Play Therapy 1928.
She was also the first to recognize
that children should have a different
Prepared by Nursing Students of Mabini
method of therapy (i.e. play therapy)
Colleges
than the traditional adult therapy.
Clinical Instructor: Ma’am Susan Anna Freud saw that a play therapist can
Castaneda actual gain access to a child’s inner world
when they are playing.
1930’s
What is Play Therapy?
Margaret Lowenfeld was a psychiatrist
Play therapy is a psychotherapeutic
who worked with children. She used
approach primarily used to help the
pieces from the Orson Wells’ board game
clients to explore their lives and freely
to allow children to play in her play
express repressed thoughts and
therapy sessions.
emotions through play.
With Margaret’s help Great Britain
Therapeutic play normally takes place in;
became a stronghold for child
o Safe
psychotherapy and play therapy. She
o comfortable
was the first person to use the Sand Tray
o Very few rules or limits are
Therapy and called it “World Play.” This
imposed
was based on her studies with Carl Jung.
o Encouraging free expression and
1930’s David Levy came up with “Release
allowing the therapist to observe
Therapy.” He said that play therapy helps
their choices
children relive traumatic events by using
o Decisions
toys in play therapy. Then the child can
o Play style
release the negative emotions.
When the Play Therapy Begun?
1940’s
Ancient times
Around the 1940’s Carl Rogers
The History of play therapy begins a few established a psychotherapy called
thousand years ago with Plato. “You can “person centered therapy.” This was the
discover more about a human being in an basis for “child centered play therapy.”
hour of play than a year of conversation.” He looked deeply at the relationship of
Plato (429 - 347 B.C.). the child and play therapist and believed
Sigmund Freud was actually the first child that this was one of the catalyst to induce
play therapist when he worked with Little healing.
Hans and his case of anxiety. Freud’s
1944
prescription was for the father to take the
boy and allow him to play. The Sand Tray Therapy was used in play
therapy.
1928
1949
The daughter of Sigmund Freud named
Anna Freud used play therapy to replace Buck’s House-Tree-Person Technique
free association (talk therapy) around used in play therapy.
1960’s modify play therapy to play
counseling in order to help
Brought "Filial Play Therapy" to the
students with needs thrive in
forefront by Bernard and Louise
school. More intensive therapy
Guerney: This teaches the parent or
should be referred to an outside
caregiver to use child centered play
counselor.
therapy at home.
o All of the above play therapists
1970’s realized that children are not
miniature adults! Colleges and
Virgina Axline came up with “non-
Universities are also seeing the
directive play therapy.” She also
benefits of training mental health
developed eight principals of therapeutic
professionals in play therapy.
relationships to help play therapist work
with their young play therapy clients. Melanie Klein Contributions in Play
Therapy
1950’s – 1980’s
Klein was innovative in working directly
Clark Moustakas was also concerned with
with children, often as young as two
the relationship between the play
years old.
therapist and the play therapy client.
She saw children’s play as their primary
1990 up to the Present Years mode of emotional communication.
During a play, klein documented their
Garry Landreth wrote the book known as
activities and interactions, then
the “Bible of play therapy”. Garry
attempted to interpret the unconscious
Landreth writes about the concerned
meaning behind their play.
about the relationship between play
Following Freud, she emphasized the
therapy client and the play therapist. He
significant role that parental figures
is also a follower and promoter of the
played in the child’s fantasy life.
”non-directive play therapy approach.
She consider that the timing of Freud’s
Gove Hambridge developed “Directive
Oedipus complex is incorrect. She
Play Therapy” and called it, “Structured
concluded that superego was present
Play Therapy.” He encouraged rapport,
from birth.
stressful event recreations in play
Exploration of ultra-aggressive fantasies
therapy, and then use play to recover.
of hate, envy, and greed in a very young
School Based Play Therapy: Muro,
and disturbed children.
Landreth, and Alexander encouraged
She proposed model of the human
school counselors to start play therapy in
psyche that linked significant oscillation
the schools to help children with
of state.
emotional issues.
She named the state of psyche, when the
o They took therapy out of private
sustaining principle of life is in
practice and put it into the
domination, the depressive position.
schools.
o This is her great contribution to
o However, school counselors
psychoanalytic thought.
should be trained in this area and
She later developed her ideas about an Encourage self-expression and facilitate
earlier developmental psychological state the learning of positive behaviors.
corresponding to the disintegrating Full Participation and Cooperation
tendency of life, which she called the Reduce stress of the clients
paranoid-schizoid position. Play therapy usually occurs in weekly
She states that aggression is an sessions for an average of 20 sessions
important force on its own right when lasting 30 to 45 minutes each
analysing children brought her into
conflict with anna freud.
