relationship-based work. He explains CAMHS tiers 1–4, the emergence of psychiatric intensive care units, and how detentio...

Who has been a guest on Pondering Play and Therapy Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dr Karen Treisman
• Philippa Kelly
• Alan Herron
• Sara Amanda
• Dr Vanessa Lapointe

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

862

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Spotify

5.0 / 5

10 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 52 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

47

Social presence

91

YouTube

66

Engagement

32

Contact Pondering Play and Therapy Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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Questions about Pondering Play and Therapy Podcast