Learn The Art of Using Play Therapy Miniatures 

The first step in becoming a play therapist is learning all about play therapy miniatues. Let us show you how to use miniatures in play therapy!

I use a lot of tools in Creative Counseling and play therapy. These range from play therapy puppets, doll house, sand tray, art counseling, five senses, and creative play therapy games.

However, the workhorse in Creative Counseling is the play therapy "miniature". It is always amazing to see how something so small can be so powerful in the world of therapy.

My use of miniatures comes from Jungian Psychology. Carl Jung identified parts of the self, or psyche, he termed "Archetypes".

Carl Jung labeled these parts of self as the "child, trickster, shadow, wise old man, wise old woman, devil, hero, God, Apollo, etc.

Reading and studying about Carl Jung's Archetypes is intense and is not easy to comprehend. Basically, the Archetype is part of the "collective unconscious". It is a part of the self or an idea, image, or thought found in the individual psyche.

I like to bring the "Archetype" down to a basic "Creative Counseling Language" by identifying feelings and finding miniatures that match those feelings.

Let's begin to process this by going over what "emotions" or "feelings" you expressed today. Did you get angry? Sad? Happy? Excited? Anxious?

Well, if you were in counseling with me I would ask you to identify those emotions / feelings by choosing a miniature that represents each feeling or emotion.

I also bring in a bit of Margaret Lowenfeld with miniatures. She was the first play therapist to bring miniatures to therapy. She got this idea from the Orson Wells game.

Margaret Lowenfeld believed that as babies we think in picture, then learn language after we learn the language of pictures. She called this pre-verbal thinking. So for every emotion / feeling you have, there is a miniature that can represent that feeling. Only you can pick the miniature that represents your personal thoughts, emotions, and feelings.

Let's get started on the process of identifying your personal miniatures. After you have identified your miniatures through small figurines, or you can clip out some clip art, we can begin to create some personal worlds of your collective unconsciousness.

See Examples of Play Therapy Miniature Technique

Play Therapy Miniatures Personality Parts Activity & Technique

Creating Personal Miniature Play Therapy Worlds Activity & Technique

Play Therapy Doll House Therapy Technique

See More Creative Play Therapy Techniques and Ideas Here

My wish is that you will find the benefits of play therapy either as a trained professional play therapist, or play therapy client!

I truly hope that Creative Counseling 101 can open the creative doors for your practice with clients!

Learn the History of Play Therapy

What is Play Therapy?

What Makes a Good Play Therapist?

How to set up a Play Therapy Room

How to actually do Play Therapy

Advertise Your Play Therapy Practice for Free, Post Your Writings, Share Ideas Here:

See All Examples of Professional Play Therapists Writings and Posts & Play Therapy Graduate Student's Work Here

See More Creative Counseling Ideas Here

Disclaimer: This website and its content is intended for trained licensed mental health professionals and school certified mental health professionals to use for their clients / students at their own discretion.

*If you ignore the disclaimer above are using these techniques on yourself and you feel any discomfort or upset it is highly suggested that you seek out a licensed  mental health professional immediately.

"Beyond Art Therapy" is the concept from Dr. Stangline that combines all creative fields in therapy. It is not the traditional "art therapy" but goes beyond to include sand tray therapy, play therapy, mindfulness, meditation, color therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and a vast majority of other therapies.

For any other type of mental health emergency call your local 911 / Police Number immediately.

Dr. Stangline does not offer advice / suggestions to anyone who is not a professional mental health provider, or a student who is studying this field and has questions about mental health programs of study.