What to Do When Children Clam Up in Psychotherapy: Interventions to Facilitate Communication (Creative Arts and Play Therapy)

"This is one of those rare clinical books that not only will occupy a prominent place on the therapist's bookshelf, but also will be reached for time and time again between sessions. It is destined to be a cherished resource for child and adolescent therapists. Like having a cadre of expert supervisors at one's side, the volume successfully guides readers through one of the most common yet challenging types of treatment impasse, while expanding ideas of what therapy can look like. Innovators in the field offer sure-fire ways of engaging even the most reticent young people."--Craig Haen, PhD, private practice, White Plains, New York

"Psychotherapy with children can be an arduous and challenging process. Malchiodi and Crenshaw have provided an important, informative resource for child therapists. Regardless of the reader's therapeutic orientation, this book offers a wealth of cutting-edge ideas and strategies. Whether you are an experienced clinician or still in training, this unique volume is a valuable guide."--Sam Goldstein, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah School of Medicine; Clinical Director, Neurology, Learning, and Behavior Center, Salt Lake City

"This is the best current book on a familiar treatment issue in child therapy. Honest, clear, and informative, the chapters offer multiple perspectives on how to facilitate children's communication in creative and insightful ways. Each chapter contains detailed hands-on applications. As a graduate educator in play therapy and expressive art therapy for more than 36 years, I am refreshed to find a book that provides even the neophyte therapist with such usable, inviting intervention strategies."--Julia Byers, EdD, Division of Expressive Therapies (Emerita), Lesley University

"The title immediately lets the reader know that this is a practical, accessible book. Malchiodi and Crenshaw have assembled leading experts to take us on a journey of discovering the impact of maturation, brain development, trauma, and culture on children’s communication styles. The volume presents models that highlight the primacy of creativity and relationship when counseling children. I recommend this book to counselors and therapists who wish to enter the world of children in the most effective ways, and as a complementary text for any course on child and adolescent counseling."--Dee C. Ray, PhD, LPC-S, NCC, RPT-S, Director, Center for Play Therapy, and Professor, Counseling Program, University of North Texas

"Each chapter concludes with a list of best practices to guide the therapist through implementing the recommended approaches. Clinical educators and supervisors will find this book to be a valuable text to introduce trainees and supervisees to the principles and processes of child psychotherapy. Therapists new to working with children will appreciate the blend of theory and specific suggestions illustrated by engaging clinical examples to promote their understanding of both the content and process of dealing with silence in sessions. The book will also provide experienced therapists with the opportunity to update their knowledge of current best practices in assessing and treating silenced child clients.”

Cathy A. Malchiodi, PhD, ATR-BC, LPCC, LPAT, REAT, is a psychologist, expressive arts therapist, and art therapist specializing in trauma recovery. She is the founder and executive director of the Trauma-Informed Practices and Expressive Arts Therapy Institute, which trains mental health and health care practitioners in medical, educational, and community settings and assists in disaster relief and humanitarian efforts throughout the world. Dr. Malchiodi has given more than 500 presentations in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, and has published numerous articles, chapters, and books, including Understanding Children’s Drawings and Creative Interventions with Traumatized Children, Second Edition. Dr. Malchiodi has received numerous awards for distinguished service, clinical contributions, and lifetime achievements, including honors from the Kennedy Center and Very Special Arts in Washington, DC. A passionate advocate for the role of the arts in health, she is a contributing writer for PsychologyToday.com.​

David A. Crenshaw, PhD, ABPP, RPT-S, is Clinical Director of the Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie, New York, and Adjunct Faculty at Marist College. He has taught graduate courses in play therapy at Johns Hopkins University and Columbia University and has published widely on child and adolescent therapy, child abuse and trauma, and resilience in children. A Fellow of the American Psychological Association and of its Division of Child and Adolescent Psychology, Dr. Crenshaw has received lifetime achievement awards from the New York Association for Play Therapy and the Hudson Valley Psychological Association. He is a past chair of the board of directors of the Coalition against Sexual and Domestic Abuse and a member of the professional advisory board of the Courthouse Dogs Foundation and of the Dutchess County Task Force against Human Trafficking.