Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship / Edition 3

by Garry L. Landreth

Overview

Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship is the newest incarnation of Garry Landreth's comprehensive text on creating therapeutic relationships with children through play. It details the Child-Centered Play Therapy model, which stresses the importance of understanding the child's world and perspective. This approach facilitates the play therapy process while allowing therapist and client to fully connect. Professors who have taught a course based on the previous edition will be pleased to find the core message intact, but updated with a significant body of recent research. Expanded to cover additional topics of interest, the new edition includes:

• a full chapter on current research in play therapy
• new sections on supervising play therapists, legal and ethical issues and multicultural concerns
• 30 new photographs that show the author demonstrating techniques in-session
• practical tips for working with parents
• instructions on play room set-up and materials
• online instructor resources.

The Third Edition will feel both familiar and fresh to educators and trainers who have relied on Landreth's text for years. The guidelines, transcripts, and case examples offered help therapists govern sensitive issues at every stage of the therapeutic process, from the first meeting to the end of the relationship.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415886819
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	01/24/2012
Edition description:	Revised
Pages:	442
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Garry L. Landreth, EdD, LPC, RPT-S, is Regents Professor Emeritus, Department of Counseling and Higher Education and Founder and Director Emeritus, Center for Play Therapy, University of North Texas.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	xiii
	Preface	xv
1	About Me, Garry Landreth	1
	Principles for Relationships with Children	5
	Reference	7
2	The Meaning of Play	9
	Functions of Play	9
	Symbolic Play	11
	Children Communicate Through Play	14
	Play in the Therapeutic Process	16
	Stages in the Play Therapy Process	20
	Play of Adjusted and Maladjusted Children	23
	References	25
3	History and Development of Play Therapy	27
	Psychoanalytic Play Therapy	29
	Release Play Therapy	32
	Relationship Play Therapy	34
	Nondirective Play Therapy	35
	Play Therapy in Elementary Schools	35
	Association for Play Therapy	37
	University Training	38
	Center for Play Therapy	38
	Filial Therapy	39
	Trends in Play Therapy	40
	Play Therapy Results	43
	References	45
4	A View of Children	53
	Tenets for Relating to Children	53
	Children Are Resilient	55
	Some Children Are Like Popcorn, and Some Are Like Molasses	57
	References	58
5	Child-Centered Play Therapy	59
	Personality Theory	60
	A Child-Centered View of Personality and Behavior	64
	Key Concepts	65
	Adjustment and Maladjustment	67
	Therapeutic Conditions for Growth	70
	The Therapeutic Relationship	79
	Objectives	87
	What Children Learn in Play Therapy	89
	References	93
6	The Play Therapist	95
	Creating Differences	96
	Being There	97
	Personality Characteristics	98
	Therapist Self-Understanding	102
	Therapist Self-Acceptance	105
	Role of the Play Therapist	108
	Ryan--A Dying Child in Play Therapy	110
	Supervised Practice Facilitates Self-Insight	116
	The Inner Struggle of a Beginning Play Therapist	118
	Recommended Training Program	120
	References	123
7	The Playroom and Materials	125
	Playroom Location	126
	Playroom Size	126
	Playroom Characteristics	127
	Other Settings for Play Therapy	130
	Rationale for Selecting Toys and Materials	132
	Categories of Toys	138
	Totebag Playroom	143
	Recommended Toys and Materials for the Playroom	144
	Special Considerations	146
	Suggested Titles for the Play Therapy Program in Schools	148
	Implementing a Play Therapy Program in Schools	148
	Reference	149
8	The Parent's Part in the Process	151
	Background Information	152
	Must Parents Also Be in Therapy?	154
	The Parent Interview	157
	Obtain Permission from Legal Guardian	165
	Psychiatric Referral	166
	Explaining Play Therapy to Parents	166
	Preparing Parents for Separation	169
	References	171
9	Beginning the Relationship: The Child's Hour	173
	Objectives of the Relationship	174
	Making Contact with the Child	176
	The Initial Encounter in the Waiting Room	179
	Structuring the Relationship in the Playroom	182
	Responding to the Reluctant, Anxious Child	187
	The Child's View of the Play Therapy Relationship	189
	Questioning Techniques of Children	193
	Explaining the Observation Mirror and Recording	200
	Taking Notes During the Session	202
	Play Therapists' Reactions to Their First Sessions	203
	Basic Dimensions of the Relationship	204
	References	206
10	Characteristics of Facilitative Responses	207
	Sensitive Understanding: Being With	208
	Caring Acceptance	209
	Details of Therapeutic Responsiveness	211
	Facilitative Responses	215
	Returning Responsibility to Children	221
	Typical Nonfacilitative Responses	224
	Paul--A Fearful, Acting-Out Child in Play Therapy	232
11	Therapeutic Limit Setting	245
	Basic Guidelines in Limit Setting	245
	When to Present Limits	248
	Rationale for Therapeutic Limits	249
	Procedures in Therapeutic Limit Setting	258
	Steps in the Therapeutic Limit-Setting Process	259
	When Limits Are Broken	262
	Tentativeness in Limit Setting	265
	Situational Limits	266
	Beginning Play Therapists' Reactions to Setting Limits	272
	References	272
12	Typical Problems in Play Therapy and What to Do If...	273
	What to Do If the Child Is Silent	274
	What to Do If the Child Wants to Bring Toys or Food into the Playroom	276
	What to Do If the Child Is Overly Dependent	277
	What to Do If the Child Persists in Seeking Praise	279
	What to Do If the Child Says You Talk Weird	282
	What to Do If the Child Wants the Therapist to Play a Guessing Game	283
	What to Do If the Child Asks for Expressions of Affection	284
	What to Do If the Child Wants to Hug or Sit in the Therapist's Lap	286
	What to Do If the Child Tries to Steal a Toy	287
	What to Do If the Child Refuses to Leave the Playroom	289
	What to Do If the Therapist Unexpectedly Cannot Keep an Appointment	291
13	Issues in Play Therapy	293
	Confidentiality	293
	Participation in the Child's Play	295
	Accepting Gifts from Children in Play Therapy	299
	Giving the Child a Reward at the End of Sessions or a Memento at Termination	302
	Asking the Child to Clean Up	303
	Informing Children of the Reason They Are in Play Therapy	306
	Bringing a Friend to the Playroom	307
	Inviting Parents or Siblings to the Playroom	310
	References	310
14	Intensive and Short-Term Play Therapy	311
	Intensive Play Therapy	312
	Short-Term Play Therapy	316
	Summary	319
	References	319
15	Children in Play Therapy	321
	Nancy--From Baldness to Curls	322
	Cindy--A Manipulative Child	330
	Amy--A Selective Mute Child	340
	Significance of Sibling Goup Play Therapy	348
	Summary	349
	References	350
16	Determining Therapeutic Process and Termination	351
	Determining Therapeutic Movement Within Sessions	352
	Dimensions of Change	353
	The Meaning of Termination	356
	Reference Points for Determining Termination	357
	Procedures for Ending the Relationship	360
	Children's Reactions to the Last Session	362
	References	364
17	Filial Therapy: Child-Parent-Relationship Training (CPR for Parents)	365
	Parental Efficacy	366
	Historical Development of Filial Therapy	368
	The Process of Filial Therapy	370
	Selecting Parents	373
	Group Format for Training	376
	Structure and Content of the Training Sessions	378
	Research and Evaluation	388
	References	396
	Index	399
	About the Author	407

