ABSTRACT
Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is a nondirective approach to working with children. The use of puppets in CCPT provides children with opportunities to express their inner world. Children are naturally drawn to puppets for a variety of reasons: They are colorful and soft, easy to use, and can be used in a variety of ways. CCPT is based on the core conditions of person-centered therapy: empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard. In CCPT, children use the toys in the playroom as part of the symbolic play process. Landreth recommended that practitioners select toys and materials that facilitate a wide range of creative and emotional expression, engage children's interests, facilitate exploratory play, allow nonverbal expression, allow success without a prearranged structure, allow for noncommittal play, and are durable for active play. The chapter presents an illustrative case study that demonstrates the use of all of these facilitative skills with a child using puppets in CCPT.
