Play Therapy for Very Young Children presents the major models of play interventions with very young children, primarily ages zero to three, and their families. The editors have compiled essays by child development experts to create a comprehensive guide of the most beneficial...

Play Therapy for Preschool Children is a comprehensive sourcebook of play interventions for preventing and resolving the most common disorders of children aged 3-5 years old.

Research has shown that a child's social and academic success can be greatly influenced by experiences from infancy and toddlerhood. Despite this knowledge, the importance of infant mental health has only recently been recognized. This book is one of the first to present the major models of play interventions with very young children and their families. In this collection of essays by child development experts, the editors provide a comprehensive guide of the most beneficial effects of play therapy and play for the very young. Regardless of the theoretical orientation of the play therapist, this book will help the clinician to conceptualize the worlds of infants and toddlers, and explain the specific play therapy interventions that can be effectively utilized. Contributors address specific therapies from cultures around the world, including caregiver-toddler play therapy, filial play therapy, mother-infant play, and play based interventions with young children with disabilities and autism. This book is essential for students and professionals who work with very young children.

Separated into seven categories for easy reference, the techniques within each chapter are applied to practice situations in a concise format for easy reference and use. The interventions illustrated include Storytelling, to enhance verbalizations in children; Expressive Art, to promote children's coping ability by using various art mediums; Game Play, to help children express themselves in a playful environment; Puppet Play, to facilitate the expression of conflicting emotions; Play Toys and Objects, to demonstrate the therapeutic use of various toys and objects in the playroom; Group Play, to offer methods and play techniques for use in group settings; and Other, to provide miscellaneous techniques that are useful in many settings. This book is a response to the evident need of clinicians for easy to use play therapy techniques. A welcome addition to the earlier collection, it is designed to help children enhance verbalization of feeling, manage anger, deal with loss and grief, and heal their wounds through the magic of play therapy. Clear and marvelously simple, this manual will be an invaluable addition to any professional's or student's library. A Jason Aronson Book

In the counseling field, it is imperative that mental health professionals stay informed of current research findings. By staying abreast of the most recent trends and techniques in healthcare, professionals can modify their methods to better aid their patients. Emerging Research in Play Therapy, Child Counseling, and Consultation is a critical resource that examines the most current methodologies and treatments in child therapy. Featuring coverage on relevant topics such as behavioral concerns, childhood anxiety, and consultation services, this publication is an ideal reference source for all healthcare professionals, practitioners, academicians, graduate students, and researchers that are seeking the latest information on child counseling services.

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.

Infant Play Therapy is a groundbreaking resource for practitioners interested in the varied play therapy theories, models, and programs available for the unique developmental needs of infants and children under the age of three. The impressive list of expert contributors in the fields of play therapy and infant mental health cover a wide range of early intervention play-based models and topics. Chapters explore areas including: neurobiology, developmental trauma, parent-infant attachment relationships, neurosensory play, affective touch, grief and loss, perinatal depression, adoption, autism, domestic violence, sociocultural factors, and more. Chapter case studies highlight leading approaches and offer techniques to provide a comprehensive understanding of both play therapy and the ways we understand and recognize the therapeutic role of play with infants. In these pages professionals and students alike will find valuable clinical resources to bring healing to family systems with young children.