Editorial Reviews

If you have a question or a dilemma regarding your interactions with children, it is no doubt addressed in this practical guide of how to "be" with children. The table of contents is wonderfully detailed, making it an easy reference book. He presents very readable descriptions of play and the history of play therapy, child and therapist characteristics, play room and materials, working with parents ... His mastery in connecting with children in a non judgmental, relaxed, yet powerful way is proof that he is indeed an artist in this field. All in all, a worthwhile text that will provide ideas and inspiration for years to come.

APTA Newsletter

"Substantially updated to include a wealth of new information, Garry draws on his vast experience and wisdom to expand on the healing power of the child-centered play therapy relationship. Fresh ideas and insights poignantly illustrated through personal stories and case examples both enlighten and touch the reader's heart. A must-read for all play therapists to expand their depth of practice, and for anyone committed to a deeper understanding of children and what they need in order to heal and reach their full potential."

Sue C. Bratton, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, Professor Emerita and Director Emerita, Center for Play Therapy, University of North Texas.

"A subsequent edition that is a masterpiece! Previous editions of Play Therapy have been such classics that it is difficult to imagine an improvement would be possible. However, this 4th edition accomplishes it. There are so many impressive additions. This book is both familiar and new - something only Dr. Landreth could do. This is a foundational book in my classes and should be required for anyone looking to understand and practice play therapy."

Daniel S. Sweeney, PhD, LMFT, LPC, RPT-S, Professor, Clinical Director, and Director of the NW Center for Play Therapy Studies, George Fox University.

"Dr. Landreth has done it again! He has gifted the child therapy community with an insightful, meaningful, and practical framework for Child-Centered Play Therapy. Building on his last three editions, Dr. Landreth offers new perspectives and reflections on processes within play therapy. This new edition brings the dynamics of play therapy alive through multiple cases and session transcripts that illustrate Dr. Landreth's teaching points. Every page led me to reflect upon the significance of play therapy in children's lives."

Dee C. Ray, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, NCC, Regents Professor, Co-Director of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas.

From the Publisher