Child therapist’s play: Reconsidering the developmental appropriateness of Developmental Transformations

Abstract

Developmental Transformations (DvT) has been presented as a developmentally appropriate therapy approach for children. This conceptual article explores the foundational elements of DvT practice in relation to children’s specific needs in therapy. The article argues for a heightened ethical responsibility to apply core concepts such as encounter, embodiment, mutuality and reversibility in the context of children’s developmental processes, and to acknowledge the power differentials between child clients and adult therapists.