Dibs in Search of Self: The Renowned, Deeply Moving Story of an Emotionally Lost Child Who Found His Way Back

The playroom at the Child Guidance Center is the place where Dibs comes to see Dr. Virginia M. Axline for therapy sessions. It is a place for Dibs to be Dibs, free of judgment, fear, control, or expectations of any kind. It is an objective place in which Dr. Axline provides neutral feedback, but also human company and compassion. Dr. Axline’s playroom operates by the Humanistic Approach to Child Therapy: She places various objects and materials inside, and allows her child patient to do whatever they choose. She simply observes, repeats the child’s thoughts, and helps the child clarify their emotions and thoughts. Dr. Axline’s hope is that by providing a safe space, children like Dibs can feel comfortable to construct their own worlds, find themselves, and express themselves.

Dibs interacts with many things in the playroom, each of which provides him with a different type of release or tool for understanding himself and the larger world. He uses the sandbox to bury things he dislikes and overcome them, and plays out dramatic scenes with dolls, toy soldiers, and trucks that reflect life experiences and thoughts. In the sandbox, Dibs feels large and in control.