PSYC 441 Theories of Psychotherapy

1. PSYC 441 Theories of Psychotherapy Play Therapy #12 Dean Owen, Ph.D., LPCC METU-NCC Spring 2013

2. Play therapy is generally employed with children ages 3 to 11, play provides a way for children to express their experiences and feelings through a natural, self-guided, self-healing process. As children’s experiences and knowledge are often communicated through play, it becomes an important vehicle for them to know and accept themselves and others.

3. A bit about history…… “…you can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” Plato (429-347 B.C.)

4. Rousseau (1762), in his book ‘Emile’ wrote about the importance of observing play as a vehicle to learn about and understand children.

5. Froebel (1903), in his book ‘The Education of Man’ emphasized the importance of symbolism in play. He observed, “play is the highest development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in the child’s soul…. children’s play is not mere sport. It is full of meaning and import.” (Froebel, 1903, p.22)

6. The first documented case, describing the therapeutic use of play, was in 1909 when Sigmund Freud published his work with “Little Hans.” Little Hans was a five-year-old child who was suffering from a simple phobia. Freud saw him once briefly and recommended that his father take note of Hans’ play to provide insights that might assist the child. The case of “Little Hans” was the first case in which a child’s difficulty was related to emotional factors.

7. Hermine Hug-Hellmuth (1921) formalized the play therapy process by providing children with play materials to express themselves and emphasize the use of the play to analyze the child.

8. Melanie Klein (1955) began to implement the technique of using play as a means of analyzing children under the age of six. She believed that child’s play was essentially the same as free association used with adults, and that as such, it was provide access to the child’s unconscious. http://www.playtherapy.org.uk/Resources/Articles/ArticleMBIntro1.htm

9. Founder of Child Psychoanalysis Anna Freud (1946, 1965) utilized play as a means to facilitate positive attachment to the therapist and gain access to the child’s inner life. http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/annafreud.html www.annafreud.org/

10. In the 1930’s David Levy (1938) developed a technique he called release therapy. His technique emphasized a structured approach. A child, who had experienced a specific stressful situation, would be allowed to engage in free play. Subsequently, the therapist would introduce play materials related to the stress-evoking situation allowing the child to reenact the traumatic event and release the associated emotions. http://www.creativecounseling101.com/the-history-of-play-therapy.html

11. In 1955, Gove Hambidge expanded on Levy’s work emphasizing a “Structured Play Therapy” model, which was more direct in introducing situations. The format of the approach was to establish rapport, recreate the stress-evoking situation, play out the situation and then free play to recover. Extracted verbatim from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_therapy

12. Virginia Axline (1950) expanded on her mentors concepts. In her article entitled ‘Entering the child’s world via play experiences’ Axline summarized her concept of play therapy stating,… “A play experience is therapeutic because it provides a secure relationship between the child and the adult, so that the child has the freedom and room to state himself in his own terms, exactly as he is at that moment in his own way and in his own time” (Progressive Education, 27, p. 68).

13. Axline's Basic Principles of Non-Directive Play Therapy *Axline was influenced by the person centered approach of Carl Rogers. She is recognized 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'.

14. The therapist: 1. Must develop a warm and friendly relationship with the child. 2. Accepts the child as she or he is. 3. Establishes a feeling of permission in the relationship so that the child feels free to express his or her feelings completely. 4. Is alert to recognize the feelings the child is expressing and reflects these feelings back in such a manner that the child gains insight into his/her behaviour.

15. The therapist: 5. 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. 6. Does not attempt to direct the child’s actions or conversations in any manner. The child leads the way, the therapist follows. 7. Does not hurry the therapy along. It is a gradual process and must be recognized as such by the therapist. 8. 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.

16. Therapeutic Relationship Tenets for Relating to Children (by Virginia Axline): • Children are not miniature adults and the therapist does not respond to them as if they were. • Children are people.  They are capable of experiencing deep emotional pain and joy. • Children are unique and worthy of respect.  The therapist prizes the uniqueness of each child and respects the person they are. • Children are resilient.  • Children possess tremendous capacity to overcome obstacles and circumstances in their lives.

17. Children’s natural language is play and this is the medium of self-expression with which they are most comfortable. • Children have the right to remain silent.  The therapist respects a child’s decision not to talk. • Children will take the therapeutic experience to where they need to be.  The therapist does not attempt to determine when or how a child should play. • Children’s growth cannot be speeded up.  The therapist recognizes this and is patient with the child’s developmental process.

18. Play Therapy is the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial challenges and achieve optimal growth and development. A working definition might be a form of counseling or psychotherapy that therapeutically engages the power of play to communicate with and help people, especially children, to engender optimal integration and individuation.

