Customer Reviews

Playful Approaches to Serious Problems: Narrative Therapy with Children and their Families (Norton Professional Books)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Playfull Approaches is an engaging book that makes the complex simple. A therapist parent or teacher will be spurred to creativity about even the most recalcitrant child. The authors work with children is presented in a literary form that puts the reader right inside their thinking and the world of childrens ideas. There is an excellent chapter on the use of expressive arts so its not just about talk therapy. The book shows how to put children in charge of their own healing and in touch with eachother. There are a number of extended case "stories" that are fascinating and educational.

Provides original solutions to tough and common problems. I found that I was able to apply the concepts and suggestions, both personally, and in my practice, effortlessly. I bought it for every therapist I knew.

I became interested in Narrative Therapy at a conference for gifted children. I bought this book after it was recommended to me by one of the presenters who has used this therapy for several years. I have found it very clear to understand and have begun using the techniques that are described in the book. I would highly recommend this book to any therapist who is interested in exploring a different way to work with children, not only gifted but typical children as well.

This is a great book for counselors and therapists who work with children. It has both a narrative and solution focused approach to helping children overcome their problems. I like the way it helps adults relate to children on their level - the level of play. A book all school counselors should have on their shelf.

I would be more than happy to give this book a five star review but for a few key, significant complaints about narrative therapy. The main one is that no therapeutic failures are ever presented in narrative texts (including this one). This leads me to wonder if the authors' political, or politically correct, agenda is not more important than the clinical aspect of the work.

An example is the situation here where the therapist feels she must confront a client's racist remarks. It is presented as an imperative - that the therapists' needs at that point in the session are of supreme importance, given the context of the therapists' socio-political righteousness. I agree that racism should be challenged, and I am sure I am in accord with the therpaists' views here. But this is not the point.

After Ms. Freeman confronts the client about the racism the therapeutic relationship evolves to an epiphany in which all are blissfully healed - this is standard narrative mythology. In most psychodynamic literature (and real clinical practice) even skilled therapists sometimes suffer an empathic failure that leads to an adolescent leaving therapy. Young people are extremely sensitive to being judged, and it takes a very strong relationship, grounded in the clients' needs, to contain this type of intervention. Better still, the therapist should embody her/his beliefs in their being rather than by pontificating. A righteous stand like that presented here would stand at least a 50-50 chance of rupturing a therapeutic alliance. You won't find a book called "Failures in Narrative Therapy". This is not because failure is a 'construction' or some other bit of sophistry, or because therapeutic ruptures do not occur. It is because narrative therapy has yet to attain a level of maturity where it can admit that it, too, is an errant art that demands transparency and empathy, not preaching to the client out of the therapists' needs, no matter how noble.

All that said, many of the storytelling methods presented here are useful for working with children and their families. But please hold the self-congratulation, narrative enthusiasts.

good book for ideas on approaching narrative therapy with clients. This book gives a good introduction of ways narrative therapy can be used and its benefits.

The book was in excellent quality. I will definitely purchase from dealer again. The service was fast and I received my book in a timely fashion. Good service, highly recommended

This is a helpful book for clinicians who seek to blend narrative therapy and play therapy. I particularly like the chapter on playful communication in family therapy, as well as the emphasis on how to use play to address distressing situations. Other books I recommend for therapists who work with children and families:


Play in Family Therapy

Creative Family Therapy Techniques: Play, Art, and Expressive Activities to Engage Children in Family Sessions (Sociology Family Relationships)

101 Favorite Play Therapy Techniques, Vol. 3

If you are interested in narrative therapy, and especially working in a fun way, then this book is a must. Not only does it cover play therapy, but ways to include fun into any type of therapy when appropriate.