COUN7504: Adlerian Play Therapy

This course is an introduction to Adlerian play therapy (AdPT). AdPT combines the underlying concepts of Alfred Adler’s theory of individual psychology with the principles and practices of play therapy and allows play therapists to develop their own style in the playroom. Students will be instructed how to structure a play session and approach issues from an AdPT perspective. Adlerian play therapists combine non-directive skills with directive strategies according to the phase of counseling and clients’ specific needs. The course will demonstrate the basic play therapy skills necessary to prepare a client’s lifestyle assessment and then choose interventions to help clients become aware of choices they have in behavior (addressing goals of misbehavior), shift feelings of inferiority (e.g., by fostering the crucial Cs), or become aware of relational styles that undermine their social connectedness and practice new styles. Fee: Additional fee required.