Arts Activities for Children and Young People in Need: Helping Children to Develop Mindfulness, Spiritual Awareness and Self-Esteem. Diana Coholic, $34.95

Art-based activities can develop resilience and self-esteem, enabling children in need to cope better with ongoing stress and loss. Arts Activities for Children and Young People in Need offers interventions and exercises drawn from practice and research, for practitioners to use as a basis for their own arts-based groups or one-to-one sessions. The activities in this book encourage relaxation and increased self-awareness, exploration of feelings, values and understanding. It is especially beneficial for children not ready to embrace traditional therapies or counselling.

This book is accessible and suitable for helping, health and education practitioners and students from a variety of disciplines, such as social work, psychology and counselling.

Child-Centered Play Therapy. Risë VanFleet, Andrea  Sywulak & Cynthia Caparosa Sniscak, $38.50

Highly practical, instructive, and authoritative, this book vividly describes how to conduct child-centered play therapy. The authors are master clinicians who explain core therapeutic principles and techniques, using rich case material to illustrate treatment of a wide range of difficulties. The focus is on nondirective interventions that allow children to freely express their feelings and take the lead in solving their own problems. Flexible yet systematic guidelines are provided for setting up a playroom; structuring sessions; understanding and responding empathically to children's play themes, including how to handle challenging behaviors; and collaborating effectively with parents.

Child-Centered Play Therapy: a Practical Guide to Developing Therapeutic Relationships with Children. Nancy Cochran, William Nordling & Jeff Cochran, $72.00

Complete with a foreword from Dr. Louise Guerney, a founding figure in child-centered play therapy , this approachable, skills-based text is filled with case studies, learning activities and objectives, and classroom exercises. With extensive coverage of play therapy application, such as setting goals and treatment planning, this book is a welcome resource for school psychologists, play therapists, and students.

Children & Pictures: Drawing and Understanding. Richard Jolley, $54.95

Presenting current research and pointing toward future topics of study, Children and Pictures brings the study of children’s drawings into mainstream child development studies. This is an edifying resource fro students, researchers, practitioners, parents, artists and educators in the field.

Helping therapists hone their skills for working with diverse children and families, this unique volume looks at play therapy through a multicultural lens. Experienced practitioners examine how cultural traditions, values, shared experiences, and expectations may influence the ways children express themselves through play, the ideas and feelings they associate with different activities, and the responses of children and parents to particular interventions.

Foundations of Play Therapy, 2nd Edition. Edited by Charles Schaefer, $72.00

Foundations of Play Therapy is a complete guide to the many diverse approaches to play therapy methods used in clinical practice with children, adolescents, and adults. With comprehensive coverage of the major theoretical models of play therapy, the book features an expert panel of contributors. This comprehensive reference provides detailed descriptions of all of the major theoretical models of play therapy and offers the reader practical examples of how to apply each model in practice.

The Handbook of Gestalt Play Therapy: Practical Guidelines for Child Therapists. Rinda Blom, $40.95

This book is an introduction to gestalt play therapy a technique which combines the principles of gestalt theory with play techniques, so that children are able to use play to address their needs and problems … The Handbook of Gestalt Play Therapy provides the reader with an explanation of gestalt theory, a practical explanation of the gestalt play therapy model and also a wide range of play techniques that can be applied during each phase of the therapy process. It also features case studies throughout which illustrate how the techniques work in practice.

Harry the Hypno-potamus: Metaphorical Tales for the Treatment of Children. Linda Thompson, $59.95

This book is written for child mental health professionals with previous training in hypnotherapy. Harry the Hypno-potamus is a collection of metaphorical stories that deal with a variety of physical and behavioral problems faced by children. Imbedded in each story is a metaphor as well as hypnotherapeutic techniques that can be used as part of a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and treatment of a host of physical and emotional disorders.

Healing the Inner City Child: Creative Arts Therapies with At-Risk Youth. Vanessa Camilleri, Editor. $43.95

Healing the Inner City Child presents a diverse collection of creative art therapy approaches to meeting the specific mental health needs of inner city children, who are disproportionately likely to experience violence, crime and family pressures and are at risk of depression and behavioral disorders as a result. The contributors draw on their professional experience in school and community settings to describe a wide variety of suitable therapeutic interventions, including music, play and art therapy as well as psychodrama and dance/movement approaches, that enable children to deal with experiences of trauma, loss, abuse, and other risk factors that may affect their ability to reach their full academic and personal potentials. A must-read for creative arts therapists, psychologists, social workers and educators, this book offers a comprehensive overview of arts-based interventions for anyone working to improve the lives of children growing up in inner city areas.