How Play Therapy Work
What is the Goal of the Play Therapy?
Play therapy responds to the unique
The goal is to help clients to learn to
developmental needs of the clients, who
express themselves in healthier ways,
often express themselves better through
become more respectful and
play activities than through verbal
empathetic, and discover new and
communication.
more positive ways to solve problems.
The therapist uses play and other
When It's Used creative activities to communicate with
the clients and observe how the clients
Therapeutic play helps the clients
uses these activities to express thoughts
with social or emotional deficits learn
and feelings that are not expressed in
to communicate better
words.
Change their behavior
There are two approaches to play
Develop problem-solving skills
therapy:
Relate to others in positive ways. It is
o Nondirective play therapy
appropriate for clients undergoing or
o Directive Therapy
witnessing stressful events in their
lives, such as;
o Serious illness or
Nondirective Play Therapy is based on
hospitalization
the principle that clients can resolve
o Domestic violence
their own issues given the right
o Abuse
conditions and the freedom to play with
o Trauma
limited instruction and supervision.
o Family crisis, or an upsetting
Directive play therapy uses more input
change in their environment.
from the therapist to help speed up
Play therapy can help clients with
results. Play therapists use both
academic and social problems, learning
approaches, depending on the
disabilities, behavioral disorders, anxiety,
circumstances.
depression, grief, or anger, as well as
those with attention deficit disorders or What to Look for in a Play Therapist
who are on the autism spectrum.
Play therapists are well-trained in client’s
What to Expect during Play Therapy development, attachment, and the use of
play as a way to communicate with the
clients.
The play therapist should also be trained
in a recognized therapeutic approach,
such as;
o child-centered,
o cognitive-behavioral
o Adlerian, or Gestalt therapy.
In addition to finding someone with the
appropriate educational background and
relevant experience, look for a therapist
with whom you feel comfortable working
on personal and family issues.
Play Therapy o The client must raise hands for
further questions about the
It is a therapeutic use of self through
mechanics of the play
engagement of self to the play to be
given. Process:
Purpose of this Therapy 1. Put on the name tags
a. Make sure that the name tags
To be able explore the lives of the clients
must be removed or secured
To Freely express repress of thoughts
during play therapy to prevent
and feelings
distraction during the therapy
To assess and evaluate their cognitive,
2. The facilitators will introduce their selves,
social, emotional development
then afterwards the client will introduce
To reduce stress
their selves too.
To discover new form of treatment that
3. House rules will be introduced by the
will be able to solve the client’s problems
facilitator
What are the today’s activity? a. The client will be instructed to
listen very carefully to the
Human caterpillar
mechanics of the game
Paper plate relay
b. The facilitator will ask the clients if
Ping pong ball race
they want to pee or drink before
Things to Remember the activity to minimize the
distraction during play therapy.
Make sure that you select a play
c. The facilitator must instruct the
appropriate to the client’s age.
clients to raise their hands if they
o The play must not be complicated.
want to answer the given
o The play must be fit to the
questions
purpose of the play therapy
4. The facilitator will ask the date, day, and
Groupings of the clients or clients must
climate.
be randomly selected by the facilitator
5. Ask about what is the activity for the day?
Make sure that you reward the clients
6. The facilitator will explain what Play
even they win or lose.
Therapy is.
Make sure that the guidelines of the play
7. Gather the patients in a safe
can be easily understand by the clients.
environment.
Always thank them for their participation
8. Give the mechanics of the play or let the
Make sure that the area that you will
clients read the mechanics of the play,
select must be free from harm and
then the facilitator must explain it
distraction.
afterwards.
Recognition of the client’s participation
a. Ask each clients what is the
during the activity.
mechanics of the games
Always ask if they understand the given
(demonstration of the clients can
mechanics
be considered a form of
9. Make sure that the facilitator
demonstrate the mechanics of the game,
so the clients will fully understand the
mechanics of each game.
10. Make sure that the facilitator must
ensure their clients safety during the
play.
11. Reward the clients who win and
lose the game.
12. What to ask to the client?
a. What do you feel during the play
therapy?
b. Do you think it can be able to help
you and your condition?
c. How will this therapy can be able
to help you?
13. Always thank the clients for their
participation during the activity.
