History
Psychoanalysis Melanie Klein, a leading proponent of child psychology was one of the founders of play therapy. She developed the technique during the 1930s and demonstrated how children articulated their feelings through the act of playing. During the 1960s Virginia Axline developed the approach by adapting Carl Roger's person centred theories for work with children. The result was non-directive play therapy, which has had a large impact on the practice of child therapy over the last thirty years.
Approach
It is a form of expressive therapy. Play therapists encourage children to use play to work through emotional difficulties. During sessions they will asses how the child reacts to events and people in their world, taking a directive or non-directive approach. Practitioners attempt to provide children with a favourable environment for them to understand and communicate their feelings without feeling pressured or interrogated
How can it help?
Play Therapy is used to help children deal with problems such as divorce, bereavement and sexual abuse. It is also suitable for adolescents and adults, especially those who have difficulty in making sense of, or expressing their emotions. It has also proved effective for sufferers of verbal impairment.
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