Axline's principles
Virginia M Axline’s theory on Play Therapy
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 of the play and the therapist follows and does not make any decision for the child. The objectives of the non-directive play therapy are promoting children’s self-awareness and self-direction. The Eight basic principles by Axline (1969), can serve as a guide for therapeutic contact with children in practice of play therapy:
1) Develop a warm and friendly relationship.
2) Accepts the child as she or he is.
3) Establishes a feeling of permission in the relationship
4) Reflects back the feelings that the child is expressing
5) Respect the child’s ability and responsibility to make choices and institute change.
6) The Child leads the way, therapist follow
7) Do not attempt to hurry the therapy.
8) Establish few limitations that anchor to the reality
1) Developing warm and friendly relationship is essential for building rapport. It is a structuring process. The relationship building should start not only when the therapy session begins, but also when introducing and inviting child to participant the therapy.
In the initial contact, Smile, gentle voice tone, open-ended question, greeting conversation to show interests on the child, as a person can help on developing rapport.
In the session, to maintain warm and friendly
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 of the play and the therapist follows and does not make any decision for the child. The objectives of the non-directive play therapy are promoting children’s self-awareness and self-direction. The Eight basic principles by Axline (1969), can serve as a guide for therapeutic contact with children in practice of play therapy:
1) Develop a warm and friendly relationship.
2) Accepts the child as she or he is.
3) Establishes a feeling of permission in the relationship
4) Reflects back the feelings that the child is expressing
5) Respect the child’s ability and responsibility to make choices and institute change.
6) The Child leads the way, therapist follow
7) Do not attempt to hurry the therapy.
8) Establish few limitations that anchor to the reality
1) Developing warm and friendly relationship is essential for building rapport. It is a structuring process. The relationship building should start not only when the therapy session begins, but also when introducing and inviting child to participant the therapy.
In the initial contact, Smile, gentle voice tone, open-ended question, greeting conversation to show interests on the child, as a person can help on developing rapport.
In the session, to maintain warm and friendly