Play in Family Therapy

Bridging the gap between play therapy and family therapy, this volume focuses on utilization of play therapy with children and their families. Following a brief overview of both fields, the author describes the rationale for play in the family setting. The work describes how play can encourage relatedness among family members, increase communication and understanding, and allow for the expression of laughter and play with all its inherent curative qualities. The applicability of numerous play techniques for children and their families is clearly demonstrated and illustrated with numerous case examples. Among the many techniques described are the use of puppets, art therapy, and storytelling. This book will be of interest to practitioners and students of both play and family therapy, as well as child therapy courses.