Favorite Therapeutic Activities for Children, Adolescents and Families: Practitioners Share their Most Effective Interventions

Favorite Therapeutic Activities for Children, Adolescents and Families: Practitioners Share their Most Effective Interventions

 

lowenstein_2006I am always looking for free or low cost resources, as I am a therapist on a budget (and I am sure there are many of you out there like me!). With so much info on the web it’s hard to narrow down what’s good, what’s not, and how I can find the resources I need for my clients without spending a fortune. That’s why I am soooo glad that I was sent this free copy of Favorite Therapeutic Activities for Children, Adolescents and Families: Practitioners Share their Most Effective Interventions, Edited By Liana Lowenstein, MSW, RSW, CPT-S.

This ebook is a compilation of over 100 pages of techniques submitted by multiple therapists. It is divided in to different sections: 1. Engagement and Assessment Interventions, 2. Treatment Interventions, and 3. Termination Interventions. Each intervention lists goals of the intervention, materials, advanced preparation, and detailed instructions. As I read through some of the descriptions, I found them easy to follow and detailed enough that I felt that I could easily follow the intervention. The list of contributors includes 35 different therapists, many of which are authors/presenters themselves. The best part is, that the interventions come from various treatment models, including family, sandtray, and more directive, and also integrative models. I love this, as I pull from various theories myself, and therapists from different backgrounds will all be able to glean from this book due to the wide range of ideas. I recommend this book to any child/adolescent/family therapist looking for creative ideas for their clients, as it is FREE!!! and FULL of creative interventions. What do you have to lose? I will be using this resource for a long time, and can’t wait to try some of the ideas with my clients.

 

Liana Lowenstein is a presenter and also author of multiple books including:

1. Paper Dolls & Paper Airplanes: Therapeutic Exercises for Sexually Traumatized Children (with Crisci & Lay)

2. Creative Interventions for Troubled Children & Youth

3. Creative Interventions for Children of Divorce.

4. Creative Interventions for Bereaved Children.

5. NEWEST PUBLICATION: Creative Family Therapy Techniques: Play, Art, and Expressive Activities to Engage Children in Family Sessions

 

She has edited: Volumes One and Two of Assessment and Treatment Activities for Children, Adolescents, and Families: Practitioners Share Their Most Effective Techniques, and will be launching Volume Three this year.

 

To sign up for the free ebook, visit Liana Lowenstein’s website and sign up for her free monthly newsletter. You can also view her upcoming workshops.

Sam Feels Better Now! To Be Released!

Sam Feels Better Now! To Be Released!


My book, Sam Feels Better Now! An Interactive Story for Children will be released in July 2008. It is illustrated by Kevin Scott Collier, and Published by Loving Healing Press. Therapists will find this a useful tool in therapy with children who are experiencing a crisis, traumatic, or grief situation. This is an interactive picture book for children, ages 4-10. Therapists may use it in office as a series of sessions, or suggest it for parents to use at home with their children to supplement therapy. It provides a step by step foundation for working with children using play, drawing, and other interactive components throughout the story. At the same time, it includes a therapist guide in the back, and resources for further reading. Visit my Writing Page to read more!

So, Who is this Book for Anyway?

I have had many questions about my book, Sam Feels Better Now, over the past few months. Who is it for? Is it for parents? Is it for therapists? Is it for the child to read?  People want to know how this book will make the most impact on a child’s life. It is the intention of this book to be a tool for therapists, and other adults who may be working with children who have experienced a variety of issues. These issues include experiencing a crisis, traumatic event, or grief.  Sam’s character experiences something scary or awful, and it is intentionally left up to the reader to define what that is. That way, children who experience many different situations can relate to Sam’s character. Examples of children who will benefit are those who have experienced abuse, domestic violence, natural disasters, or car accidents. Therapists and caregivers may find this book useful for other situations children experience that are not listed here. 

Another Children’s Trauma Book??

What kind of book is it? Is it a picture book? I am asked. Well, yes, but…

It is not just a picture book! It is interactive. It has activities, like drawing and storytelling so that the child can interact with the main character, Sam. He or she will feel like they are helping him learn how to cope, all the while learning how to cope with their own situation. Also, I have included a therapist guide in the back to encourage further reading about children, play, and trauma. It will also show theoretical background for the book itself, and answer some of the questions adults may have.

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