"Perhaps in arriving at the foundation of his grief and loneliness, immediate death or immediate life were the only choices within reach. He chose to live. From his rock bottom loneliness emerged a new life and a real self was restored."

-Clark Moustakas, Loneliness-

Clark Moustakas

Clark E. Moustakas (May 26, 1923 - 10 October 2012) was a revered figure in American psychology, particularly known for his profound contributions to humanistic and clinical psychology. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Association for Humanistic Psychology and was instrumental in founding the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, platforms that became crucial in advancing the "third force" movement in psychology alongside luminaries like Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. This movement emphasized the importance of subjective human experience and self-actualization, countering the predominant behaviorist and psychoanalytic paradigms of the time.

A distinguished educator, Moustakas authored numerous seminal books and scholarly articles that explored various aspects of humanistic psychology, education, and human science research. His dedication to advancing relationship play therapy further enriched the therapeutic practices within psychology.

Despite his profound influence and international recognition, he remained modest and preferred solitude for reflection, valuing personal engagement above accolades. Throughout his career, Moustakas touched the lives of countless individuals, offering profound insights and guidance to students, colleagues, and practitioners worldwide. His legacy continues to resonate within the realms of psychology and education, where his pioneering ideas and compassionate ethos continue to inspire new generations of scholars and practitioners alike. Clark E. Moustakas’s enduring impact on humanistic psychology and his unwavering dedication to understanding the human experience ensure that his contributions will be cherished and studied for years to come, marking him as a true visionary in the field of psychology.

Relationship play therapy

Most of today's play therapy models can trace their theoretical roots back to the work of Freud, Adler, Jung, and Rank. Clark Moustakas was also influenced by Otto Rank and developed Relationship Play Therapy based on existentialist philosophy.
Clark Moustakas is sometimes included in the list of Virginia Axline’s followers because there are some similarities in their theoretical backgrounds and their techniques. He was a student of hers and followed the nondirective approach during his first 2 years on the faculty at the Merrill-Palmer Institute. In time he realized "sitting in a chair" making reflective statements did not fit his way of being with children (Moustakas, 1997). Moustakas gradually developed his own approach to play therapy incorporating the theories of Otto Rank and the therapeutic ideas of Jessie Taft (Moustakas, 1953, 1997). Some of the Axline principles fit within his own theoretical framework, including permissiveness, accepting children where they are, setting limits, and maintaining a belief in the child. Like Axline, he believed children have the capacity to do their own problem solving and he encouraged them to take responsibility for their own choices in the playroom (Axline, 1947 Moustakas, 1959). What sets Moustakas apart from Axline is the level of participation and interactive communication with the child. For Axline (1947), the healing may be more in the environment—"the good growing ground" (p. 16)—whereas for Moustakas (1953, 1959), the healing is in the relationship. In addition to his research, Moustakas published four books on play therapy, including: Existential Child Therapy: The Child’s Discovery of Himself (1966). Theoretically, Moustakas may be identified with existentialists, but his work also reflects some of the client-centered model (James, 1997). Given that Carl Rogers drew some of his technical ideas from Otto Rank and Jessie Taft, the interweaving of theories evident in Moustakas’s and Axline’s play therapy approaches can now both be appreciated as humanistic. Along with Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, Moustakas played an important role in founding humanistic psychology.

