Adlerian Play Counseling

1
Adlerian Play Counseling

• The Case of Brady

2
Basic Principles

• - All behavior is purposeful and goal-directed.
• - People have feelings of inferiority.
• - People are socially embedded and have a desire
  to belong.
• - People are self-determined and creative.
• - People are unique, integrated, holistic
  systems.
• - Reality is subjective.

3
Phases of Therapy

• - Phase 1 Building an Egalitarian
• Relationship
• - Phase 2 Exploring the Childs Lifestyle
• - Phase 3 Helping the Child Gain Insight into
  His/Her Lifestyle
• - Phase 4 Reorienting and Reeducating the
  Child

4
Categories of Toys

• - Family/Nurturing Toys
• - Scary Toys
• - Aggressive Toys
• - Expressive Toys
• - Pretend/Fantasy Toys

5
Goals of Misbehavior

• - Attention
• - Power
• - Revenge
• - Display of Inadequacy

6
The Case of Brady

• Brady is an 8 year-old male that was referred
  by his 2nd grade teacher for stealing from his
  peers at school and for anger management
  difficulties. The teacher reports that Brady
  has been showing aggression towards his peers
  during the past six months, and he began stealing
  from his peers about 3 months ago. She also
  reports that Brady does not have many friends at
  school.

7
Family Atmosphere

• Bradys mother Sheryl reports that Bradys
  father (Tom) and her separated over a year ago,
  but the divorce did not become final until six
  months ago. Sheryl had to return to work because
  of the divorce, and Brady started in the
  after-school program soon after the divorce.
  Sheryl also reports that she began seeing someone
  (J.C.) about three months ago, and that he
  sometimes stays at the house. She reports that
  Brady has been more irritable at home in the past
  few months.

8
Family Constellation

• Brady is the oldest of two. His brother Mikey
  is five years-old, and he began kindergarten at
  the school Brady attends this past year. Mikeys
  teacher does not report any aggressive behavior
  or stealing at school, although she does report
  that he has appeared more withdrawn over the past
  few months.

9
Phase 1 Building the Relationship with the Child

• - The purpose of this phase is to develop a
  relationship with the child. The therapist
  establishes an atmosphere of unconditional
  acceptance, trust, and respect.
• - Techniques used Verbal tracking, restating
  content, reflecting feelings, tentative
  hypotheses, encouraging, questions, active
  interaction, setting, cleaning together

10
Phase 2 Investigating the Childs Life-Style

• - This phase involves gathering information
  from the client through play, and from the family
  through play and questions, to form a hypothesis
  about how the child views the world. The
  therapist explores the family atmosphere and
  family constellation, as well as tries to find
  out the goals for the childs behavior. The
  child might also be asked to think about and
  illustrate early recollections. The final
  portion of this phase involves formulating a
  lifestyle hypothesis for the child based on all
  of the information that was gathered.

11
Phase 3 Helping the Child to Gain Insight into
Life-Style

• Goal disclosure
• - Reveal the purpose of the childs behavior to
  him/her look for recognition reflexes after
  reveal
• Sharing Inferences
• - Made directly to the child or through play
  media
• Feedback about the Relationship
• - Use I-statements to share personal reactions
  to childs behavior and attitudes or use play
  media to be more subtle
• Pointing out Parallels
• - Make connections between childs behavior and
  attitudes in and outside of the playroom

12
Phase 4 Reorientation/Reeducation

• Generating alternative behaviors
• - Teach the child basic problem-solving skills
• - Ask the child how he/she could have done
  something differently
• - Model how to generate alternatives
• Encouragement
• - Give positive feedback for childs effort to
  try new behaviors, not results
• - Comment on childs behaviors and attitudes
• Consultation
• - After each session discuss progress child
  makes at home and school
• - Teach parents Adlerian concepts and play
  techniques for home use

13
Using Adlerian Techniques

• The class will be divided into three groups.
  Each group will have the opportunity to use some
  Adlerian techniques with Brady. The group will
  then process what it was like to try out these
  techniques. Finally, each group will choose a
  spokesperson to describe the experience to the
  class.

14
References

• Kottman, T., (1995). The king of rock and roll
  An application of Adlerian play therapy. In T.
  Kottman, C. Schaefer, Play Therapy in Action
  A Casebook for practitioners (pp 133-167).
  Northvale, NJ Aronson.
• Kottman, T. (1999). Integrating the crucial Cs
  into Adlerian play therapy. The Journal of
  Individual Psychology, 55(3), 288 297.
• Kottman, T.T., Warlick, J. (1989). Adlerian
  play therapy Practical considerations.
  Individual Psychology, 45(4), 433-446.
• Snow, M.S., Buckley, M.R., Williams, S.C.
  (1999). Case study using Adlerian play therapy.
  The Journal of Individual Psychology, 55(3),
  288-297.
• Van Der Smissen, G. (1998, Spring). Adlerian
  play therapy. Virginia Association for Play
  Therapy Newsletter, 1(2). Retrieved from
• http//vapt.cisat.jmu.edu/v1n2p1.htm.