Child-Centered Play Therapy is based on Carl Rogers' Client-Centered Therapy. Carl Rogers' principles were adapted to play therapy by Virginia Axline in the late 1940s. Child-Centered Play Therapy, the foundations of which were laid by Axline, was later made more systematic by Garry Landreth.
Child-Centered Play Therapy prefers to focus on the relationship instead of the child's problems. It believes that this relationship will activate the child's healing power. The child heals through the toys in the carefully prepared play therapy room.
Which toy the child chooses and which game the child plays is determined entirely by the child. It is believed that the child's internal play guidance will be more beneficial than the therapist's external guidance.
In the CCOT, the child instead of the problem, the present instead of the past, emotions instead of thoughts and actions, understanding instead of explanation, acceptance instead of correction are important. Instead of the therapist giving commands, the child manages the therapeutic process. The main force for change is not the therapist's knowledge, but the child's inner resources and wisdom. Child-centered play therapy is a very functional opportunity for the child to grow. Since play is the most natural means of self-expression, the child has the opportunity to release accumulated emotions such as tension, frustration, insecurity, aggression, fear, confusion and bewilderment through play.
Through play, these emotions are released; the child confronts them, learns to control them and moves away from them. When he or she achieves emotional release, the child begins to feel the strength to be himself or herself, to think for himself or herself, to make his or her own decisions, to mature psychologically and thus to realize his or herself.