Healing Stories: Picture Books for the Big and Small Changes in a Child's Life. Jacqueline Golding, $20.50

Healing Stories recommends over 500 carefully selected books that can be used to help children cope with the everyday challenges of childhood and with life-changing crises; while offering adults the information they need to make the right choices for their kids.

Healthy Attachments and Neuro-Dramatic-Play. Sue Jennings, $33.95

Breaking new ground in the areas of attachment and child development, Sue Jennings introduces the concept of “Neuro-Dramatic-Play” exploring the sensory experiences that take place between mother and child during pregnancy and the first few months after birth. She explains how this interaction, that is essentially 'dramatic' in nature, is of crucial importance for the infant to develop a healthy brain, strong attachments and future resilience.

This book consolidates current theories of neuroscience, attachment and therapeutic intervention and challenges commonly held psychoanalytic ideas of child development. By expanding on the often narrow view of what is understood by attachment, this book makes a strong case for early inclusion of play and arts therapies. Neuro-Dramatic-Play is also discussed in relation to fostering and adoption, teenagers and young adults, and children with developmental or cognitive disabilities.

If You Turned into a Monster: Transformation through Play: a Body-Centred Approach to Play Therapy. Dennis McCarthy, $34.95

Using case studies from his clinical experience and with numerous children's monster drawings, McCarthy lets the meaningful self-expression of the child take centre stage. He demonstrates that being allowed to play, move and draw impulsively and creatively in the supportive presence of the therapist is in fact the beginning of the therapeutic process. These activities are shown to be more therapeutic for the child in practical terms than the interpretation of the clues it provides about the child's state of mind.

The Me I See: Learning Through Writing and Reflection, 2nd Edition.  Wood 'N' Barnes Collective, $32.95

The Me I See is a simple, thorough collection of journaling prompts placed in an accessible workbook template. These pages are conveniently reproducible and can be used alone or combined with photos and artwork to make writing fun, creative, and engaging. The book is organized by subject, and each subject area starts with lighter, easier-to-process prompts followed by more challenging ones. Choose the prompts that are appropriate for your class, group, or individual.

Play in Clinical Practice: Evidence-Based Approaches. Edited by Sandra Russ & Larissa Niec, $49.50

This innovative book goes beyond traditional play therapy to present a range of evidence-based assessment and intervention approaches that incorporate play as a key element. It is grounded in the latest knowledge about the importance of play in child development. Leading experts describe effective strategies for addressing a wide variety of clinical concerns, including behavioral difficulties, anxiety, parent-child relationship issues, trauma, and autism. The empirical support for each approach is summarized and clinical techniques are illustrated. The book also discusses school-based prevention programs that utilize play to support children's learning and social-emotional functioning.

Play as Therapy: Assessment and Therapeutic Interventions. Edited by Karen Stagnitti & Rodney Cooper, $44.95

Play as Therapy provides background theory and practical applications of original research on play assessment and interventions used in therapy. The book offers a solid foundation for identifying and assessing play dysfunction, understanding play in different cultural contexts and considerations when intervening with play. The practical approach is underpinned by theory, research and case vignettes to explain how to utilize play as therapy with challenging children.

Play Therapy: a Non-Directive Approach for Children and Adolescents. Kate Wilson & Virginia Ryan, $47.95

This highly readable book provides a comprehensive theoretical and practical guide to non-directive play therapy, which is an effective and ethically sound method of helping troubled children and adolescents with their emotional difficulties. It draws extensively on case material to guide practitioners through the intricacies of establishing and practicing this therapeutic approach. This second edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to incorporate recent theory, research and practice developments. New issues addressed include: additional considerations when working with children in statutory settings, the integration of attachment theory within the book’s Piagetian framework, using drawing, structured exercises and role play within a non-directive approach, and working with a wide variety of children’s and adolescents’ concerns.

