Play Therapy Primer

KEVIN J. O CONNOR, PhD, RPT-S, is Professor and Director of the Ecosystemic Clinical Child Psychology Program at the California School of Professional Psychology. He is the cofounder of the Association for Play Therapy and currently serves on its Board. He maintains a private practice treating children and their families and is the author of several widely used texts on play therapy in general and Ecosytemic Play Therapy in particular.

• Definition and History of Play Therapy. Theories of Play Therapy. Diversity Issues. A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE PRACTICE OF INDIVIDUAL PLAYTHERAPY. Theoretical Underpinnings of Play Therapy. Basic Assumptions of Ecosystemic Play Therapy. THE COURSE OF INDIVIDUAL PLAY THERAPY. The Intake Process. Assessment, Case Formulation, and Treatment Planning. Beginning Treatment. Making Play Therapy Sessions Therapeutic. Developmental and Phase-Specific Modifications of Ecosystemic PlayTherapy. Transference and Countertransference. Collateral Work. Termination. Case Examples: Denis and Dianne. ECOSYSTEMIC PLAY THERAPY FOR GROUPS. Group Play Therapy. References. Author Index. Subject Index.