Narrative Play Therapy: Theory and Practice

Narrative Play Therapy is a highly effective play-based psychological intervention that enables therapists to help children communicate difficult experiences and complex emotions through co-constructed stories. This is the definitive guide to the approach, offering both a coherent theoretical outline and a clear explanation of its practical applications. Beginning with detailed accounts of the theory and history that has shaped the approach, this book provides necessary background knowledge for the successful application of Narrative Play Therapy. It looks at different client circumstances, including children experiencing adoption, parental separation or abuse, and demonstrates how the approach can be used in practice to support each client group therapeutically. The professional expertise of leading practitioners in the field is brought together to present a comprehensive framework for Narrative Play Therapy drawn from theory, understanding and practice. This is an essential resource for students of play therapy, play therapy practitioners, and all other professionals working with children therapeutically.

Table of Contents:
Part I. Theory and Background. 1. An Introduction to Social Construction and Narrative Theories. Aideen Taylor de Faoite and Ann Marie John. 2. The Theory of Narrative Play Therapy. Aideen Taylor de Faoite. 3. Assessment, Record Keeping and Evaluation in Narrative Play Therapy. Aideen Taylor de Faoite. 4. Story as an Externalising Process. Kate Kirk. 5. Holding and Being Held: The Narrative Thread of Supervision. David Le Vay and Ann Marie John. Part II. Narrative Play Therapy Practice. 6. Working with Narrative Play Therapy in the Primary School System. Alison Webster. 7. Narrative Play Therapy with Children Experiencing Parental Separation or Divorce. Sharon Pearce. 8. Journey into the Interior: Narrative Play Therapy with Young People Who Sexually Harm. David Le Vay. 9. Narrative Family Play Therapy: Play as a Context for Family and Child Stories to be Told, Heard and Re-Authored. Ann Marie John. 10. Narrative Play Therapy with Adopted Children. Carol Platteuw. Afterword. Aideen Taylor de Faoite. The Contributors.

About the Author :
Aideen Taylor de Faoite is a freelance educational psychologist and play therapist, and has been working as a play therapist in private practice for over 15 years. She has devised a number of play therapy training programmes and has lectured internationally on the subject. Aideen lives in County Clare, Ireland.

Review :
I found the book inspiring... [it] embraces all aspects of the therapeutic process, including assessment, evaluation and supervision, giving valuable insight and information. It refers to its uses is many areas, even that of sexual harm and adoption. There are also theories linking narratives to the development of the human brain. I would recommend this book to child counsellors and child psychotherapists, including play therapists and drama therapists, who work with both children and their families. There is a special chapter on work in a primary school context, so school counsellors and also perhaps teachers would find this part useful. The book not only gives new ideas but also reinforces what many of us may be doing already.