Publications

  • Moustakas, C. (1951). A directory of nursery schools and child care centers in the United States. Detroit, MI: Merrill-Palmer School. Foreign Language Publications.
  • Moustakas, C. & Makowsky, C. (1952). Client-centered therapy with parents. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 16, 338-342.
  • Moustakas, C. (1952). Personality studies conducted in nursery schools. Journal of Educational Research, 46, 161-177.
  • Moustakas, C. (1953). Children in play therapy. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  • Moustakas, C., & Berson, M. (1955). The nursery school and the child care center. New York, NY: William Morrow.
  • Moustakas, C., & Schalock, H. (1955). An analysis of therapist-child interaction in play therapy. Child Development, 26, 143-157.
  • Moustakas, C. (1955). The frequency and intensity of negative attitudes expressed in play therapy: A comparison of well-adjusted and disturbed young children. Journal of General Psychology, 86, 79-99.
  • Moustakas, C., & Callahan, R. (1956). Reflections on reflection of feelings. Journal of Social Psychology, 43, 323-331.
  • Moustakas, C., & Berson, M. (1956). The young child in school. New York, NY: Whiteside.
  • Moustakas, C. (1956). The self: Explorations in personal growth. New York, NY: Harper & Row.
  • Moustakas, C. (1956). The teacher and the child: Personal interaction in the classroom. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  • Moustakas, C. (1957). Spoiled behavior in the school-age child. Child Study, 35, 16-21.
  • Moustakas, C., & Smillie, D. (1957). The significance of individual creativity for psychotherapy. Journal of Individual Psychology, 13, 159-164.
  • Moustakas, C. (1958). Dimensions of the human relationship. Main Currents in Modern Thought, 14, 109-110.
  • Moustakas, C. (1959). The alive and growing teacher. New York, NY: Philosophical Library.
  • Moustakas, C. (1959). Psychotherapy with children: The living relationship. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.
  • Moustakas, C. (1959). Creativity, conformity and the self. In M. Andrews (Ed.), Creativity and mental health. New York, NY: Syracuse University Press.
  • Moustakas, C. (1959). Preface. In M.P. Berson, Kindergarten: Your child's big step (pp. 7-9). New York, NY: Dutton.
  • Moustakas, C. (1960). Communal loneliness. Psychologia, 3(3), 186-190.
  • Moustakas, C. (1961). Loneliness. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • Moustakas, C. (1961). The sense of self. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 1(1), 20-34.
  • Moustakas, C. (1962). Confrontation and encounter. Journal of Existential Psychiatry, 2(7), 263-290.
  • Moustakas, C. (1962). Honesty, idiocy and manipulation. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 2(2), 1-15.
  • Moustakas, C. (1962). The sense of honesty. Psychologia, 5, 146-151.
  • Moustakas, C. (1963). Situational play therapy. In H. Peters, A. Riccio & J. Tuaranta (Eds.), Guidance in the elementary schools. New York, NY: MacMillan.
  • Moustakas, C. (1963). Verbatim dialogue of a mother and child in therapy. Genetic Psychology Monographs, 67, 3-43.
  • Moustakas, C. (1964). The burden of sensitivity and comparison in the onset of a brain seizure. Psychotherapy, 1(2), 67-74.
  • Moustakas, C. (1965). The sense of self. In D. Hamacheck (Ed.), The self in growth, teaching and learning (pp. 40-48). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • Moustakas, C. (1965). True experience and the self. In D. Hamacheck (Ed.), The self in growth, teaching and learning (pp. 3-14). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • Moustakas, C. (1966). Existential child therapy. New York, NY: Basic Books.
  • Moustakas, C. (1966). The authentic teacher: Sensitivity and awareness in the classroom. Cambridge, MA: Howard A. Doyle.
  • Moustakas, C. (1967). Creativity and conformity. New York, NY: D. Van Nostrand.
  • Moustakas, C. (1967). Heuristic research. In J. Bugental (Ed.), Challenges in humanistic Psychology (pp. 100-107). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  • Moustakas, C. (1968). Individuality and encounter. Cambridge, MA: Howard A. Doyle.
  • Moustakas, C. (1969). Confrontation and encounter. In L. Natalico, C. Hereford (Eds.), The teacher as a person. Dubuque, IA: W.C. Brown.
  • Moustakas, C. (1969). Personal growth: The struggle for identity and human values. Cambridge, MA: H. A. Doyle.
  • Moustakas, C. (1970). Loneliness and love. In B. Marshall (Ed.), Experience in being. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
  • Moustakas, C., & Perry, C. (1973). I wish I knew how it would feel to be free: Humanizing learning in public schools. Detroit, MI: Merrill-Palmer Institute.
