Home  /  Back to disciplines  /  Request exam/desk copy  /  Purchase  /  View cart  /  Checkout

A Comprehensive Guide to Child Psychotherapy and Counseling

Third Edition

Christiane Brems

Christiane Brems, an experienced clinician, supervisor, and educator, presents a metatheoretical yet practical guide to working with children ages 3 to 12 years. She draws heavily on developmental, interpersonal, family systems, and self-psychological schools of thought and integrates the core components of all of these approaches in a clear and concise manner. She stresses the need for intensive assessment to precede conceptualization and treatment planning so that treatment techniques are dictated by the needs of each child and family.

Brems has contoured the third edition to meet the practical needs and expectations of students and practitioners. Divided among four sections, the chapters follow the logical development of clinicians, mirroring the natural flow of work with children—from the practitioner’s self-exploration, to learning about special aspects of children (such as diversity and development), to awareness about the special needs and demands of children as related to environmental, legal, and ethical issues.

Brems prepares clinicians to discover their own personal traits that may facilitate or hinder their work with children. She walks child therapists and counselors through the initial stages of intake, assessment, and conceptualization. The material on assessment instruments is thoroughly updated; discussions refer to the latest versions of instruments, and if new instruments emerged that meet one of the purposes deemed essential to child treatment, they are included. The text contains case examples, each illustrating a specific therapeutic technique.

$49.95 list, 436 pages

10-digit ISBN: 1-57766-556-2

13-digit ISBN: 978-1-57766-556-4

© 2008

Table of Contents

Part I. PRELIMINARY ISSUES

1. Markers of Effective Child Clinicians

Educational Needs and Backgrounds of Child Clinicians / Positive Personal Traits of Child Clinicians / Common Reactions of Child Clinicians / Common Vulnerabilities of Child Clinicians / Themes Surrounding Parents and Relationship Issues / Challenges in Working with Parents / Working with the Special Needs of Children

2. Cultural Sensitivity in Child Therapy and Counseling

Ethnic and Cultural Diversity of the United States / Becoming a Culturally Sensitive Child Clinician / Process Issues in Culturally Sensitive Work with Children

3. A Developmental Context for Child Therapy and Counseling

Development: Definition, Influences, and Types / Development Made Relevant to Child Clinicians

4. Environments and Materials for Child Therapy and Counseling

Physical Layout and Design of the Clinic / Features of the Playroom / Toys and Materials to Support the Work

5. Legal and Ethical Issues in Child Therapy and Counseling

Laws and Ethics Codes / Informed Consent / Confidentiality / Limits to Confidentiality: Duties to Warn, Protect, and Report / Miscellaneous and Other Legal and Ethical Issues

Part II. ASSESSMENT

6. The Intake Interview

Preliminary Data Collection / Necessary Information to Be Derived from the Intake Interview / Structure of the Intake Interview / Intake Interview with the Family / Intake Interview with the Parents / Intake Interview with the Siblings / Intake Interview with the Identified Child / Feedback and Recommendations Section of the Intake Interview

7. Supplementary Assessment Strategies

School Records / Previous Treatment Records / Referral Sources and Consultation / Psychological Assessment

8. Conceptualization and Treatment Planning

Preparing for Conceptualization: Diagnosis / Conceptualization: Understanding Case Dynamics / Treatment Planning

Part III. TREATMENT

9. A Framework for Child Therapy and Counseling

Goals for the Therapy and Counseling Process / Phases of Child Therapy and Counseling / Catalysts for Change / Challenges to the Therapy or Counseling Process

10. Using Play in Child Therapy and Counseling

Conceptual Background / Application to Child Therapy and Counseling / Variations on the Technique / Practical Implementation / Case Example

11. Storytelling in Child Therapy and Counseling

Conceptual Background / Application to Child Therapy and Counseling / Variations on the Technique / Practical Implementation / Case Example

12. Graphic and Sculpting Art in Child Therapy and Counseling

Conceptual Background / Application to Child Therapy and Counseling / Variations on the Technique / Practical Implementation / Case Example

13. Behavioral Techniques in Child Therapy and Counseling

Conceptual Background / Application to Child Therapy and Counseling / Variations on the Technique / Practical Implementation / Case Example

Part IV. TERMINATION

14. Creating Thoughtful Endings

Types of Endings / Natural Termination / Preparation for Natural Termination / Process of Natural Termination / Premature Termination