The Child-Centred Way of Relating to Children
How we think about children shapes everything about how we relate to them — in the playroom, in the clinic, and at home. Child-centred play therapy begins not with techniques, but with a set of beliefs about who children are and what they are capable of. Landreth outlines ten tenets that together form the framework from which the therapist approaches every child.
Children are not miniature adults. The therapist does not respond to them as if they were.
Children are people. They are capable of experiencing deep emotional pain and joy.
Children are unique and worthy of respect. The therapist prizes the uniqueness of each child and respects the person the child is.
Children are resilient. Children possess a tremendous capacity to overcome obstacles and circumstances in their lives.
Children have an inherent tendency toward growth and maturity. They possess an inner intuitive wisdom.
Children are capable of positive self-direction. They are capable of dealing with their world in creative ways.
Children’s natural language is play. This is the medium of self-expression with which they are most comfortable.
Children have a right to remain silent. The therapist respects a child’s decision not to talk.
Children will take the therapeutic experience to where they need to be. The therapist does not attempt to determine when or how a child should play.
Children’s growth cannot be speeded up. The therapist recognises this and is patient with the child’s developmental process.
Together, these tenets reflect a way of being with children rather than doing something to them. The child in the playroom is not a problem to be solved but a whole person to be known. For many children, the experience of being genuinely seen, heard, and accepted is itself the beginning of change.
Reference
Landreth, G. L. (2012). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (4th ed.). Routledge.
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