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Child-Centered Play Therapy
Highly practical, instructive, and authoritative, this book vividly describes how to conduct child-centered play therapy. The authors are master clinicians who explain core therapeutic principles and techniques, using rich case material to illustrate treatment of a wide range of difficulties. The focus is on nondirective interventions that allow children to freely express their feelings and take the lead in solving their own problems. Flexible yet systematic guidelines are provided for setting up a playroom; structuring sessions; understanding and responding empathically to children's play themes, including how to handle challenging behaviors; and collaborating effectively with parents.
236 pages, Hardcover
First published August 25, 2010
30 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 4, 2014
Several years ago I volunteered for vacation Bible school. We were having the kids team up for an activity. There was one kid that was a little strange. Not completely outside-the-lines, but just enough so that when he approached some of the other kids to partner up, they completely rejected him. That burned into my memory, if only because it reminded me so much of my own childhood.
I had to read this book for a child counseling course I'm taking, but it wasn't a completely awful experience. Rise VanFleet wrote this well. It's easy to read. It's focused and full of good information. I kept thinking about how I might apply some of the principles as I raise my daughter. The basic thesis is: children can work through their problems themselves if they are given a chance. The whole idea is to let the children act out their issues and a playroom. By role-playing, making believe, or just simply throwing things around they learn to master their demons.
The little boy who was rejected in vacation Bible school bounced back just fine. He found another group that accepted him. He had a great time. While I remember this 15 years later, he's probably never thought about it again. What if I had intervened? What if I had scolded the kids who rejected him? Made it a big deal. How would that experience of changed for him? Would he be the one writing about it on Facebook?
I had to read this book for a child counseling course I'm taking, but it wasn't a completely awful experience. Rise VanFleet wrote this well. It's easy to read. It's focused and full of good information. I kept thinking about how I might apply some of the principles as I raise my daughter. The basic thesis is: children can work through their problems themselves if they are given a chance. The whole idea is to let the children act out their issues and a playroom. By role-playing, making believe, or just simply throwing things around they learn to master their demons.
The little boy who was rejected in vacation Bible school bounced back just fine. He found another group that accepted him. He had a great time. While I remember this 15 years later, he's probably never thought about it again. What if I had intervened? What if I had scolded the kids who rejected him? Made it a big deal. How would that experience of changed for him? Would he be the one writing about it on Facebook?
September 5, 2016
Extremely clear and concise how-to guide for practitioners of child-centered play therapy.
December 10, 2024
This book is a great introductory book for clinician who work with children and their families in the mental
Health setting, and are curious about learning more about child-centered play therapy techniques. I went in with no knowledge, and left with greater clinical skills to use in my practice, and a curiosity to pursue even more child-centered play therapy trainings. I found this book also helpful in providing psychoeducation to parents regarding limit setting, and how to model it in session. One last takeaway was that this has helped me tremendously in proving de-escalation strategies with children exhibiting high reactivity and aggressive behaviors- I have had legos thrown at me in session and other toys, and found it helpful to stop these behaviors before needing to enforce the consequence. Not only did the material in this book help me to adapt and establish techniques to use in my clinical practice, but it has also changed the lives of many families who have been able to discharge since I started reading the book in January 2024. Thank you for this book!
Health setting, and are curious about learning more about child-centered play therapy techniques. I went in with no knowledge, and left with greater clinical skills to use in my practice, and a curiosity to pursue even more child-centered play therapy trainings. I found this book also helpful in providing psychoeducation to parents regarding limit setting, and how to model it in session. One last takeaway was that this has helped me tremendously in proving de-escalation strategies with children exhibiting high reactivity and aggressive behaviors- I have had legos thrown at me in session and other toys, and found it helpful to stop these behaviors before needing to enforce the consequence. Not only did the material in this book help me to adapt and establish techniques to use in my clinical practice, but it has also changed the lives of many families who have been able to discharge since I started reading the book in January 2024. Thank you for this book!
November 17, 2020
Hem teorik hem uygulama bilgileri var ve uygulamaya dair bilgiler o ladar detaylı, açıklayıcı ve net ki hayran kaldım. Oyun terapisi uygulama hakkında daha çok bilgim olsun diyenler için birebir. Adeta bir "kullanım kılavuzu".
December 14, 2022
4.5 rounded down. incredible work and really easily digestible the way that it’s written! just a little repetitive in certain areas
August 21, 2023
Has great foundational knowledge and guides for next steps in becoming proficient in CCPT.
August 20, 2011
I'm starting to preview texts for my new course next fall, Child/Adolescent in the System.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews