Virginia Mae Axline
Virginia Mae Axline, a 20th-century psychotherapist, is best known for the contributions that she made to play therapy for children as a pioneer. In the year 1969,Axline wrote the book Play Therapy in which she describes how toys of the playroom can aid in the growth of children. Axline offers vivid illustrations on how therapy can be implemented in play contacts.Children are more robust than adults assume them to be. The book extensively reveals how children, with the right support, can be enabled to move from being at the mercy of hidden feelings to gaining mastery over them.
Axline describes how young children act out of their joys and fears in plays. According to Axline, for a child to explore and express their emotions, they have to be in a secure setting that heightens positive growth. Play therapy is successful when there is the development of a close connection, acceptance as they are, the establishment of a feeling of permissiveness, identification, and observation of emotions, as well as the display of deep admiration for the child’s capacity to overcome obstacles. Therapists ought not to lead the client’s conversations, activities, or hasten the healing session. Still, they can set limitations that anchor the children to actuality and perception of responsibilities.
Axline makes perfect use of actual case histories based on explicit case materials of children referred for play therapy. The accounts of various examples of real play therapy sessions are given alongside discussions and critique of the methods used by the therapist. Her illustrations cover children of different ages, personalities, and problems, making it easier to apply her ideas. Many will find this book inspiring, intriguing, and informative. Some may, however, find it to be redundant, with one reading the same thing for several pages. The book may be a little outdated with language and thoughts from the 20th century, but excellent skills are well depicted in the book, which remains relevant to this day.
Play as a therapeutic intervention has been of great interest as more therapists acknowledge the rising number of adolescents and children who require professional help. The child’s self-efficacy and confidence are developed through skill acquisition, mastery of fears, and learning of new tasks. The role of therapists is to help their client release their emotions through action, solve problems through creative thinking, gain clarity regarding their abilities, feelings, and lives, as well as learn about themselves. To explore other strategies, children need to feel free. This model has helped lead to more healthy outcomes, e.g., reduction of anxiety and improved behavioral changes through the positive relationship in which a child learns to trust in themselves and others.
Clinically, this theory implies that therapists should not merely direct their clients to particular subjects and use interpretation to establish meaning.Practitioners can undertake therapy at a deeper level without necessarily making interpretive statements. In recent years, play therapy has emerged as a significant approach in the therapy field, and a variety of interventions have been developed based on Axline’s revelation. Today, play therapy is used with different populations with varying ages to treat multiple conditions and disorders. Therapists, therefore, when dealing with children, should make attempts to gain their trust, create a safe environment where the child can act as they want without any dismayed responses from observers and act without thinking that there may be a dismayed response from the observer.
Play Therapy is an excellent book for professionals, parents, teachers, and all who come into contact with children and interact with them on a much more personal and emotional basis. Anyone interested in childcare can learn about the effectiveness of reflection and acceptance of children’s feelings. Play therapy is an essential tool for the growth and development of a child. It is not just for children that have a form of difficulty in expressing themselves but applied for all children. Playing is what children do; hence it is their natural medium of self-expression and communication.All that atherapist needs to do to understand a child’s underlying issues is to observe the child’s play and assess their interactions during sessions.
Clinically, this theory implies that practitioners can undertake therapy at a deeper level without necessarily making interpretive statements. In recent years, play therapy has arisen as an essential strategy in the therapy domain, and a medley of mediations have been developed based on Axline’s revelation. Today, play therapy is used with distinct groups of different ages to treat multiple conditions and disorders. Therapists, therefore, when dealing with children, should make attempts to gain their trust, create a safe environment where the child can act as they want without any dismayed responses from observers and act without thinking that there may be a dismayed response from the observer.