Charles E. Schaefer

Highly practical and user friendly, this book presents 58 play therapy techniques that belong in every child clinician's toolbox. The expert authors draw from multiple theoretical orientations to showcase powerful, well-established approaches applicable to a broad range of childhood problems. Activities, needed materials, and variations of each technique are succinctly described. Of critical importance for today's evidence-based practitioner, each chapter also includes a historical perspective on the technique at hand, a rationale explaining its therapeutic power, and a review of relevant empirical findings. The book enables readers to determine which strategies are appropriate for a particular child or group and rapidly incorporate them into practice.

A complete, comprehensive play therapy resource for mental health professionals Handbook of Play Therapy is the one-stop resource for play therapists with coverage of all major aspects written by experts in the field. This edition consolidates the coverage of both previous volumes into one book, updated to reflect the newest findings and practices of the field. Useful for new and experienced practitioners alike, this guide provides a comprehensive introduction and overview of play therapy including, theory and technique, special populations, nontraditional settings, professional and contemporary issues. Edited by the founders of the field, each chapter is written by well-known and respected academics and practitioners in each topic area and includes research, assessment, strategies, and clinical application. This guide covers all areas required for credentialing from the Association for Play Therapy, making it uniquely qualified as the one resource for certification preparation. Learn the core theories and techniques of play therapyApply play therapy to special populations and in nontraditional settingsUnderstand the history and emerging issues in the fieldExplore the research and evidence base, clinical applications, and more Psychologists, counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and psychiatric nurses regularly utilize play therapy techniques to facilitate more productive sessions and promote better outcomes for patients. Handbook of Play Therapy provides the deep, practical understanding needed to incorporate these techniques into practice.

A practical look at how play therapy can promote mental health wellness in children and adolescents Revised and expanded, The Therapeutic Powers of Play, Second Edition explores the powerful effects that play therapy has on different areas within a child or adolescent's life: communication, emotion regulation, relationship enhancement, and personal strengths. Editors Charles Schaefer and Athena Drewes—renowned experts in the field of play therapy—discuss the different interventions and components of treatment that can move clients to change. Leading play therapists contributed to this volume, supplying a wide repertoire of practical techniques and applications in each chapter for use in clinical practice, including: Direct teachingIndirect teachingSelf-expressionRelationship enhancementAttachment formationCatharsisStress inoculationCreative problem solvingSelf-esteem Filled with clinical case vignettes from various theoretical viewpoints, the second edition is an invaluable resource for play and child therapists of all levels of experience and theoretical orientations.

An integrative approach to play therapy blending various therapeutic treatment models and techniques Reflecting the transition in the field of play therapy from a “one size fits all” approach to a more eclectic framework that integrates more than one perspective, Integrative Play Therapy explores methods for blending the best theories and treatment techniques to resolve the most common psychological disorders of childhood. Edited by internationally renowned leaders in the field, this book is the first of its kind to look at the use of a multi-theoretical framework as a foundation for practice. With discussion of integrative play treatment of children presenting a wide variety of problems and disorders—including aggression issues, the effects of trauma, ADHD, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, social skills deficits, medical issues such as HIV/AIDS, and more—the book provides guidance on: Play and group therapy approachesChild-directed play therapy with behavior management training for parentsTherapist-led and child-led play therapiesCognitive-behavioral therapy with therapeutic storytelling and play therapyFamily therapy and play therapyBibliotherapy within play therapy An essential resource for all mental health professionals looking to incorporate play therapy into treatment, Integrative Play Therapy reveals unique flexibility in integrating theory and techniques, allowing practitioners to offer their clients the best treatment for specific presenting problems.

This unique book presents a research-based approach to understanding the challenges of separation anxiety and helping children, adolescents, and their parents build the skills they need to overcome it. The authors provide step-by-step guidelines for implementing the entire process of therapy--from intake and assessment through coping skills training, cognitive-behavioral interventions, and relapse prevention. Featuring in-depth case examples, the book is written for maximum accessibility for all clinicians, including those with limited cognitive-behavioral therapy experience, who treat separation anxiety and other childhood anxiety disorders. Useful reproducibles include the Separation Anxiety Assessment Scales, which facilitate individualized case formulation and treatment planning.

A comprehensive parent’s guide to your child’s psychological development from birth through age 10 Written in an engaging, practical style, Ages and Stages offers you the benefits of the most current research on child development, featuring helpful tips and techniques to foster your child’s maturation. Charles Schaefer and Theresa Foy DiGeronimo tell you what behaviors you can expect as your child grows and how you can help him or her to advance to the next level of development. They include numerous examples, stories, and activities you can use immediately to positively influence your child’s development. The book’s structure (divided into four stages of child development—birth to 18 months, 18 to 36 months, 36 months to age six, and six to ten years) allows you to monitor your child’s progress, identify the reasons for emotional and psychological differences in siblings, and even determine how your parenting strategies should change as your child grows.*Covers all five areas of psychological health—emotional, cognitive, friendship/relationships, personal growth, and morality*Filled with easy-to-follow Do’s and Don’ts, plus fun activities and exercises to encourage your child’s development*Helps you assess if and when your child may need professional intervention

Mastery of bowel and bladder control is a major developmental milestone for children. This mastery represents a significant step towards the establishment of individuation. It signifies the ability to take care of oneself and attend school. Until relatively recently, both enuresis and encopresis were conditions notoriously resistant to therapeutic intervention. Now, however, highly effective intervention techniques have been identified for these disorders and are becoming more widely used. But there is still a need for improved dissemination of knowledge about effective treatments, and for a greater number of qualified professionals to provide treatment for these disorders. The purpose of this book is to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the causes, signs and effective treatments for childhood encopresis and enuresis.

This text examines anxiety-related disorders of childhood. It provides mental health guidelines for treating childhood anxiety disorders. Innovative approaches are presented regarding prescriptive treatment strategies, group in interventions and the role of family members in treatment.

This handbook aims to help those working with children to foster healthy growth and development. Specific topics discussed include: understanding why children misbehave, when to ignore a child's misbehaviour, how to offer constructive criticism, and others.

Offers parents practical guidance on answering children's difficult questions about everyday life

This work aims to provide expert and in-depth discussions of the most critical issues underlying effective residential treatment, and offers guidelines for dealing with these issues. The first section deals with clinical issues ranging from handling children's separation experiences to the importance of family work. The second section is devoted to a variety of management issues from combating institutional child abuse to evaluating treatment effectiveness.