19. Play Therapy is often used as tool of diagnosis. A play therapist observes a client playing with toys (play-houses, pets, dolls, etc.) to determine the cause of the disturbed behavior. The objects and patterns of play, as well as the willingness to interact with the therapist can be used to understand the underlying rationale for behavior both inside and outside the session.

20. Play therapy seems based upon the idea that through play, individuals feel particularly relaxed and can easily and naturally express emotions, beliefs, and confusions. Free Play: Play activity that is spontaneous with activities that originate from within the child (or individual) What do you do when you are stressed? Structured Play: Play activity that is orchestrated, supervised, guided, or in some way ordered and directed by a therapist for a particular outcome. Play is easily and naturally part of a child’s life but far more difficult for highly socialized, and overly controlled adults.

21. Play becomes an alternate means of communication and, in some ways, a more authentic expression of an individual’s needs, wants, thoughts, fears, and hopes. Play Therapy Builds a close and trusting relationship between the client and the counselor. Provides a non-verbal means for communicating.

22. Sandtray or Sandbox Therapy is a form of experiential workshop which allows greater exploration of deep emotional issues. Sandplay therapy is suitable for children and adults and allows them to reach a deeper insight into and resolution of a range of issues in their lives such as deep anger, depression, abuse, or grief.. Through a safe and supportive process they are able to explore their world using a sand-tray and a collection of miniatures. Accessing hidden or previously unexplored areas is often possible using this expressive and creative way of working which does not rely on “talk” therapy.

23. What is Sand play?Sand play is an experiential therapy used with all ages: children, adolescents, and adults and families. Hundreds of miniatures are available to the client to create a picture, scene or world in the sand tray. The sand tray is a 20” x 30” square box with interior sides painted blue to symbolize water and sky. Items available for use in sand play are representative of all elements in the natural world. Thus, there are items from nature, buildings, animals, people of all races and cultures, and many miscellaneous items that can be used to symbolize different ideas for the client. The client collects items and constructs a scene in the sand. When finished, a story is told about the scene created.

24. Because sandplay is a non-verbal therapy, often things represented in the sandtray are out of consciousness to the client. Sandplay uses symbols for communication, which are more powerful than words alone. New insights are made available to the client, or resolutions to problems are found through the use of sandplay over time. Clients feel more empowered through scene creation: putting a problem in a three dimensional world changes the problem and/or its perception by the client. Sandplay can be powerful therapy.

25. "Sand Tray participants are invited to create a diorama (a story or miniature world) by arranging toy people, animals, and other items in the sandtray. The therapist evaluates the participant's choice and use of objects to draw various conclusions about the subject's psychological health. This non-invasive method works especially well with those individuals who are young or have trouble comprehending and talking about difficult issues, such as domestic or child abuse, incest, or the death of a family member."

26. Play Therapy Toys

27. Play Therapy Art http://www.arttherapyblog.com/c/art-therapy-activities/ http://www.arttherapyblog.com/child-art-therapy/how-art-therapy-for-children-works/#.T5VwutlSR3s

28. Play therapy Builds upon the belief that play is the work of children and through that work they can express themselves ,also adults

29. Play therapy Encourages creativity…..”Finding new ways to connect old things…..and therein is the solution….

30. I ask you to weave play back into your life ….your work …your love …and all you do….everyday For play and laughter in counseling are likely as therapeutic as your wonderful words of wisdom…..and will be remembered far longer than anything you say…. Thanks for watching…D.Owen

31. References Sandplay Therapy: A Step-By-Step Manual for Psychotherapists of Various Orientations , B. Labovitz Boik, E. Anna Goodwin, Norton Press, New York, NY, 2000. Sandplay Studies: Origins, Theory and Practice, K. Bradway, K. Signell, G. Spare, C. Stewart, L. Stewart, C. Thompson, Sigo Press, Boston, MA 1981. Sandtray Worldplay: Comprehensive Guide to the Use of the Sandtray in Psychotherapy and Transformational Settings, Gisela De Domenico, Vision Quest, Oakland, CA 1988. Sandplay: A Psychotherapeutic Approach to the Psyche, Dora M. Kalff, Temenos Press, Cloverdale, CA 2003. Play in Childhood, Margaret Lowenfeld, MacKeith Press, London 1991. Introduction to Sandtray Therapy for Adult Victims of Trauma, Roberta G. Sachs, PHD. , Dissociative Disorders Program, 9600 Gross Point Road, Skokie, IL 60076 1992. Images Self: The Sandplay Therapy Process, of the Estelle L.Weinrib, Sigo Press, Boston, MA 1983. Journal of Sandplay Therapy, Sandplay Therapists of America PO Box 4847 Walnut Creek, CA

32. Resources Center for Play Therapy: University of North Texas, http://www.coe.unt.edu/cpt/prosindex.html http://www.play-therapy.com/ http://www.playtherapy.org/ Association for Play Therapy http://www.a4pt.org/