British Journal of Play Therapy Vol. 8 (2012)
ABSTRACTS
pp 4-10
EXPLORING THE ART OF THE RELATIONSHIP:
AN INTERVIEW WITH GARRY LANDRETH
Natalya A. Lindo
University of North Texas, USA
Garry Landreth is nationally and internationally known for his significant contributions to the
development of play therapy. His extensive work in group counselling, play therapy and filial
therapy have resulted in more than 150 publications and videos. Landreth is also a founding
member of the Board of Directors of the Association for Play Therapy, and founder and
former Director of the Center for Play Therapy, the largest play therapy training programme in
the world. In this exclusive interview with one of his former colleagues, following his recent
retirement, Landreth outlines his personal and professional journey through the play therapy
world and beyond.
Keywords: Play therapy, filial therapy, group counselling
pp 12-20
‘LET’S START AT THE BEGINNING’:
IN PLAY THERAPY, HOW CAN THE INITIAL REACTIONS OF BOTH THE CHILD
AND THERAPIST IN THE BEGINNING PLAY HELP US FURTHER OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHILD AND OF THE RESPONSIVENESS OF THE
THERAPIST?
Simon Kerr-Edwards
Buckinghamshire, England
This paper looks at clinical material gathered at the very beginning of a play therapy
intervention. Play therapy literature that focuses on the beginning phase of play therapy is
examined and then some clinical vignettes from beginnings of therapy are presented. These
examples include the initial reactions of the child and the response of the therapist and from
this the author develops what he refers to as continua of understanding in order to examine
these experiences. There is some reflection about how these continua might be used to
develop greater understanding of the child and how therapists may reflect on their practice by
using this framework.
Key words: Play therapy, Children, Beginnings, Relationship and Expressive Continua
pp 22-37
WHAT USE IS FOOTBALL INSIDE THE NDPT PLAYROOM?
Hester Smith
Brighton, England
This study investigates how football functions as a process in the context of a non-directive
play therapy (NDPT) intervention; there is a particular focus on the therapeutic relationship.
NDPT practitioners’ views were sought through an on-line questionnaire followed up by a
selected sample of interviews. The research objectives were: to discover how football play
manifests in the NDPT playroom; how therapists perceive the value of football play; to explore
the role that football plays in the therapeutic relationship, and the therapist’s own relationship
with football. The findings show that football is a popular activity in the playroom, particularly
amongst boys. Participants saw the role of football in facilitating the play therapy relationship
as especially valuable and identified competition, confidence and competence as the play’s
most significant themes; however, it appears that children use the medium of football to
express a range of needs. This study addresses the ambivalence felt towards game play as a
therapeutic medium and the challenges it may pose for the therapist. It asks that football play
be given more consideration in both play therapy literature and training.
Key Words: Football; play therapy; games; relationship; process
pp 38-49
PLAYFUL PRACTICE IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH:
FINDING WAYS TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF SERVICES FOR CARE
LEAVERS WITH MILD TO MODERATE LEARNING DISABILITY
Sue Elmer
Leeds Trinity University College, England
Nick Frost
Leeds Metropolitan University, England
This article describes the methodological processes and the outcomes of an evaluation study
concerning young people identified as having mild to moderate learning difficulties. They were
resident in a community-based shared house being run by a voluntary sector organisation
and were being prepared for, or had just commenced, independent living. The researchers
wanted to ensure that the views of the young people were fully captured, that they were
empowered by taking part in the process and subsequently felt more able to express their
views about the services they receive. The particular needs of the young people, age 15-18,
meant that a standardised qualitative research method might not have sufficiently engaged
the young people. This article reports on how a structured play approach was used to ensure
the active involvement of the young people in the study. Play was an effective means of
ensuring that these participants consistently developed a shared understanding of meaning,
including giving informed ethical consent. The young people are typically identified as being
‘hard to engage’ and this approach reflected the pace and style of their own communication.
The complex issues raised both in the processes and outcomes are discussed, including
ethical dilemmas for the researchers, arising from the play based interviews.
Key words: Structured play, Learning disability, Care leavers
pp 50-65
‘I’M NOT SUCH A STRANGE CREATURE AFTER ALL’
HOW EXPERIENCED PLAY THERAPISTS VIEW THEIR PERSONAL THERAPY:
PART OF AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY
Julie McCann
London, England
The British Association of Play Therapists (BAPT) requires trainees to undergo personal
therapy and encourages personal therapy as part of continuing professional development.
Currently, BAPT play therapists are working towards voluntary government registration of
their profession and this is eliciting discussions with other play therapy bodies. The practice of
personal therapy during training and after qualification is a topic within this dialogue. While
there is a growing body of research into the impact of personal therapy on therapists in
general, no previous study has been carried out to investigate the phenomenon as viewed by
play therapists. The qualitative methodology employed in this project was interpretative
phenomenological analysis (IPA). Results were gathered from data collected from four play
therapists, and two of the three master themes are discussed. The analysis of transcripts
suggests that play therapists gain lasting benefits from their personal therapy. Participants
showed diverse views regarding their degree of openness about personal therapy and their
attitude towards it as an ongoing practice. Results are linked to extant literature and are
placed within the theoretical framework currently being formed by similar studies of therapists
of all disciplines. Implications for training and professional practice are given and proposals
for further research are suggested.
Keywords: personal therapy, play therapist, training, BAPT, IPA, interview