Play Therapy for Preschool Children (PDF)

Play Therapy for Preschool Children is a comprehensive sourcebook of play interventions for preventing and resolving the most common disorders of 3-to-5-year-old children. Editor Charles Schaefer has gathered leading clinicians and researchers who present the research background alongside recent advances in the adaptation of play therapy for use with children who exhibit a variety of internalizing, externalizing, and developmental disorders, as well as prevention programs for at-risk children. Chapters use case illustrations to demonstrate interventions for mild-to-moderate behavior problems, insecurely attached preschool children and children with posttraumatic issues, as well as how to use play therapy in conjunction with parent psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Contributors also discuss interventions for autistic and developmentally delayed children, and the use of play interventions in classroom and parent-child settings. Throughout, chapter authors provide practical guidance for the full implementation of clinical ideas, from intake through termination. Clearly written and comprehensive in scope, this book is a must-have for any student or mental health professional who seeks a full understanding of the latest theory and practice of play therapy with this uniquely vulnerable and often misunderstood population.