Resource Tag: PLAY THERAPY

As rates of children attempting and dying by suicide accelerate in the United States, it is imperative that play therapists increase their competency to address childhood suicidality. This article provides evidence-based data on this phenomenon and is a call to action inviting play therapists to cultivate awareness, knowledge, skills, and advocacy competencies to address childhood […]

Over the past half century, in the United States and other developed nations, children’s free play with other children has declined sharply. Over the same period, anxiety, depression, suicide, feelings of helplessness, and narcissism have increased sharply in children, adolescents, and young adults. This article documents these historical changes and contends that the decline in […]

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This chapter offers a definition of play therapy & discusses the purposes of this form of therapy. Play therapy in crisis situations is discussed. The range of play therapy methods, including art techniques, doll play, puppet play, storytelling, & board games, is reviewed. The role of the play therapist is described. Other topics briefly discussed […]

This chapter is from the second edition of this book.

The case discussed in this chapter is that of Philip, an 8-year-old African American boy whose parents had been separated for 4 years & divorced for 2 years. Philip was referred to the psychiatric emergency room by his school for an evaluation by the child & adolescent crisis intervention team. The school reported Philip had […]

Integrating theory, practice & research, this book gives clear interventions designed to alleviate childrens’ distress. Contents include: 1) the developing child: needs & rights; 2) stress & distress: unhappiness in childhood & adolescence; 3) children & grief; 4) storytelling & everyday chat; 5) peer support; 6) dealing with fear & phobias; 7) rejection & victimization; […]

Crisis intervention has typically been conceptualized as seeking a return of clients to a state of equilibrium. However, after working with survivors of Hurricane Andrew in south Florida, the authors realized that there are several other issues that are important. In this article, they discuss the development of a proactive approach, which attempts to recognize […]

The purpose of this article is to describe various counselling applications of puppetry with children including assessment, therapy, behaviour modification & group therapy. Practical factors affecting the selection of puppets are considered, e.g. choosing puppets which fit both children’s & adult’s hands. The basic skills of puppet use are also reviewed. (25 refs.)

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Part 1 of this book presents a theoretical framework that offers insight into the child’s view of death, & guidance for assessment & treatment. Part 2 focuses on children’s reactions to the death of family members by presenting numerous situations including a parental murder-suicide. Various treatment modalities are discussed. Part 3 covers deaths that affect […]

A case history of a two year old boy whose father killed both his mother and himself while leaving the boy alive. The discussion looks at the therapy sessions the boy went through which included play therapy.

This article is based on an analysis of 4 years of videotaped sessions of play therapy treatment of a child who had been brutalized in ways that would likely lead to repression, pathological states of differentiation & conflict, or differentiation & isolation. It examines theory & technique & describes an intrapersonal/interactive guideline for framing interventions. […]

Mutual storytelling was used to help a 7-year-old boy in play therapy through a suicidal crisis. By listening to the boy’s story & responding with a similar story that included a healthier resolution & more adaptive problem solving strategies, the counselor was able to teach new ways of expressing anger & positive ways of resolving […]

This paper focuses on 3 therapeutic techniques used for suicidal adolescents & children based on a tri-partite classification system. The classification is based upon the severity of the problems & their pervasiveness over time. Therapeutic interventions include: family therapy (structural approach & restructuring operations), individual therapy, & play therapy. Case studies are included. (18 references)