Where is dibs today

Virginia Axline

Psychologist, pioneer of play therapy (1911–1988)

Virginia Mae Axline (March 31, 1911 – March 21, 1988) was an American psychologist and one of the pioneers in the use of play therapy. She wrote the book Dibs in Search of Self. She was also the author of Play Therapy, published in 1947.[1][2][3]

Play therapy practice is still largely based on Axline's work. In the 1940s, she began to develop nondirective play therapy, the principles of which were based on Carl Rogers' newly emerging person-centered approach. In her first published work, she establishes the eight basic principles of nondirective play therapy.[4][5]

Axline developed her own approach to child counseling which is grounded in the person-centered principles Rogers used when working with adult patients. Axline's approach came to be known as Nondirective Play Therapy, which laid the foundation for another type of play therapy known as Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT). In her book Play Therapy she discussed her theory for child psychology.

An Historical Biography of Virginia Axline

Creation Information

Turley Stich, Erin May 2020.

Context

This dissertation is part of the collection entitled: UNT Theses and Dissertations and was provided by the UNT Libraries to the UNT Digital Library, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 2085 times, with 72 in the last month. More information about this dissertation can be viewed below.


Search

Who

People and organizations associated with either the creation of this dissertation or its content.

What

Descriptive information to help identify this dissertation. Follow the links below to find similar items on the Digital Library.

When

Dates and time periods associated with this dissertation.

Usage Statistics

When was this dissertation last used?

More Statistics

Interact With This Dissertation

Here are some suggestions for what to do next.

PDF Version Also Available for Download.

Links for Robots

Helpful links in machine-readable formats.

Archival Resource Key (ARK)

International Image

Virginia Axline, Founder of Non-Directive Play Therapy

The person primarily credited with the original development of Non-directive play therapy, now known as Child-centered play therapy, is Virginia Mae Axline. Born in 1911, Axline was a pioneer in the field of child therapy, studying with humanistic psychotherapist Carl Rogers and setting herself apart with her unique approach and profound understanding of children's inner worlds.

Principles of Non-Directive Play Therapy

Axline outlined the fundamental principles of Non-directive play therapy in her groundbreaking book, "Play Therapy," published in 1947. The book and the therapy it describes are based on the following principles:

  1. Children are viewed as individuals in their own right, each with their own world of personal experiences.
  2. Children possess the inherent strength and ability to solve their own problems when given the appropriate conditions.
  3. Growth and change are facilitated when children are allowed to freely express themselves in a supportive environment.
  4. A structured and predictable environment allow

Copyright ©dadtori.pages.dev 2025