The purpose of this study is to explore play phases, play themes, and play behaviors in the play therapy processes of two siblings who were child witnesses of marital violence. Consensus qualitative research method was adopted to analyze the data. The results showed four phases in the siblings’ play therapies: the exploratory phase, the trauma phase, the transformation phase, and the ending phase. Within the four phases, same themes that were identified for both siblings were “exploration” in the exploratory phase, “destruction” in the trauma phase, and “blessing” in the ending phase. Differences in play themes were also identified to include “interaction”, “chaos”, “defensiveness”, “threatening” for the older brother during the trauma phase, while the younger of the two displayed “hostility”, “violence/aggression”, and “repetition”. In the transformation phase, the older brother displayed themes of “healing”, “nurturing/tending”, while the younger brother displayed themes of “protection”, “construction”, and “creation”. For the ending phase, the younger brother also displayed themes of “separation” and “wistfulness”. Some recommendations for practitioners and further research in play therapy are provided.
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