A Way of Being in the Playroom: Experience- Expression Congruence Model (EECM)

Congruence, in conjunction with unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding, is considered one of the fundamental attitudinal conditions that must be internally experienced and externally expressed by play therapists in order to facilitate growth in child-centered play therapy. The experience-expression congruence model (EECM) helps play therapists understand the nature of congruence, recognize the impact of congruence in play-therapy sessions, and intentionally use the therapist’s awareness of congruence to benefit the client. The EECM is a two-phase model that challenges play therapists to consider their own personal levels of authenticity and implications for working with children in play therapy.