Play Therapy with Children in Crisis: Individual, Group, and Family Treatment, Third Edition. Edited by Nancy Boyd Webb, $60.50

This widely adopted casebook and text presents effective, creative approaches to helping children who have experienced such stressful situations as parental death or divorce, abuse and neglect, violence in the school or community, and natural disasters. 17 of the 21 chapters are entirely new, and all chapters reflect the latest knowledge on crisis intervention, trauma, and short-term play therapy. Timely new topics include the crisis of parental military deployment, immigration-related trauma, terrorism, and disrupted adoption.

Poetry and Story Therapy: the Healing Power of Creative Expression. Geri Giebel Chavis, $33.95

Poetry and short stories can act as powerful springboards to growth, self-enhancement and healing. This accessible book explores the therapeutic possibilities of poetry and stories, exploring ways of selecting appropriate works for discussion, and providing techniques for facilitating personally relevant and growth-enhancing sessions. The author provides ideas and suggestions for personal writing activities that emerge from or intertwine with this discussion, and explains how participants can create their own poetic and narrative pieces using other media, such as music, photographs, film, paintings, objects, and physical movement. The book references a wide variety of specific poems, short stories and films to use as prompts to creative writing, and contains a useful bibliography of poetry collections, story anthologies and film resources as well as a list of further resources and template feedback forms. 

School-Based Play Therapy, 2nd Edition. Athena Drewes & Charles Schaefer, $78.00

School-Based Play Therapy presents an A to Z for using play therapy in preschool and elementary school settings. The book offers school counselors, psychologists, social workers and educators illustrative case studies and ready-to-use practical techniques for group and individual programs.

Space Invaders: a Game about Boundaries. Developed by Toni Cavanagh Johnson, $22.95

This card game can be played with the whole family. The goal of the game is to form healthy, safe and consistent boundaries in the home. The game is suitable for use with intact families, families with stepchildren and families with foster children. The questions are most suitable for parents and children 4-14 years of age. Easy-to-read instructions are included. Instructions are included which explain the role of the therapist and describe how to use the game with the specialized populations. 

Storytelling and Other Activities for Children in Therapy. Johanna Slivinske & Lee Slivinske, $54.95

Storytelling can lead to successful therapeutic treatment with children confronting situations such as abuse or grief who may not be able to express their emotions directly. In this collection, the authors provide dozens of multicultural, modern stories that can help children and preteens gain mastery over their environment by controlling a story's ending — by talking about, writing about, or drawing their own endings. Mental health practitioners treating children and adolescents will benefit from the "cookbook" format providing quick access to activities and instructions.

Therapeutic Activities for Children and Teens Coping with Health Issues. Robyn Hart & Judy Rollins, $54.95

Building on children's natural inclinations to pretend and reenact, play therapy is widely used in the treatment of psychological problems in childhood. This book is the only one of its kind with more than 200 therapeutic activities specifically designed for working with children and teenagers within the healthcare system. It provides evidence-based, age-appropriate activities for interventions that promote coping. The activities target topics such as separation anxiety, self-esteem issues, body image, death, isolation, and pain. Mental health practitioners will appreciate its “cookbook” format, with quickly read and implemented activities.

Theraplay: Helping Parents and Children Build Better Relationships through Attachment-Based Play, 3rd Edition. Phyllis Booth & Ann Jernberg, $66.00

Theraplay is a pioneering application of attachment theory to clinical work that helps parents learn and practice how to provide the playful engagement, empathic responsiveness, and clear guidance that lead to secure attachment and lifelong mental health in their children. This third edition of the groundbreaking book Theraplay shows how to use play to engage children in interactions that lead to competence, self-regulation, self-esteem, and trust.

Turn the Page for Play Therapy Activities, Grade 2-5. Michele Neace Page, $32.50 (Includes CD-ROM of reproducible pages)

Activities that allow children to communicate more effectively build self-esteem and reduce stress.

Using Superheroes in Counseling and Play Therapy. Lawrence Rubin, Editor, $66.50

Using Superheroes in Counseling and Play Therapy takes us on a dynamic tour of the benefits of using icons of popular culture and fantasy in counseling and play therapy. In presenting case studies and wisdom gleaned from practicing therapists' experience, Lawrence Rubin shows what can be accomplished by paying attention to our intrinsic social need for fantasy and play.