The Healing Power of Play

Book excerpt: This book describes how therapists can both facilitate constructive play therapy and intervene in posttraumatic play to help children who have been traumatized by abuse or neglect achieve a positive resolution. Traditional techniques of play therapy are reviewed for their application to this population. Throughout, numerous therapeutic aids are described to enhance the child's capacity to communicate verbally or symbolically. To help clinicians translate theory into daily practice, the book presents six detailed clinical vignettes of trauma from among different types of abuse or neglect, including severe parental neglect, sexual abuse, neglect compounded by hospitalization, and one case features a child suffering from multiple personality disorder. Presenting step-by-step guidelines for assessment and intervention, these cases clearly illustrate treatment planning and how to tailor responses to the particular child.