Play Therapy with Anya

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Virginia Axline, Carl Roger’s student and colleague, elaborated the principles and philosophy of Roger’s non-directive counselling approach in her work with children in 1947. The approach is rooted in the belief that every individual is on his/her own continuous and personal journey of growth, and at his/her own pace. In her work, Axline realised that self-directed play provides children with a chance to simply be themselves.

Play is a child’s symbolic language of self-expression, and is the most natural, dynamic, and self-healing process in which he/she can engage. Given that all children below the age of eleven years are yet to develop the neural pathways required for formal and structured language, they are unable express their emotions in verbal fluency. However, play is a process through which children can make sense of their experiences and feelings by using toys as metaphors; they find this approach safe as they are able to experience all parts of themselves and their personalities from a distance. By symbolically altering endings in play therapy children develop both their ideas of self and an inner shift towards conflict resolution thereby building their confidence in dealing with their environment through identification of appropriate coping mechanisms.

Axline is considered the originator of play therapy and much of current play therapy practice is based upon her work. She clearly outlined the therapist’s role in 8 principles which are followed during every session:

1. Must develop a warm and friendly relationship with the child.

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