Adlerian Play Therapy

Adlerian Play Therapy
“Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul” (Friedrich Froebel, 2012). Play can be compared to an open door to gaining knowledge on how children view their environment and themselves. Since play is a natural expression for children, the utilization of such technique could prove to be useful in counseling children with a varying degree of behavioral, emotional, or mental issues. Moreover, throughout the years, there has been a number of theoretical approaches to play therapy, other than the child center approach. Therefore, this paper will explore the philosophy, role of the therapist, and counseling techniques of Adlerian play therapy.
In other words, people possess a strong desire and need to connect and belong within their environments, such as in their families and other social habitats. Depending on the social skills of the child, he or she may make negative or positive connections with others and his or her environment. If negative connections are made, maladaptive behaviors may arise. Nonetheless, another vital concept is that behavior has a purpose (Kottman, 2001). One study concluded that the goals for children’s misbehavior stems from craving attention, power, revenge, and proving inadequacy (Kottman, 2001). As a former preschool teacher, I can recall a three year old girl who exhibited the classic signs of neglect. Her mother, who had just given birth to son, appeared to not have any energy or time to spare with the three year old girl. Therefore, the girl would misbehave in the classroom by displaying defiant and disrespectful behavior. Eventually the family hired an au pair to help with the household and it was evident that the little girl was now receiving the attention that she desired. Her behavior changed drastically and she was a happier little girl. This particular case is a prime example of how misbehavior can form because of lack of
For example, the concept of ‘spitting in the soup’ seems to be a bit harsh when dealing with young children. I am uncertain at what age such technique would be useful because confronting young children may not be as effective. They may not be developmentally ready to accept such confrontation. On the same token, using this technique with the parents may not sit well. As parents who are at their wits end, pointing out how their parenting style may be causing their child’s maladaptive behavior may cause them to go into defensive mode. When parents are defensive, they may choose to pull their child out of therapy and seek out other solutions, which may prolong the child’s healing. A positive aspect within this theory is how the therapists actually teaches new skills to replace old ones. Additionally, although I understand the concept of not having the child clean up after his or her session within the Child-centered approach, the method used in Adlerian play therapy also has its benefits. Cleaning up is not viewed as a punishment, but rather as a means to strengthen the relationship between the therapist and child. The child is given the power to direct how the toys and materials will be cleaned up. Since children like to feel like they are in control over certain things, providing them with this opportunity could prove to be beneficial for both