Play Therapy With Adolescents

Adolescents are often resistant, hostile, moody, and difficult, but they can also be fascinating, creative, spontaneous, and passionate. How do mental health professionals get past the facade? Play Therapy with Adolescents is the first book to offer a complete variety of play therapy approaches specifically geared toward adolescents. The chapters, written by experts in the field, offer readers entry into the world of adolescents, showing how to make connections and alliances.

This practical, user-friendly manual shows mental health professionals how to implement play therapy with adolescents and adults and how to conceptualize client struggles using a wealth of creative approaches. Creative Play Therapy with Adolescents and Adults follows an accessible seven-stage process for professionals to address clients’ core needs and establish an empathic therapeutic relationship. The book charts the stages of play therapy and explores a range of expressive arts including art, drama, dance, writing and sand play and the key materials needed for each. It also considers additional aspects of play therapy including resistance, spirituality and self-care. Filled with techniques, skills and case studies to help demystify complex client work, the book outlines an easy-to-follow treatment protocol for healing and resolution. This book will be of interest to a wide range of mental health professionals working with adults and adolescents as it encourages a more creative career and lasting, tangible progress in clients.

Adolescents are often resistant, hostile, moody, and difficult, but they can also be fascinating, creative, spontaneous, and passionate. How do mental health professionals get past the facade? Play Therapy with Adolescents is the first book to offer a complete variety of play therapy approaches specifically geared toward adolescents. The chapters, written by experts in the field, offer readers entry into the world of adolescents, showing how to make connections and alliances.

Praise for Integrating Expressive Arts and Play Therapy WithChildren and Adolescents "With this book, Drs. Green and Drewes have filled an importantvoid in the play therapy literature, namely the integration of theexpressive arts in play therapy with children and adolescents. Theyhave assembled the best theorists and practitioners of theexpressive arts and given them an appropriate structure to writetheir chapters. The book is outstanding and provides readers within-depth case studies, detailed methodologies, research findingsand is a useful resource for further training options. I recommendthis book most highly for trainers, practitioners, and graduatestudents." —John Allan, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Counseling Psychology,University of British Columbia, author, Inscapes of the Child'sWorld "Brimming with chapters by 'oracles' from various disciplines,Green and Drewes' guidebook articulates essential competencies forthe cross-disciplinary practice of play therapy and expressive artstherapies. Practical and timely, responsible and readable, it is animportant resource for the mental health community and students whoseek to work creatively with children. A significant contributiontoward bringing professionals and professions together to learnfrom one another." —Barry M. Cohen, MA, ATR-BC, founder, Expressive TherapiesSummit, cofounder, Mid-Atlantic Play Therapy Training Institute Interventions and approaches from the expressive arts andplay therapy disciplines Integrating Expressive Arts and Play Therapy With Children andAdolescents presents techniques and approaches from the expressiveand play therapy disciplines that enable child and adolescentclinicians to augment their therapeutic toolkit within a competent,research-based practice. With contributions representing a "who's who" in the playtherapy and expressive arts therapy worlds, IntegratingExpressive Arts and Play Therapy With Children and Adolescentsis the definitive bridge between expressive arts and play therapycomplementarily utilized with children and adolescents in theirhealing and creative capacities.

"This book aims to provide professionals and clinicians-in-training with the latest forms of treatment for children and adolescents who have been impacted by crises and trauma. The various treatment options presented here include approaches that focus on the individual as well as many that include a parent in conjoint or filial therapy, and others that employ a family treatment model. Many chapters in this book demonstrate the use of a variety of creative methods with young people who have suffered traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse, bullying, immigration, natural disasters, and witnessing violence"--

This highly readable book provides a comprehensive theoretical and practical guide to non-directive play therapy, which is an effective and ethically sound method of helping troubled children and adolescents with their emotional difficulties. It draws extensively on case material to guide practitioners through the intricacies of establishing and practising this therapeutic approach. Principles and background to the development of non-directive play therapy as a therapeutic method An updated theoretical framework for this approach, including symbolic play and its role in therapy Essential assessment, planning and practice issues and skills Working with children and their families systematically Play therapy in statutory settings Presenting therapeutic material in court proceedings This second edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to incorporate recent theory, research and practice developments. New issues addressed include: additional considerations when working with children in statutory settings, the integration of attachment theory within the book's Piagetian framework, using drawing, structured exercises and role play within a non-directive approach, and working with a wide variety of children's and adolescents' concerns.

Play Therapy with Preteens presents integrative models of play therapy that incorporate expressive arts and evidence-informed interventions into working with preadolescents. The current research demonstrates treatment efficacy in incorporating creative, dynamic interventions into work with preadolescents and their families. This unique book is written specifically on play therapy with preadolescents, presenting a comprehensive yet practical approach that integrates expressive arts like music, movement, play, sand, and poetry into treatment, along with familial involvement. Contributors cover a multitude of therapy options including: cognitive behavioral; attachment-centered; Alderian; family play; relational transformation; nature-based; and directive. This volume is the perfect companion to beginning and seasoned practitioners.

Attachment-Focused Family Play Therapy presents an essential roadmap for therapists working with traumatized youth. Exploring trauma and attachment through a neurobiological focus, the book lays out a flexible framework for practitioners treating young clients within the context of their family relationships. Chapters demonstrate how techniques of play and expressive therapy can be integrated into work with different developmental stages, while providing the tools needed to fully incorporate the family into the healing process. The book also provides clinical examples and guidance on the ethical decision-making needed to effectively implement attachment work and facilitate positive change. Written in an accessible style, Attachment-Focused Family Play Therapy is an important resource for mental health professionals who work with traumatized children, adolescents, and adults.