{"podcast":{"title":"Play Therapy Parenting: Real Parenting Questions Answered by a Child Therapist","slug":"play-therapy-parenting-real-parenting-questions-answered-by-a-child-therapist-845974","podcast_index_feed_id":845974,"rss_url":"https://thekidcounselor.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"https://www.playtherapyparenting.com/","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/3/f/7/e/3f7ea3faa10dfb58d959afa2a1bf1c87/Play_Therapy_Parenting_Podcast_Coverart.jpg","author":"Brenna Hicks","episode_count":228,"summary":"Parenting can be confusing—especially when you're dealing with tantrums, anxiety, aggression, emotional outbursts, sibling conflict, ADHD concerns, school struggles, or behavior that just doesn't make sense. On the Play Therapy Parenting Podcast, child therapist Dr. Brenna Hicks answers real parenting questions and helps you understand what's really going on beneath your child's behavior. Each episode provides practical insight into emotions, development, behavior, and the parent-child relationship so you can respond with greater confidence and connection. No gimmicks. No parenting hacks. No Ads! Just straightforward guidance from over two decades of working with children and families.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-26T00:18:03.524200+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/play-therapy-parenting-real-parenting-questions-answered-by-a-child-therapist-845974"},"episode":{"title":"S4E1 - Can Children Develop Internal Motivation Without Rewards?","slug":"s4e1-can-children-develop-internal-motivation-without-rewards","published_at":"2026-06-02T12:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/play-therapy-parenting-real-parenting-questions-answered-by-a-child-therapist-845974/s4e1-can-children-develop-internal-motivation-without-rewards","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/play-therapy-parenting-real-parenting-questions-answered-by-a-child-therapist-845974","url":"https://thekidcounselor.libsyn.com/s4e1-can-children-develop-internal-motivation-without-rewards","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thekidcounselor/PlayTherapyParenting_4_1_InternalMotivation.mp3?dest-id=689050","summary":"In the first Q&A episode of Season 4, I answer a thoughtful question from a mom who is trying to help her eight-year-old daughter develop internal motivation for everyday responsibilities. We explore the difference between external rewards and the child-centered concept of choice giving, and why many parents misunderstand what choices are actually designed to accomplish. I explain how choices return responsibility to children, help them experience appropriate power and control, and allow them to learn from the outcomes of their decisions. I also discuss an important developmental reality: young children are not making decisions through logic and abstract reasoning the way adults do. Instead, they are driven primarily by emotions and experiences. Understanding this difference can transform the way we approach expectations, consequences, and motivation. This episode will help you better understand why choice giving remains one of the most effective tools for building responsibility, confidence, and an internal locus of control over time. Ask Me Questions: Call (813) 812-5525 , or email: brenna@thekidcounselor.com My New Book! Parent Companion for Play Therapy: Want to go deeper into the concepts discussed in this series? Check out Parent Companion for Play Therapy , created to help parents better understand their child, the play therapy process, and how lasting emotional growth takes place. https://www.amazon.com/Parent-Companion-Play-Therapy-Understanding/dp/B0H2D98F18/ My First Book: Device Detox: A Parent's Guide To Reducing Usage, Preventing Tantrums, And Raising Happier Kids https://a.co/d/bThnKH9 Podcast HQ: https://www.playtherapyparenting.com/ My Newsletter Signup: https://www.playtherapyparenting.com/newsletter/ My Podcast Partner, Gabb Wireless: https://www…","meta_description":"In the first Q&A episode of Season 4, I answer a thoughtful question from a mom who is trying to help her eight-year-old daughter develop internal mot…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":841,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/play-therapy-parenting-real-parenting-questions-answered-by-a-child-therapist-845974/episodes/s4e1-can-children-develop-internal-motivation-without-rewards/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/play-therapy-parenting-real-parenting-questions-answered-by-a-child-therapist-845974/s4e1-can-children-develop-internal-motivation-without-rewards.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}