ABSTRACT
The child-centered philosophy is an encompassing philosophy for living one’s life in relationships with children-not a cloak of techniques to put on upon entering the playroom, but a way of being based on a deep commitment to certain beliefs about children and their innate capacity to strive toward growth and maturity. Child-centered play therapy is a complete therapeutic system, not just the application of a few rapport-building techniques, and is based on a belief in the capacity and resiliency of children to be constructively selfdirecting. Children are the best sources of information about themselves. They are quite capable of appropriately directing their own growth, and they are granted the freedom in the play therapy relationship to be themselves in the process of playing out feelings and experiences. Children create their own histories in the playroom, and the therapist respects the direction determined by each child.
