Play Therapy: Where the Sky Meets the Underworld, Paperback

Play is one of the most creative opportunities open to a child, and is becoming of increasing interest to therapists and others in the caring professions. This book examines how children develop skills in play as a way of being creative, and how they can use play as a therapeutic process by mirroring their own life experiences in their games.

Ann Cattanach outlines the theoretical basis and provides guidelines for work in this area. She examines the role of the therapist, and the different methods involved in therapy, such as creative free play and task-based play. Also covered is the use of play therapy in different work settings, such as the education service, the social services, and hospitals.

She discusses the needs of the therapist, including the importance of supervision. The book contains case studies and ideas for working with emotionally disturbed children, abused children, and children facing death. Also included are notes and stories for the refreshment of the therapist.

Ann Cattanach MSc, CSTD, RDTh, is Course Director, Play Therapy at Roehampton Institute and is co-founder of The Play Therapy Trust. She helped to develop the Dramatherapy course at the Akademie de Kopese Hof, Nijmegen, Netherlands and supervises the Play Therapy course in Athens run by the Centre for Dramatherapy, Theatre and Therapy. She works as a therapist for Harrow NHS Community Trust and acts as a Child Care Consultant/Therapist for several Social Service departments in London. She is the author of several books, including Play Therapy with Abused Children published in 1992 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.