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Write a reply to this post with citations and references. Directive and non-directive play therapy take really different approaches to how much the therapist steps in and how structured things get. Both use play as the main language for kids to express themselves, but they come from different places, theory-wise. Non-directive play therapy-also known as Child-Centered Play Therapy-goes back to Virginia Axline and was built on by Garry Landreth. In this style, the child is in charge. The therapist sets up a space that feels safe, warm, and judgment-free. Empathy and genuine care matter a lot here. Kids pick the toys, make the choices, and lead the whole thing. The therapist mostly pays attention and mirrors back what the child is feeling, only stepping in when real boundaries need to be drawn. The heart of the idea is simple: Kids already have what it takes to grow and heal, as long as they have someone who lets them be fully themselves (Landreth & Bratton, 1998; VanFleet et al., 2010). Now, directive play therapy works pretty much the opposite way. The therapist usually sets the agenda-choosing games, activities, or storylines that hit certain goals, like helping with trauma or teaching new ways to deal with tricky emotions. Approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy or trauma-specific techniques use this method quite a bit (Gil, 2016). It's useful when a child needs something concrete, like clear coping tools or when there is a particular issue to work on. Need Assignment Help?