1st Edition

Solution-Focused Therapy with Children and Adolescents Creative and Play-Based Approaches

By Elizabeth R. Taylor Copyright 2019
    204 Pages 21 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    204 Pages 21 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    Solution-Focused Therapy with Children and Adolescents offers mental health professionals an integration of creative and playful approaches and solution-focused therapy. The author presents developmentally appropriate and expressive alternatives to oral communication including sandtray, writing, puppetry, drawing and coloring, photography, and music. The text presents an overview of strength-based and creative approaches with a focused examination of the philosophy and process of solution-focused therapy, then divides chapters into specific stages of therapy—beginnings, searching for treasure, setting goals, and ending the session—with creative techniques offered in each section. The final chapter addresses working with children and adolescents in solution-focused groups, including how to set up groups and progress through different group stages, presenting specific techniques and activities focused on each stage of the group process.

    Chapter 1 Introduction  Chapter 2 Strength-Based Approaches  Chapter 3 Creative and Playful Approaches  Chapter 4 Client Considerations  Chapter 5 Solutions-Focused Therapy and Integration with Creative and Tangible Approaches  Chapter 6 Motivating the Client  Chapter 7 Beginnings  Chapter 8 Digging for Treasure  Chapter 9 The Miracle Question and other Goal-setting Techniques  Chapter 10 Ending the Session  Chapter 11 Follow-up Sessions  Chapter 12 Solution-focused Group Approaches

    Biography

    Elizabeth R. Taylor, PhD, LPC-S, LMFT, RPT-S teaches counseling at Texas Christian University. As a licensed counselor and play therapist, she has presented workshops on solution-focused therapy, play therapy, and resiliency at state, national, and international conferences.

    "Becky Taylor ties her knowledge and experience with children, adolescents, and families in multiple settings to the best clinical approaches available: solution-focused brief therapy, resilience research, and play therapy. Chapter 8, 'Digging for Treasure', is a great metaphor for reading this book, a resource for novices and experienced counselors alike. Dig in!"

    Frank N. Thomas, professor of counseling & counselor education, College of Education, Texas Christian University; clinical fellow and approved supervisor, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

    "Becky Taylor has done a formidable job in taking the reader of this book on a journey through a solution-focused landscape where the abundant tools of play therapy meet with the strength-based approach to help children of all ages overcome their problems and difficulties."

    Ben Furman, Finnish psychiatrist, psychotherapist and an internationally renowned teacher of solution-focused therapy, coaching and organizational development; founder of the Helsinki Brief Therapy Institute.

    "Solution-Focused Therapy with Children and Adolescents lives up to its title. This text, a useful contribution to the literature, provides clinicians with playful interventions to build on solutions and honor a child’s own expertise in their life. Child therapists who wish to add play-based, solution-focused ideas to their toolbox should put this text on their wish list."

    Pamela K. King, international speaker and trainer, author of Tools for Effective Therapy with Children and Families: A Solution Focused Approach