Main description:

Integrative Play Therapy with Individuals, Families and Groups is a complete theory-to-practice introduction to a comprehensive integrative model of play therapy, developed by Shlomo Ariel. It synthesizes numerous concepts, methods and techniques found in the various branches of play theory and research under a unified conceptual and linguistic roof of information-processing, cybernetics and semiotics. The author's tenet is that any case, whatever the presenting difficulties, can be treated by such an integrative, multi-systemic approach.

This book abounds with vivid observations and case descriptions, followed by discussions in a fictional inter-disciplinary seminar. Every chapter is followed by a brief summary, homework assignments and a classified list of relevant publications.

Integrative Play Therapy with Individuals, Families and Groups will generate immense interest throughout the play therapy community. It can serve as a textbook for budding play therapists and as a reference book for more experienced practitioners.

Contents:

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Part 1: Theoretical and methodological foundations

1. My favorite play therapy mix

2. Apprasing the current state of the art

3. The Diamond Model

Part 2: X-Raying make-believe play

4. Play observation techniques

5. Microscopic analysis of observed play

6. Macroscopic analysis on the semantic level

7. Macroscopic analysis of the pragmatic level

Part 3: The manifold magic of make-believe play

8. A formal definition of make-believe play

9. Linguistic peculiarities of make-believe play

10. Make-believe play as a vehicle of learning and development

11. Make-believe play as a pacifier

12. The therapeutic powers of play, revisited

Part 4: Planning a multi-systemic play therapy

13. Multi-systemic diagnostic evaluation

14. Planning a therapeutic strategy

Part 5: How to do it?

15. Conducting a play-therapeutic session

16. Lucy: the girl who created her own father

17. Nadav: a sweet oppositional-defiant boy

18. Play therapy: a reality show

19. Finale

List of cases, sessions and observations

Index