Handbook of Medical Play Therapy and Child Life

The Handbook of Medical Play Therapy and Child Life brings together the voices and clinical experiences of dedicated clinical practitioners in the fields of play therapy and child life. This volume offers fresh insights and up to date research in the use of play with children, adolescents, and families in medical and healthcare settings. Chapters take a strength-based approach to clinical interventions across a wide range of health-related issues, including autism, trauma, routine medical care, pending surgeries both large and small, injury, immune deficiency, and more. Through its focus on the resiliency of the child, the power of play, and creative approaches to healing, this handbook makes visible the growing overlap and collaboration between the disciplines of play therapy and child life.

"Illness, injury, and resulting medical care often result in significant anxiety and psychosocial stress for children. The profession of child life has developed to address these specific concerns, with child life specialists using play as a primary tool to mitigate the negative effects of healthcare related experiences. This ground-breaking publication illustrates the profound benefits of play-based interventions in medical settings and is a valuable resource in child life and play therapy training and practice."Christina D. Brown, MS, CCLS, director, Department of Therapeutic Recreation, Child Life and Creative Arts Therapies, NYU Langone Medical Center, past president, Association of Child Life Professionals "A valuable resource for students, instructors, and practitioners, this comprehensive handbook demonstrates how the fields of play therapy and child life can effectively engage and help medically-compromised children, adolescents, and their families in a wide variety of medical and health-care settings. The distinguished chapter authors from diverse fields blend theoretical knowledge, up-to-date research, and clinical expertise to illustrate creative and playful methods to support and encourage children’s strengths and resilience in the face of medical challenges."Nancy Boyd Webb, DSW, BCD, RPT-S, distinguished professor of social work emerita, Fordham University"What a lovely collaborative book on the value of play! Child life and play therapy practitioners have worked together for the benefit of those with medical needs for years. This valuable book will further strengthen this work. The richness of the book is illuminated by the many helpful and insightful case studies. This volume will inform the work of practitioners of many disciplines and will do so to the benefit of medically involved children, adolescents, and their families."Linda Homeyer, PhD, LPC, RPT-S, professor, Professional Counseling Program, Texas State University"Handbook of Medical Play Therapy and Child Life is a timely and comprehensive volume offering professionals a unique, sure-to-be-used text! Readers will find it a rich composite filled with strength-based and resiliency-building creative approaches to healing that deal with a wide range of health-related issues. A must-have addition to any professional library!"Athena A. Drewes, PsyD, MA, RPT-S, director of clinical training and the APA-accredited doctoral internship at Astor Services for Children and Families, founder and president emeritus of the New York Association for Play Therapy

Lawrence C. Rubin, PhD, is a professor of counselor education at St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida, where he directs the Mental Health Counseling Program. He is also an online lecturer for the counseling programs at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Dr. Rubin is a practicing psychologist in Fort Lauderdale, where he specializes with children, teens, and their families and is the past board chair of the Association for Play Therapy.