Creative Interventions with Traumatized Children,   ISBN:9781593856151

Customer Rating: 

This book was very helpful when researching examples of how art therapy can help children who have experienced trauma such as abuse, neglect, or domestic violence. I found it particularly useful when writing about PTSD in children, and how art therapy can be used to treat these children. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested learning about the benefits of art therapy, or counseling children who have experienced trauma.

Customer Rating: 

Rating this book is a tough endeavor for me. The authors acknowledge the impact trauma can have on children, drawing in particular from the insight and wisdom of Bruce Perry. In recent years, Perry has greatly informed our understanding of the effects of physical and psychological trauma on children in unique and profound ways. Unfortunately, whereas Perry's views have helped us to look forward with respect to childhood trauma, this book represents a step backward.

While art, music, and expressive therapies do play a role in the treatment of children with traumatic backgrounds, we increasingly find that these approaches do little to result in significant and long-term behavioral and emotional change. Parents may thus be intrigued by the approaches, but in general, many--if not most--do not report that it results in significant behavioral changes for the child, especially with those who act out their trauma at home and/or school.

The child welfare research is consistent in pointing out that the children who rebound the best from physical or psychological trauma are those who are provided with ample amounts of parental attunement and empathy. The approaches used and advocated by these authors cannot achieve this.

That stated, the majority of children with traumatic histories end up in play and expressive therapies. This book therefore offers guidance for therapists who utilize these approaches, and on that basis, I would normally give it 4- to 5 stars. It is a well-written book and the credentials of the writers are impressive.

In my work with foster and adopted children, however, I know directly and anecdotally that the kids who rebound the best from trauma are those who are provided with family-based approaches to their mental health treatment. Granted, an exception can be made for very young children (under age 6, for example), but if we look at the trends--and especially at what works at healing trauma--the approaches emphasized in this book fall short in many ways.

Customer Rating: 

I am pleased with the book in that it is thorough in it's discussion of trauma and the artistic interventions that can benefit those who suffer from it. I was hoping that the book would be more of an overview of creative ideas and how to apply them, rather than a discussion of why to use interventions involving creativity. However, it is still a valuable resource.

Customer Rating: 

EXCELLENT book by excellent authors. I will refer to this book MANY MANY times in dealing with one of my daughters who had a traumatic experience at the age of three -- I'm also a professional in early childhood special education!