Cultural Issues in Play Therapy

"This volume helps therapists develop a culturally sensitive approach to their practice of play therapy with children from diverse ethnic and cultural groups living in the United States today. It is an important and timely resource for all therapists who work with young children, regardless of disciplinary background or theoretical orientation."--Charles E. Schaefer, PhD, Department of Psychology, Fairleigh Dickinson University

"This valuable text is packed with useful information that will guide and inspire play therapists who treat children from diverse cultural backgrounds. The book admirably succeeds in translating knowledge about different cultures into clear and sensitive practice principles. It will serve as an essential and welcome resource for students and professionals who use play therapy in their work with children in schools, hospitals, clinics, and private practice settings."--Nancy Boyd Webb, DSW, BCD, RPT-S, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service

"This book is an invaluable resource for play therapists and trainees as well as other professionals who work with children and families whose cultural backgrounds are different from their own. Designed to acquaint the reader with a variety of ethnic groups, the book also demonstrates the variations that exist within the groups themselves. The highly knowledgeable authors encourage therapists to learn as much as possible about the populations they serve in order to provide effective help for those who may be struggling with acculturation, language skills, prejudice, and other issues. Numerous resources are listed that can further inform and sensitize us to cultural concerns in clinical practice. This is a landmark book for therapists and for students entering the field, and should be on hand at every play therapy training site."--Lois Carey, LCSW, BCD, RPT-S, private practice, Upper Grandview, New York

"This book fills a crucial void in the play therapy literature. The range of diversity of this book mirrors the ever-expanding diversity of America, and the cultural groups with the fastest growth projections are given detailed coverage. Featuring outstanding chapter contributions by knowledgeable and experienced clinicians, the book is well researched and includes interesting and rich case examples. In addition, practical information about culturally sensitive toys and where to get them will be a huge benefit to play therapists. Gil and Drewes are to be commended for this sensitive, vitally needed, and comprehensive work."--David A. Crenshaw, PhD, RPT-S, private practice, Rhinebeck, New York

"This book is full of valuable information, offering many useful ideas about the increasingly diverse child populations who come, or are sent to, American mental health services. It offers extensive information on the meaning of play to African-American, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American populations in a structured and clear manner....There is much to be learned about cultural differences in play and play therapy from this information-rich volume. It will also be useful to professionals of many disciplines teaching child development in an increasingly multicultural world."

"This book provides an informative, helpful 'wake-up call' for play therapists to be culturally competent, not just culturally sensitive....The editors and contributing authors present literature reviews, play therapy strategies, case illustrations, and a sensitive portrayal of various different cultures and applicable approaches....This book is a great resource for multicultural competent play therapy strategies, and a sensitive exploration of the role of cultural similarities and differences in play therapy."

"This book is a wonderful addition to the library for anyone who works with children whether in play therapy or not. It is enormously helpful in terms of approaches that are respectful towards children from several cultures. It is a good tool for all helping professionals as a reference in thinking about interacting with families from differing racial/ethnic backgrounds. The section on typical parenting practices alone is worth the price of the book. The discerning descriptions of parent-child interactions paint pictures that can guide practitioners away from ethnocentric thinking and towards understanding the variables attendant on the child's background and worldview."

Eliana Gil, PhD, is founding partner of the Gil Institute for Trauma Recovery and Education, a private group practice in Fairfax, Virginia. She is also Director of Starbright Training Institute for Child and Family Play Therapy. Dr. Gil has worked in the field of child abuse prevention and treatment since 1973. A licensed marriage, family, and child counselor; an approved marriage and family therapy supervisor; a registered art therapist; and a registered play therapy supervisor, she is a former President of the Association for Play Therapy, which honored her with its Lifetime Achievement Award. She is the author of The Healing Power of Play, Helping Abused and Traumatized Children, and Play in Family Therapy, Second Edition, among many other publications. Originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador, Dr. Gil is bilingual and bicultural.

Athena A. Drewes, PsyD, RPT-S, is a licensed psychologist and registered play therapist and supervisor. She is director of Clinical Training and the APA Psychology Doctoral Internship and gives direct service to foster care children and families at the Astor Home for Children in Poughkeepsie, New York. Dr. Drewes has been a play therapist for over 25 years, working with children and adolescents across all types of mental health and school-based settings. She is on the Board of Directors of the Association for Play Therapy, founder and past president of the New York Association for Play Therapy, and Adjunct Professor of Play Therapy at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, New York. Dr. Drewes has written numerous articles on play therapy and is coeditor of a book on school-based play therapy.