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Meeting the Autistic


Child Where They Are: A Journey in Child-Centered Play Therapy


psychiatric, psychological, behavioral, genetic, and epidemiological research have led to the recognition of autism as a spectrum of neurodevelopmental conditions. These conditions include persistent challenges in social and communication skills, restrictive or repetitive behaviors, and sensory dysfunction (Harris, 2018; APA, 2022). The  populations, considering variations in core diagnostic features, cognitive functioning, language development, and co-occurring emotional, behavioral, developmental, medical, and psychiatric issues.


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In contrast, the neurodiversity movement, which emerged in the           


10 | PLAYTHERAPY March 2025 | www.a4pt.org


| REGINE CHUNG, PHD, LMHC, RPT™, CAS & ELIZABETH AGUILAR, PHD, LPC, NCC


ince Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler introduced the term "autism" in 1911, (Bleuler, 1911/1950), autistic individuals have primarily been conceptualized through a medical lens. Over the past century, advancements in


on autism by emphasizing neurological and developmental diversity (Singer, 2017). Through the neurodiversity lens, autistic individuals are seen as neurodivergent, characterized by unique ways of information processing, communicating, and interacting that differ from societal norms but are not inherently inferior (Chapman, 2020; Prizant & Fields-Meyer, 2015; Singer, 2017). Grant (2024) argues that embracing the neurodiversity movement in play therapy requires play therapists to accept the neurodivergent child’s neurotype and acknowledge ‘being autistic’ as an integral part of the child's identity. While recognizing the various challenges that can accompany being neurodivergent, play therapists should avoid pathologizing these traits or pursuing the goal of eliminating autistic characteristics.        uniqueness of the autistic child, accepts the child as they are, and seeks to empower the child to reach their full potential (Grant, 2024).


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