Inscapes and Healing: A study on how landscapes created in the play therapy room reflect a child’s psyche and assist in the therapeutic process.

This study looks at landscapes created by children in the play therapy room. It demonstrates the value of viewing these landscapes symbolically in order to more fully understand the child’s internal and external worlds. It validates the notion that these landscapes can rightfully be termed inscapes as they provide insight into the child’s psyche.
The study looks at the significance of these inscapes and their contribution to the therapeutic process. Archetypal, personal and literal interpretations of the inscapes are presented in the form of four case studies of primary-school-aged boys in Bristol. Their inscapes are shown to have promoted transference between the client and therapist thereby contributing to the therapeutic process.
The study utilises Goodman’s Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to monitor changes in these children’s behaviour. An overall improvement is seen, demonstrating the effectiveness of play therapy for this set of children. A Likert scale confirms this positive impact from the child’s point of view. This is taken to be a measure of healing. The inscapes reviewed contributed to the researcher’s understanding of the children, which led to beneficial outcomes therapeutically. Consequently, it is hoped, that future children attending play therapy may also benefit.