Play Therapy with Abused Children

Ann Cattanach is a play therapist and dramatherapist in private practice. She has wide experience of teaching and lecturing in drama, dramatherapy and speech communication, and has also worked as a child psychotherapist, family therapist and dramatherapist for Social Services and NHS Trusts.

Play Therapy with Abused Children is a text that presents a powerful way of working with a particular group of children. Cattanach uses the theory and practice illustrated to make the reader aware of the negative experiences that these children may bring to the therapeutic play sessions. In doing this, she prepares the reader for the reality of what practitioners encounter within the therapeutic work but also indicates the benfit that the children experience as a consequence of working in this non-directive and playful way.

• 1. The Rights of Children and the Abused Child. The Rights of Children. New Approaches to the Care and Support of Children in the United Kingdom. Every Child Matters: Change for Children. Protecting Children and Young People: The Charter. The Abused Child is the Invisible Child. Definitions of Child Abuse. The Trauma of Abuse. The Effects of Abuse on the Child's Future Development. The Effects of Sexual Abuse on Children. Transition from Victim to Abuser. 2. Play Therapy as a Healing Process for Abused Children. The Meaning of Play. What is Play? Play as a Cultural Phenomena. History of the Study of Play. Child Development Theories and Play. Representing the Social World in Play. Play and Dramatic Play. Playing with Children. Children Playing Together. Play as Therapy. Non-Directive Play Therapy. Cognitive-Behavioural Play Therapy. Prescriptive Play Therapy. Play and Healing for Abused Children. 3. Starting Play Therapy: Settings, Materials, Boundaries. Play Therapy to Heal the Hurt Child. The Therapist. Supervision. Assessing the Need for Therapy. Timing the Intervention. Information about the Child. Investigations and Therapy. Starting Play Therapy. Finding a Safe Place for the Child. Material for Play. Play with Toys. The Use of Toys and Play Material in Play Therapy Across Cultures. 4. The Play Therapy Process for the Abused Child. The Play Therapy Process for the Abused Child. The Role of the Therapist. Preparation for Play. Starting Play. In the Middle Lies the Monster. Am I a Monster? Losing the Monster. The Final Stages of Play. Becoming Visible. 5. Play Therapy with Physically Abused Children. Helping the Physically Hurt Child through Play. 6. The Emotionally Abused Child. Emotional Abuse. The Sessions. 7. The Sexually Abused Child. The Difficulties of Young Children. Children with Learning Difficulties. Sexually Abused Boys. Getting Rid of the Monster: Ways of Coping. 8. The Therapist's Journey. References. Books for Children. Index.