1st Edition
A Playful Approach to Restoration Therapy Helping Kids Play their Way from Pain to Peace
This accessible guide provides family and play therapists with an innovative method for addressing maladaptive emotional behavior in vulnerable children, helping them develop a practical understanding of how to diagnose, treat, and help children move from pain to peace.
Drawing from Frigaard’s years of experience, this book presents the scientific model behind restoration play therapy and anticipates the multiple directions that healing and recovery might take. This guide combines creative and directive approaches to collaborative play with the vision to create deep-rooted change in clients. Including step-by-step session plans as well as introducing metaphorical "coping characters", Brutus the Blaming Badger, Sharla the Shameful Sheep, Contessa the Controlling Cow and Eddie the Escape Goat, the chapters encourage a therapeutic play environment that draws upon accessible techniques, empowering children to regain control of their responses to emotional pain. By moving between a framework of practical insight and its creative application, this text ensures therapists engage with clients where they are and build empathetic relationships with them.
This book is invaluable reading for family and play therapists as well as other mental health professionals that work with children. The book encourages parents and educators to be part of the healing process, and they can also use the techniques with the children in their lives.
1. Helping Kids Find Relief and Healing: An Overview of the Restoration Therapy Model 2. Fight or Flight? Let’s Fight! 3. Fight or Flight? Let's Take Flight 4. Identifying Love vs. Trust Violations in Children 5. Helping Children Learn How to Regulate their Emotions: Moving from Pain to Peace 6. Bringing it Together: Practicing Mindfulness and the Four Steps 7. Session Plans and Practical Tips for Therapists
Biography
Nancy Frigaard, D.Min., is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, educator and clinical supervisor. She has worked as a faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary and an adjunct faculty member at Arizona Christian University. She is currently occupied as Director of Fuller Seminary Arizona, Marriage and Family Therapy Program. She is also an assistant professor. Her private practice specializes in working with children, adolescents, parents, families, foster care, and adoption issues.
"What do you think of when you think of the word "play?" Creativity? Engagement? Imagination? Maybe even words like growth and development come to mind. In her brilliant work of applying restoration therapy to a play setting, Nancy Frigaard extends our understanding of how attachment, emotional regulation and mindfulness can be skillfully engaged in the work with children. As important, you will quickly see how this playful approach helps families by changing the lives of children. Not only does her approach chart a course for potential and change in therapy, the result is perfectly suited for play therapy: It is fun!"
Terry D. Hargrave, Ph.D.; Evelyn and Frank Freed Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy, Fuller Theological Seminary
"Restoration Play Therapy: Helping Kids Play Their Way From Pain to Peace is a very worthwhile resource not just for professional counselors but for the church and any type of ministry for children."
Dr. H. Norman Wright
