S3E29 – Parent Companion for Play Therapy: Internalizing Behaviors (When Kids Keep It All Inside)
In this episode of the Parent Companion for Play Therapy series, I talk about internalizing behaviors and how they often go unnoticed because these kids keep everything inside. Internalizing children feel just as deeply as externalizing children, but instead of showing their distress outwardly, they stuff it. Over time, that stored-up emotion builds tension until it finally breaks through in a flood of tears or overwhelm. I explain how family roles, subtle pressure, and unmet needs often contribute to this pattern.
I also walk through what happens in the playroom for internalizing kids. In child-centered play therapy, they begin developing emotional vocabulary, ownership, and assertiveness. Instead of staying passive or believing they must hold everything together, they learn that their feelings can be expressed safely and that their needs can be met. Over time, they move toward balance — not stuffing emotions, and not exploding — but communicating them in healthy ways.
I also walk through what happens in the playroom for internalizing kids. In child-centered play therapy, they begin developing emotional vocabulary, ownership, and assertiveness. Instead of staying passive or believing they must hold everything together, they learn that their feelings can be expressed safely and that their needs can be met. Over time, they move toward balance — not stuffing emotions, and not exploding — but communicating them in healthy ways.
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