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. Table of Contents * The Abused Child: Treatment Issues * The Child Therapies: Application in Work with Abused Children * The Treatment of Abused Children Clinical Examples * Leroy: A Child Traumatized by Severe Parental Neglect * Johnny: A Child Traumatized by Sexual Abuse * Antony: A Child with Multiple Traumas * Gaby: A Child Traumatized by a Single Episode of Sexual Abuse * Laurie: A Neglected Child Traumatized by a Hospitalization * Sharlene: A Child Traumatized by Chronic Sexual Abuse * Special Issues "Both the novice child therapist and experienced clinician will learn abundantly from Dr. Gil's instruction about effective intervention with even the most severely neglected and abused children." -Treating Abuse Today "After reading the Healing Power of Play, child therapists from every professional background will feel better equipped to confront the enormous challenge of treating the abused child....Dr. Gil's readable guide should inspire the field and thereby benefit all of our patients." -Spencer Eth, MD from the publisher's website |