Many children need support in emotional literacy. Others have behaviour or mental health problems at some stage that prevents them from fulfilling their full potential. The conditions and problems that have been alleviated by play therapy are listed on 'Your Child's Problems' page.
Some studies indicate that 20% of children have some form of psychological problem and that 75% of these are helped through the use of psychological based therapies such as play and creative arts. The 2004 British government survey estimated that 10% of all children have a mental health problem. It is also essential to realise that mental health, like physical health, is as much about prevention as cure.
Axline's Basic Principles of Non-Directive Play Therapy
Much of current play therapy practice is based upon Virginia Axline’s work*. The therapist:
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Develop's a warm and friendly relationship with the child.
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Accepts the child as she or he is.
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Establishes a feeling of permission in the relationship so that the child feels free to express his or her feelings completely.
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Is alert to recognise the feelings the child is expressing and reflects these feelings back in such a manner that the child gains insight into his/her behaviour.
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Maintains a deep respect for the child’s ability to solve his/her problems and gives the child the opportunity to do so. The responsibility to make choices and to institute change is the child’s.
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Does not attempt to direct the child’s actions or conversations in any manner. The child leads the way, the therapist follows.
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Does not hurry the therapy along. It is a gradual process and must be recognised as such by the therapist.
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Only establishes those limitations necessary to anchor the therapy to the world of reality and to make the child aware of his/her responsibility in the relationship.
In applying these principles a practitioner uses a comprehensive 'Play Therapy Tool-Kit' which will enable the therapist to follow the child's lead.
*Axline was influenced by the person centred approach of Carl Rogers. She is recognised as the originator of non directive Play Therapy. Her well known book 'Dibs: In Search of Self' written in 1964 which describes how she worked with Dibs and how he was able to heal himself over a period of time is an excellent introduction to the subject. Axline in turn influenced Violet Oaklander who added a gestalt therapy approach to play therapy and extended the 'tool-kit' concept as described in her book 'Windows to Our Children'.
The techniques and methods are the tools in the tool-kit of a play therapist or a practitioner of therapeutic play. The more skills or tools a therapist has the better she/he can adapt to new situations, difficulties or problems and follow the lead given by children in the sessions .
These tools are also resources. However it is no use knowing the theory of a tool without the practical experience of using it, initially under safe conditions. This is why Play Therapy UK (PTUK) places great emphasis on practical and experiential play therapy training which normally takes two years to accomplish. The play therapy tool-kit is based upon a set of competencies described in the Professional Structure Model (PSM) developed by PTUK.
The main 'tools' are:
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