  • Moustakas, C., & Perry, C. (1973). Learning to be free. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • Moustakas, C. (1973). Loneliness. In F.T. Severin (Ed.), Discovering man in psychology (pp. 50-52). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  • Moustakas, C. (Ed.). (1973). The child's discovery of himself. wood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • Moustakas, C. (1974). Portraits of loneliness and love. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • Moustakas, C. (1974). Alienation, education and existential life. In A. Kraft (Ed.), The human classroom. New York, NY: Harper & Row.
  • Moustakas, C. (1974). Conflict with a pupil. In L. Chamberlain & I. Carnot (Eds.), Improving school discipline. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
  • Moustakas, C. (1975). The touch of loneliness. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • Moustakas, C. (1975). Who will listen?: Children and parents in play therapy. New York, NY: Ballantine Books.
  • Moustakas, C. (1977). Creative life. New York, NY: Van Nostrand.
  • Moustakas, C. (1977). Turning points. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
  • Moustakas, C. (1980). Authenticity or betrayal. In V. Hash (Ed.), Readings in human relations (pp. 2-16). Lexington, MA: Genn.
  • Moustakas, C. (1981). Heuristic research. In P. Reason & J. Rowan (Eds.), Human inquiry: A sourcebook new paradigm research (pp. 207-217). New York, NY: J. Wiley.
  • Moustakas, C. (1981). Rhythms, rituals and relationships. Detroit, MI: Center for Humanistic Studies.
  • Moustakas, C. (1982). Emotional adjustment and the play therapy process. In G.L. Landreth (Ed.), Play therapy: Dynamics of the process of counseling with children (pp. 217-230). Springfield, IL: Thomas.
  • Moustakas, C. (1984). Interview with Diane de Vienne and Stephanie Mevrin. Therapy Now, 1(1), 26.
  • Moustakas, C., & Douglass, B. (1985). Heuristic inquiry: The internal search to know. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 25(3), 39-55.
  • Moustakas, C. (1985). Humanistic or humanism?. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 25(3), 5-12.
  • Moustakas, C. (1986). Being in, being for, and being with. The Humanistic Psychologist, 14(2), 100-104.
  • Moustakas, C. (1986). Origins of humanistic psychology. The Humanistic Psychologist, 14(2), 122-123.
  • Moustakas, C. (1986). The nature and essence of poetry: A phenomenological view. Forum for Correspondence and Contact, 16(3), 3-5.
  • Moustakas, C. (1987). Phenomenology, discovery, and meaning. Michigan Journal of Counseling and Development, 18(1), 21-24.
  • Moustakas, C. (1988). Phenomenology, science and psychotherapy. Sydney, N.S: Family Life Institute, University College of Cape Breton.
  • Moustakas, C. (1990). Heuristic research: Design, methodology and applications. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
  • Moustakas, C. (1991). An open letter to the members of the National Psychology Advisory Association. NPAA Communicator, 2(1), 1-3.
  • Moustakas, C., & Mealy, J. (1992). Leaving home. ICIS Forum, 22(2), 65-66.
  • Moustakas, C. (1992). Firebrand: the experience of being different. The Humanistic Psychologist, 20(2-3), 175-188.
  • Moustakas, C. (1994). Existential psychotherapy and the interpretation of dreams. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
  • Moustakas, C. (1994). The I and thou of evidence; A fusion of opposites. The Humanistic Psychologist, 22, 238-240.
  • Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Moustakas, C. (1995). Being-in, being-for, being-with. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
  • Moustakas, C. (1997). Relationship play therapy. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson.
  • Moustakas, C. (1999). Loneliness and self-disclosure. In A. C. Richards & T. Schumrun (Eds.), Invitations to dialogue: The legacy of Sidney M. Jourard (pp. 107-112). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing.
  • Moustakas, C. (2000). Heuristic research revisited. In K. J. Schneider, J. F. T. Bugental, & J. F. Pierson (Eds.), The handbook of humanistic psychology: Leading edges in theory, research, and practice (pp. 263-274). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Moustakas, C. (2002). Solitude and communion. Association for the Integration of the Whole Person, 2(2), 15.
  • Moustakas, C., & Moustakas, K. (2004). Loneliness, creativity and love: Awakening meanings in life. Philadelphia, PA: XLibris.

Reference

Johnson, J. L. (2015). The history of play therapy. Handbook of play therapy, 17-34.

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