There are eight principles of play therapy derived from Garry Landreth and Virginia Axline. These are things I like to keep in mind when using play therapy, but I also think about how each client may need something different and allow for that flexibility. The eight principles are:
- The therapist is genuinely interested in the child and develops a warm, caring relationship
- The therapist experiences unqualified acceptance of the child and does not wish that the child were different in some way
- The therapist creates a feeling of safety and permissiveness in the relationship so the child feels free to explore and express self completely
- The therapist is always sensitive to the child’s feelings and gently reflects those feelings in such a way that the child develops self understanding
- The therapist believes deeply in the child’s capacity to act responsible, unwaveringly respects the child’s ability to solve personal problems, and allows the child to do so
- The therapist trusts the child’s inner direction, allows the child to lead in all areas of the relationship and resists any urge to direct the child’s play or conversation
- The therapist appreciates the gradual nature of the therapeutic process and does not attempt to hurry the process
- The therapist establishes only those therapeutic limits which help the child accept personal and appropriate relationship responsibility