Developmental Play Therapy in Clinical Social Work

Book excerpt: Covers all aspects of play therapy with children in mental health clinics, schools, health settings, private practice offices, and child and family service agencies. This book draws on classic and current materials in developing a theoretically-framed, dynamic assessment and intervention model of clinical social work with children and their parents. It integrates concepts and practice principles with real-life case vignettes in individualized application to multiple problems in multiple practice settings. This stage-framed model presents in-depth use of play media, symbolic metaphor, therapeutic alliance, and developmental growth processes in assessing and treating children's developmental, emotional, and behavioral problems, conducting concurrent parent work, and evaluating practice outcome. Separate chapters focus on attachment problems, learning and attention problems, anxiety disorders, and trauma related to violence. For social workers working with children.