Virginia Axline

Virginia M. Axline (1911 - 1988) was a psychologist and the creator of Play Therapy. She wrote the book "Dibs In Search Of Self". She was also the author of "Play Therapy".

Current Play Therapy practice is still largely based on Virginia Axline's work. In the 1940s Virginia Axline began to develop nondirective play therapy, the principles of which were based on Carl Rogers' newly-emerging person-centred approach. In her first published work she establishes the eight basic principles of nondirective play therapy (Axline, 1947 & 1989, 69-70):

1. The therapist must develop a warm, friendly relationship with the child, in which good rapport is established as soon as possible.

2. The therapist accepts the child exactly as he is.

3. The therapist establishes a feeling of permissiveness in the relationship so that the child feels free to express his feelings completely.

4. The therapist is alert to recognise the feelings the child is expressing and reflects those feelings back to him in such a manner that he gains insight into his behaviour.

5. The therapist maintains a deep respect for the child's ability to resolve his own problems if given an opportunity to do so. The responsibility to make choices and to institute changes is the child's.

6. The therapist does not attempt to direct the child's actions or conversation in any manner. The child leads the way; the therapist follows.

7. The therapist does not attempt to hurry the therapy along. It is a gradual process and is recognised as such by the therapist.

8. The therapist establishes only those limitations that are necessary to anchor the therapy to the world of reality and to make the child aware of his responsibility in the relationship.' [Axline, Virginia (1989). Play Therapy. London: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1947.)]

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