Play Therapy......................................

No single definition can fully comprehend the meaning of play. Rather all the definitions somehow overlap to give it a complete essence. Here are some of very interesting definitions of Play are-

Natural play has been described as 'pleasurable', 'intrinsically complete', 'independent from external rewards or other people', 'non-judgmental', 'with no goal', and 'person dominated.' 

Natural play has another interesting quality that it does not occur     in novel or frightening situation.  



Play is also explained as a 'process of development for a child.' 

It is considered as the mechanism for developing 'Problem-solving skills and competence skills.'






It is a process that allows children to' mentally digest' experiences and situations (Piaget,1969). 

It is an 'emotional laboratory' in which a child learns to cope with his/her environment (Erikson,1963). 

Play is a way that the child talks, with 'toys as his words' (Ginott,1961) 

It is a way to deal with behaviors and concerns through 'playing it out.' (Erikson,1963). 


Play is a natural medium for self expression that facilitates a child's communication and allows for a cathartic release of feelings. 

It is renewing and it is constructive, and it is also allows the adult a window to observe the child's world. 

Due to above mentioned qualities of play, it has become an appropriate modality for therapeutic intervention with children. 

Play allows children to:

- Use their most natural way of communication to express their experiences, worries, anxieties and concerns


- Find options that they may not have thought of otherwise.

- Develop a sense of control, a sense of confidence, a sense of power over their lives.

- Develop better interpersonal skills that facilitate their overall healthy adjustment. 

- Once children develop a sense of mastery over themselves and their behavior their self-worth becomes positive.

Difference between play & play therapy:

- In a play therapy the therapist builds a therapeutic relationship with the child in a way that the child starts internalizing a very different perception of self. 

- The therapist responds to the child as being adequate and the child starts to see himself as being adequate.

- The therapist cares and appreciates the child and the child starts to internalize that 'I am a person worthy of being cared for', 'I am lovable.' 

In the long run as the child begins to experience himself as being more adequate, more worthy, more lovable, he himself starts finding answers for his questions. 

It is very important to know that to develop this kind of therapeutic relationship with the child, where play becomes the child's language to convey his inner world and a medium for healing, an intensive training in mental health is required.

Styles of Play Therapy:

There are many styles of play therapy based on various theoretical orientations. However all the therapies can be groped under two main types-

- Directive:  'Making people change'

The therapist structures and creates the play situation, assumes responsibility for guidance and interpretation of play and leads the child in directions that are seen as beneficial. 

-Non-Directive or client centered or Non-intrusive-  'Helping people change'

it is a Humanistic Play Therapy developed by Axline (1969) based on the assumption that child will realize his/her  self-hood via his/her own map.

The therapist leaves the responsibility and direction of the play on the child. 

The child is allowed and encouraged to choose toys to play with and is given the freedom to develop or terminate any particular theme.

Non intrusive therapy has proved to be very effective with children in developing their self-actualizing potentials. However, sometimes both the styles are used in different phases of therapy depending on the clinical judgement of the therapist. 

Following are some of the issues addressed in play therapy:

• low self-esteem
• aggressiveness
• sadness
• anxiety
• nightmares
• social phobia
• difficulty playing in an age-appropriate way
• attention and engagement problems
• clumsiness
• separation problems
• withdrawn behavior
• self-consciousness
• misbehavior in school
• difficulty with peers
• lying
• temper tantrums
• adjustment to death, divorce, new baby, various handicaps
• sibling of a child with special needs
• sibling rivalry.