Date

4-29-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision (PhD)

Chair

Melanie Roudkovski

Keywords

play therapy, parental experience, therapist-parent collaboration, transition theory, phenomenological methodology

Disciplines

Counseling

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the experiences of parents as they make meaning of their children’s participation in play therapy in the Dallas/Fort Worth region. Schlossberg's transition theory was utilized to provide a theoretical framework for answering the following questions: How do parents describe their expectations and perceptions of play therapy for their children who have received a minimum of eight play therapy sessions? How do parents describe their expectations for play therapy before their experience? In what ways were the parents' expectations met, and what were the unexpected outcomes experienced while their child was participating in play therapy? How do participants describe the short-lived and enduring influences of their play therapy experience? Data collection included demographic questionnaires and parent interviews, and data were analyzed using Moustakas’ phenomenological methodology. Six themes emerged to reflect the lived experiences of parents Moving In, Moving Through, and Moving Out of play therapy. Findings suggest that increased therapist-parent collaboration led to increased confidence in the therapeutic process. The findings also suggest that further research is needed to explore more diverse family systems, to consider systemic barriers to services, and to expand research to a greater geographical region for implementation.

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