The Importance Of Gestalt Play Therapy

Play therapy is a form of therapy where children can’t act out their fantasies and express their feelings or experiences and are simply encouraged to do so through play, abetted by a therapist's interpretations.

Virginia M. Axline (1911-1988) was an American psychologist. She was a student of Carl Rogers (1942), who is the founder of non-directive therapy and today referred as person- centred therapy. Axline developed non-directive play therapy, which applied Carl R Roger’s person-centred therapy principle in play therapy. It based on theory that the child’s behaviours is constantly caused by drive for self-realization. In Axline’s books, Dibs in Search of Self (1964) and Play Therapy (1947), she demonstrated different cases of using play therapy. In summary of non-directive play therapy, child chooses the theme, content and the process

Gestalt theory, is concerned with the whole person, encouraging a balance between body, feeling, intellect and imagination. The Gestalt approach in psychotherapy understands people as being inextricably linked with their environments, both affected by and affecting the context in which a person lives. Here and Now, experiments, creativity and imagination are concepts linked with the theory and practice of Gestalt.

The paper topic is focused on how play therapy can help children develop their behavioral and emotional structures. The primary research question for the paper is Can Play Therapy help children with emotional and behavioral issues get better? The primary hypotheses for this paper are: If play therapy can help a child overcome his self-esteem issues, then it can help the child grow emotionally and if play therapy can help a child overcome his self-esteem issues, then it can help the child grow a strong behavioral structure. The paper is divided into an introduction which gives a brief background of the topic, literature review which focuses on the results of 10 recent studies with familiar topics, the methods section, and the results sections which provides the primary results of the study and the discussions section which illustrates the lessons learnt from conducting this study as well as the differences and limitations of the study alongside the new directions that similar researches in the future could look to explore.

10). According to Landreth (2012), “Play therapy… facilitates the development of a safe relationship for the child… to fully express and explore self (feelings, thoughts, experiences, and behaviors) through play, the child’s natural medium of communication, for optimal growth and development”

The crucial C’s of Adlerian play therapy are I feel Connected, I am Capable, I Count, and I have Courage. Feeling connected to others, being self-reliant, perceiving

Children often face various mental health issues when they are growing up. These issues include anxiety, trauma, depression and now even autistic children. Treating young children of these conditions has been a great challenge over time. Therapy can help give children the opportunity to express their feelings through play. According to the Association for Play Therapy (2002), play therapy is a "systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process in which trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development." Although various studies have been conducted in regards to play research, there is no link that has been given between play therapy and the success of an individual later in life.

Therapists' Attitudes in the Field. International Journal of Play Therapy. 20 (2): 51-65, DOI: 10.1037/z0023410.

According to a leading expert in Play Therapy, Landreth (2014) believes firmly that the focus of therapy needs to be on the child not on the client, and children are the best teachers for the

A field that has seen rapid growth in the last few decades is child therapy. Unlike adult therapy which can be as simple as a conversation between peers, child therapy presents a variety of new barriers. One barrier faced by child therapists is understanding behaviors that come from individuals on a different developmental level than themselves. Techniques and conversations that can be readily applied to adults by therapists are lost on children. Additionally with disorders that effect communication and connection, all attempts previously used would be null and void. Unfortunately, the individuals who would benefit from therapy the most are the ones who present these barriers. In an effort to make up for these deficits, play therapy was introduced as a way to transcend language barriers and aid the child in becoming self-aware on their own.

The topic of this book is how play therapy can help a child who has been in isolation, and self-discovery. Axline supports this view in various ways throughout the book. She explains her reasoning for not interrupting Dibs and gives many examples of using counseling skills. Axline’s style is formal and the chapters are clearly organized. There is a chapter for each play therapy session. She describes Dibs’ activities captivatingly, making the book engaging to read and showing that she, too, is engaged with Dibs (counsellorjen/wordpress).

Virginia Axline’s work in Child-Centered Play Therapy stemmed from the Person-Centered theoretical orientation of Carl Rogers. She shared the perspective in which the value of the therapeutic nature is derived from the recognition by the individual as a capable being and the realization of responsibility. A desired goal of therapy is understanding, which

Play is a way for children to learn about their environment and how interaction occurs within. It is through trial and error that children are able to create options; follow their own interests and show “independence in thought and actions” using their knowledge and understanding (Moyles, 2005, p.3). Children develop resilience though play. However for a number of children can experience stressful occurrences during their lives and play can often be restricted. Therefore the play worker’s role in supporting children’s play is a crucial measure towards children's development. For those that work with children require the dexterity to prompt and contribute to children’s play, which can be seen as a principle aspect of therapeutic alliance.

In the selected case study, The mode of therapeutic intervention will take the Gestalt Play Therapy focus. The interaction between Jacob and I will be an open dialogue with straightforward caring, warmth, acceptance, and self-responsibility that specifically focuses on inclusion, with me fully present in the experience of Jacob, where I will not judge, analyze, or interpret what is observed. My presence refers to expressing observations, preferences, feelings, personal experience, and thoughts to Jacob. Commitment to dialogue will present the opportunity to encourage a sense of connection between Jacob and me. Our dialogue will be active and nonverbal or verbal. It can be any modality that expresses and moves

The primary aim of the gestalt play therapist is to help children become aware of their unique process. The focus is on the experience of the process, what children do and how they do it, which they are, what they feel and what they want. Acceptance of this leads to the realization that they can personally make choices and experiment with new behavior. Gestalt play therapy focuses on children’s direct experience in the here and now. The therapist’s goal is to facilitate the client’s awareness of their process. (Corey, 2000)