Paper Dolls and Paper Airplanes is a unique collection of more than 80 activities for mental health professionals working with sexually abused children in individual or group therapy sessions. The activities use paper, crayons, stickers, puppets, music, and other items and are designed to lower the threat level of the treatment process, helping children to heal. Activities are divided into age groups—preschool, latency, preteen, and teen—to take into account developmental differences, and each activity includes a materials list, directions, and discussion questions. The book discusses topics such as defining sexual abuse, relationships with family and friends, identifying and coping with feelings, disclosure and documentation, responsibility, personal safety, and self-esteem. Noting that saying goodbye is as important as saying hello, the authors also include information on transitions and graduations. Paper Dolls and Paper Airplanes provides clinicians with activities and ideas that they can integrate into any sexual abuse treatment framework. Testimonials: “A well-organized and easy-to-use book….This manual is an invaluable source of ideas, especially because the authors offer explanations and applications for the various activities.”
—Journal of Interpersonal Violence “If you work with sexually abused children and adolescents and do not have this book, go out and buy it! This essential resource addresses multiple issues pertaining to sexual abuse. It is useful for preschoolers, latency age children, and adolescents. Practical and clinically sound.”
—Sueann Kenney-Noziska, MSW, LICW, LCSW, RPT-S
Las Cruces, NM “I use this book in my work with children at a psychiatric treatment facility. I am so impressed by the organization of the book, the variety of experiential techniques for all ages of children and the information provided for therapists as guidance for using the activities. You need his book for your resource library!”
—Patty Joy Monical, LPC
San Antonio, TX Table of Contents: Acknowledgments
How This Book Came to Be Written
How to Use This Book
1. DEFINING SEXUAL ABUSE
Purpose of the Chapter
Paper Airplanes
The Sexual Abuse Game
Myths & Facts
Survey: How Do I Know..?
Think Tank 2. FAMILY & COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS
Purpose of the Chapter
Paper Dolls
Band-Aids & Blame
Me & My Mom
My Helpers
Magic Glasses
What Would They Say?
Design a Support Person
Special Flower
Getting Help 3. IDENTIFYING FEELINGS
Purpose of the Chapter
Where I Hurt
Feeling Faces
Ali's Story
Feelings Mish-Mosh
Identifying Feelings 4. COPING WITH FEELINGS
Purpose of the Chapter
Piggy Bank
Coping With Feelings Game
Acting on My Feelings
Stressed Out
Balancing Scale
Runaway Train
Dream Pillows
Calendars 5. SECRETS
Purpose of the Chapter
Keeping the Secret
Ghostwriter
Secret Puzzle
Target
Bag of Secrets
Diary Snoop 6. POST-DISCLOSURE EXPERIENCES
Purpose of the Chapter
Changes Since I Told
Before & After
My Story
Dear Group
Brave Little Bears
Kid Hero
Disclosure Day 7. DOCUMENTING THE SEXUAL ABUSE
Purpose of the Chapter
Go Fish
Hunt for Buried Treasure
My Autobiography 8. RESPONSIBILITY
Purpose of the Chapter
Kit's Story
Guilt-Free Kids
Who Is Responsible?
Guilt Trip
Why Me?
The Innocence of Childhood
Talk Back 9. OFFENDERS
Purpose of the Chapter
Little Red Riding Hood
The Abuser's Bag of Tricks
Hot Potato
Pit Stop
Types of Tricks of Abusers
Scavenger Hunt
Abusers Know Kids 10. TRIGGERS
Purpose of the Chapter
Yucky & Nice
Memories
Scene of the Crime
Reminders
Trigger Box Game 11. SEXUALITY
Purpose of the Chapter
Dress-Up
Touch I Like to Give and Get
Match Game
The Sex Game
Puberty Kit
Pressure Points 12. PERSONAL SAFETY
Purpose of the Chapter
The OK to Say No Game
Red Light/Green Light
The Dating Game
Sticky Situations
Graffiti
Kidzspace 13. SELF-ESTEEM
Purpose of the Chapter
Superstar
The Lollipop Tree
The Feeling Good Every Day Game
Fortune Teller
Self-Esteem Questionnaire
Bravo Bingo
Protest March
Layered Gift Conclusion: Transitions and Graduations
Appendixes
Appendix A: Theoretical Framework
Appendix B: Bibliography
About the Authors | 
