Creative Arts Therapies Approaches in Adoption and Foster Care: Contemporary Strategies for Working With Individuals and Families [Hardcover]

Donna J. Betts (Author, Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0398073872 | ISBN-13: 978-0398073879 | Edition: 1

This volume presents perspectives of creative arts therapies approaches in adoption and foster care. Creative arts therapists will find this collection to be of particular relevance, but the intention is to also introduce this subject to a wide range of clinicians, including those in the associated professions of social work, counseling, psychology, psychiatry, nursing, teaching, and related fields. The chapters refer specifically to the development and contemporary application of creative arts therapies approaches in adoption and foster care. The chapters reflect the ways in which creative arts therapies can be applied in different settings, and represent the spectrum of ideas in current practice. The first seven chapters focus on adoption and present theoretical perspectives on adoption adjustment that include psychodynamic, attachment, social role, family systems, stress and coping, object relations, trauma, cognitive-behavioral, and biological perspectives. !

A variety of psychological constructs are explored, such as trust attachment, abandonment, rejection, self-esteem, identity integration, grief, and loss. These chapters also reflect types of work with specific adoption populations, including international and transracial. Individual, group, and family therapy formats are outlined. Approaches to treatment including art, drama, music, play, and sand tray therapy are presented predominantly in case study format. In some cases, diagnosis and assessment are discussed. In Part Two, the five chapters that focus on foster care explore the creative arts therapist?s role in the social system; attachment and foster care research; issues such as self-esteem, boundaries, guilt, shame, loss, ambivalence, aggression, splitting, rejection, trauma; themes of abuse and neglect, resilience. and behavioral and emotional disturbances. Five chapters exploring transcultural and transracial issues are the focus of Part Three. This book will help meet a demand for ideas and practical information about this topic on the part of an audience reaching beyond the creative arts therapies.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Donna J. Betts, M.A., ATR-BC, hails from Canada. She is a graduate of George Washington University and founded the art therapy program at the National Children's Center in Washington, D.C., in 1998. Ms. Betts is an active member of the American Art Therapy Association, and presently serves on AATA's Board of Directors (2002-2004). She also maintains involvement with the National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations (NCCATA), serving as Webmaster and Recorder. Herself an adoptee, Ms. Betts lectures on topics such as adoption, autism, and art therapy assessment techniques. Currently, she is working toward a Ph.D. in Art Therapy at Florida State University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Charles C Thomas Pub Ltd; 1 edition (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0398073872
• ISBN-13: 978-0398073879
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,688,208 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book excellent resource for adopton agencies, March 19, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Creative Arts Therapies Approaches in Adoption and Foster Care: Contemporary Strategies for Working With Individuals and Families (Paperback)

I am a social worker and I have worked with art therapists in the past. I have seen the power of art therapy in helping adopted kids and foster care kids. At the agency where I work, we were always looking for resources on art therapy for our kids, but there was really not much out there. I was thrilled to discover Betts' book. Finally, a book about the arts therapies and adoption and foster care! The book is a great resource and the staff at my agency have really benefited from reading it. It's also been helpful for parents, who are now asking about how to get arts therapy services for their children. I strongly recommend this book for anyone involved in adoption or foster care.