A collaborative therapeutic approach often proves the best way to assess and meet the needs of children experiencing barriers to learning. This book gives a concise overview of drama and family therapy and describes how both therapies can work together to provide essential pieces of the jigsaw of emotional support for troubled children within an educational setting. Drawing on their own extensive experience, the authors give explanations of the models and techniques of their own specialist therapy, before exploring their joint work and innovative inclusion in a cooperative team of multi-disciplinary professionals. The book discusses the principles and protocols of a Multi Agency Support Team and looks at how the pieces come together in practice. Case studies are provided to illustrate the successful outcomes of this way of working, as well as the challenges it can present. This book will be vital reading for all professionals working alongside children, families and schools, who are interested in addressing the needs of the child on a deeper and more sustainable level. --- from the publisher Reviews: 'It is a privilege to be invited to write the foreword to this innovatory and interesting book. The two authors show their passion for their professions and even more passion for how they can interrelate… [This book is] a joyous gift of reality; the reality of something that has been demonstrated in the work place and community with great success.' - From the foreword by Sue Jennings, Ph.D., author, dramatherapist, play therapist, Glastonbury, UK 'I can recommend this brilliant, easy-to-read, jargon-free, practical book as a useful and sensible guide for any discipline working in education with children and their families. It draws on the vast experiences of both authors by addressing how dramatherapy and family therapy can work within a multi-agency team in a educational setting. It describes to the reader how every piece of the Jigsaw needs to be identified and come together for the wellbeing and benefit of the child, family, school and community.' - Sylvia Wheadon, dramatherapist, psychodramatist/psychotherapist, psychotherapy supervisor, specialist educational trainer (mental health), UK 'As an educationist for over 40 years I firmly believe that a multi-agency approach provides a family with the expertise of a therapeutic alliance that understands a family's needs. The therapists can provide the skills and expertise to offer a family sustained change. Having worked internationally in schools as a manager, consultant and inspector I feel this multi-agency approach supports a school staff and together they can offer a more holistic and valuable picture of a child and his/her relationship with the family. I have experienced this approach through my support work with a children's bereavement charity and have seen first-hand what a difference it has made to family members. The key, I believe, to this multi-agency approach is that the therapists facilitate change within the family rather than direct proceedings from the outside. In our increasingly complex society, I feel dramatherapy and family therapy have the potential necessary for healing, ensuring all the pieces of the jigsaw are interwoven.' - Annie Tempest, international educationalist, consultant, manager and inspector, UK "This book is a clear and gentle entry point for professionals who work in either family therapy or in drama therapy, or for those who are curious about learning more about either, to learn about these respective different approaches, and how they might together be useful in doing therapy within a school context… It takes the reader through a concise exposition of the goals of such an approach, while explicating each of the therapies simply and accessibly and showing the links between the two. The use of compelling case studies offers vivid illustrations of this work. This book should stimulate readers to investigate how they might add more strings to their therapeutic bows, in order to do the valuable work highlighted by this book."
- Janet Reibstein, MA, PhD, Registered Psychotherapist and Supervisor, Professor, University of Exeter, UK Contents: Acknowledgements. Foreword by Sue Jennings. 1. First Piece. Introduction. 2. Second Piece. A Dramatherapy Approach. 3. Third Piece. A Family Therapy Approach. 4. Fourth Piece. A Multi-Agency Team in Practice. 5. Fifth Piece. Joint Working. 6. The Whole Picture. Conclusion. References. Afterword by Annie Tempest. About the Authors: Penny McFarlane worked as a teacher for fifteen years before qualifying as a dramatherapist at Exeter University, UK. She founded a Creative Arts in Therapy project for inner-city schools and, having worked as a dramatherapist, is now a supervisor on a Multi Agency Support Team. Jenny Harvey has been working as a family therapist as part of a Multi Agency Support Team for the last six years. She has a Master's degree in Systemic Family Therapy, a degree in Psychology and a Diploma in Counselling.
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