Creative Interventions with Traumatized Children, First Edition

Rich with case material and artwork samples, this volume demonstrates a range of creative approaches for facilitating children's emotional reparation and recovery from trauma. Contributors include experienced practitioners of play, art, music, movement and drama therapies, bibliotherapy, and integrative therapies, who describe step-by-step strategies for working with individual children, families, and groups. The case-based format makes the book especially practical and user-friendly. Specific types of stressful experiences addressed include parental loss, child abuse, accidents, family violence, bullying, and mass trauma. Broader approaches to promoting resilience and preventing posttraumatic problems in children at risk are also presented. Review. "Malchiodi is a widely read and well-respected art therapist whose work on the treatment of childhood trauma is exemplary. This book addresses the rich array of therapies to which terrified youngsters respond. For the newcomer to the field who wishes to learn how drawings, doll play, music, relaxation, and storytelling may be used after devastating events--or for the old hand at working with kids who wants a good review of what's new--this is just the book."--Lenore C. Terr, MD, author of Magical Moments of Change. "This comprehensive resource delivers everything the title promises and more. Grounded in current trauma theory, the book presents creative, evidence-based therapeutic approaches developed specifically for children and adolescents. It also provides a clear understanding of childhood PTSD and its implications for treatment. Overall, the chapters emphasize an integrative perspective that interweaves counseling theory with creative modalities. I highly recommend this book to practitioners and would also use it as a training text for students."--Elizabeth A. Warson, MA, ATR-BC, Graduate Art Therapy Program, Eastern Virginia Medical School "Malchiodi has put together an invaluable resource that is chock full of highly creative and innovative interventions for traumatized children. The all-star lineup of contributors have written solid, user-friendly chapters on doing effective expressive therapy work with children who have experienced many types of trauma. This is a timely, welcome contribution to the child trauma and psychotherapy literature--a terrific book that will greatly benefit therapists working in the trenches with these challenging children and their families."--Matthew D. Selekman, MSW, Codirector, Partners for Collaborative Solutions, Evanston, Illinois "Malchiodi puts forth a comprehensive guide for professionals utilizing the creative arts therapies in child trauma work. The book is well structured and each chapter offers the reader a deeper understanding of specific creative applications and useful interventions for working with traumatized children, families, and groups....An excellent resource for practitioners and provides its readers with strategies for working with children who have been exposed to a wide range of traumatic experiences. I found Malchiodi's presentation of the neurobiological effects of trauma to be an exciting introduction to new ways of looking at trauma work with children. It serves as a foundation for the important and moving work described by the contributing authors and sets the tone for the book....The text is well organized and the information is presented in a format that is easy to read and very practical. I highly recommend this book to professionals working with children who have experienced trauma, as well as practitioners who are interested in applying creative interventions to their practice.". (Art Therapy 2008-01-10). "This book provides a thorough look into expressive interventions used in trauma, grief, and crisis with children. Malchiodi's carefully edited chapters are easy to read and absorbing....Each chapter illuminates a particular aspect of creative therapies [including] music therapy, art therapy, bibliotherapy, and play therapy. I would recommend this book as it provides step by step strategies and the thought-provoking examples of case work from Malchiodi's own practice and other practitioners....Malchiodi's book is an important contribution to the research in creative interventions and traumatized children and it's no wonder, she is so highly regarded in the art therapy community.". (Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal 2008-01-03). "I would recommend this well researched and well informed book to therapists working in schools with children of displaced, disenfranchised survivors of war, and disaster and those working with families around the world who are struggling to make sense of their traumatizing experiences....This book is packed with suggested activities for therapists to help restore the child's sense of safety and ability to function creatively and spontaneously, by rebuilding their own internal resource as a coping measure against the many minor traumas we all 'suffer' and have to deal with in everyday life.". (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Journal 2008-01-10). "The book has a rich collection of black and white sketches that are worth the price of the book on its own merit. They speak when words fail....The book has good reference information, organized by chapters.". (Illness, Crisis and Loss 2008-01-10) About the Author. Cathy A. Malchiodi, ATR-BC, LPCC, CPAT, REAT, is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, art therapist, and expressive arts therapist, and is also a faculty member at the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children and at Lesley University. She has more than 25 years of clinical experience in working with people of all ages and has worked as an art therapist with survivors of traumatic experiences, including domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse, disaster, and serious or life-threatening illnesses. Ms. Malchiodi is a frequent presenter on art and health care throughout the United States, Canada, Asia, and Europe, and has given more than 250 invited presentations. She is the only person to have received all three of the American Art Therapy Association's highest honors: Distinguished Service Award (1991), Clinician Award (2000), and Honorary Life Member Award (2002). The author or editor of numerous books, including The Art Therapy Sourcebook, Understanding Children's Drawings, and the Handbook of Art Therapy, she has also published over 70 peer-reviewed papers on the use of art therapy and arts medicine with trauma survivors, survivors of child physical and sexual abuse, people with psychiatric disorders, and those with physical illness.