ebook THE GUILFORD PRESS PLAY THERAPY WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN CRISIS Clinical Practice with Children, Adolescents, and Families (formerly Social Work Practice with Children and Families) Nancy Boyd Webb, Series Editor www.guilford.com/CPCAF This series presents a broad range of topics relevant for today’s social workers, psy- chologists, counselors, and other professionals who work with children, adolescents, and families. Designed for practical use, volumes feature specific discussions of assess- ment, interventions, therapeutic roadblocks, the therapeutic relationship, and profes- sional and value issues, illuminated by numerous case examples. Play Therapy with Children and Adolescents in Crisis, Fourth Edition Nancy Boyd Webb, Editor Group Work with Adolescents, Third Edition: Principles and Practice Andrew Malekoff Social Work Practice with Children, Third Edition Nancy Boyd Webb Working with Adolescents: A Guide for Practitioners Julie Anne Laser and Nicole Nicotera Child Development, Third Edition: A Practitioner’s Guide Douglas Davies Helping Bereaved Children, Third Edition: A Handbook for Practitioners Nancy Boyd Webb, Editor Social Work in Schools: Principles and Practice Linda Openshaw Working with Traumatized Youth in Child Welfare Nancy Boyd Webb, Editor Mass Trauma and Violence: Helping Families and Children Cope Nancy Boyd Webb, Editor Culturally Competent Practice with Immigrant and Refugee Children and Families Rowena Fong, Editor Complex Adoption and Assisted Reproductive Technology: A Developmental Approach to Clinical Practice Vivian B. Shapiro, Janet R. Shapiro, and Isabel H. Paret Play Therapy with Children and Adolescents in Crisis Fourth Edition Edited by Nancy Boyd Webb Foreword by Lenore C. Terr THE GUILFORD PRESS New York London © 2015 The Guilford Press A Division of Guilford Publications, Inc. 370 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1200, New York, NY 10001 www.guilford.com All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America This book is printed on acid-free paper. Last digit is print number: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 The authors have checked with sources believed to be reliable in their efforts to provide information that is complete and generally in accord with the standards of practice that are accepted at the time of publication. However, in view of the possibility of human error or changes in behavioral, mental health, or medical sciences, neither the authors, nor the editors and publisher, nor any other party who has been involved in the preparation or publication of this work warrants that the information contained herein is in every respect accurate or complete, and they are not responsible for any errors or omissions or the results obtained from the use of such information. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information contained in this book with other sources. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Play therapy with children and adolescents in crisis / edited by Nancy Boyd Webb ; foreword by Lenore C. Terr.—Fourth edition. pages cm — (Clinical practice with children, adolescents, and families) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4625-2221-7 (hardback) 1. Play therapy—Case studies. 2. Crisis intervention (Mental health services)— Case studies. I. Webb, Nancy Boyd. RJ505.P6P56 2015 618.92′891653—dc23 2015004736 To the 20 first-grade children and 6 school staff members who were shot and killed in their elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012— and to all the witnesses, survivors, first responders, parents, and community members who were traumatized by this tragic event May this book help mental health practitioners better understand the terrible aftermath of such unpredictable and senseless violence, as they attempt in numerous ways to help effectively, both in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy and in ongoing years when the memories linger. About the Editor Nancy Boyd Webb, DSW, LICSW, RPT-S, is a leading authority on play ther- apy with children who have experienced loss and traumatic bereavement. She is University Distinguished Professor Emerita of Social Work in the Graduate School of Social Service at Fordham University, where she held the endowed James R. Dumpson Chair in Child Welfare Studies and founded the Post- Master’s Certificate Program in Child and Adolescent Therapy. Dr. Webb has published numerous books on child therapy, trauma, and bereavement, includ- ing Helping Bereaved Children and Social Work Practice with Children (both now in their third editions). She is an active supervisor, consultant, and trainer who presents frequently at conferences in the United States and internation- ally. Dr. Webb is a recipient of honors including the Day–Garrett Award from the Smith College School for Social Work, the Clinical Practice Award from the Association for Death Education and Counseling, and the designation of Distinguished Scholar by the National Academies of Practice in Social Work. vii Contributors Jennifer Baggerly, PhD, Department of Counseling and Human Services, University of North Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas David A. Crenshaw, PhD, Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie, Poughkeepsie, New York Esther Deblinger, PhD, Department of Psychiatry and Child Abuse Research Education and Service (CARES) Institute, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Stratford, New Jersey Jana DeCristofaro, LCSW, The Dougy Center: The National Center for Grieving Children and Families, Portland, Oregon Robin Donath, LCSW, Silver School of Social Work, New York University, New York, New York Athena A. Drewes, PsyD, RPT-S, Astor Services for Children and Families, Rhinebeck, New York Valerie L. Dripchak, PhD, LCSW, Department of Social Work, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut Pamela Dyson, MA, LPC-S, RPT-S, private practice, Plano, Texas Ilze Earner, PhD, Lois V. and Samuel J. Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College, New York, New York viii Contributors ix R. Blaine Everson, PhD, LMFT, Department of Counseling, Harold Abel School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Capella University, Minneapolis, Minnesota Rowena Fong, EdD, School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas Allen Garcia, BA, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska M. Carlean Gilbert, DSW, LCSW, ACM, School of Social Work, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois Eric J. Green, PhD, Department of Counseling and Human Services, University of North Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas Betsy McAlister Groves, LICSW, Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts Craig Haen, PhD, RDT, CGP, LCAT, FAGPA, private practice, White Plains, New York; Drama Therapy Program and Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, New York; Expressive Therapies Doctoral Program, Lesley University, Cambridge, Massachusetts Joseph R. Herzog, MSW, PhD, Department of Social Work, University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida Rana Hong, PhD, LCSW, RPT-S, School of Social Work, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois Tina Maschi, PhD, LCSW, ACSW, Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University, New York, New York Joshua Miller, PhD, School for Social Work, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts Kathleen Nader, DSW, private practice, Cedar Park, Texas Felicia Neubauer, MSW, LCSW, private practice, Medford, New Jersey Donna L. Schuurman, EdD, The Dougy Center: The National Center for Grieving Children and Families, Portland, Oregon Heather Schwartz, MA, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska Karin Sieger, PhD, Northern Children’s Services Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Lori Stella, LCSW, Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie, Poughkeepsie, New York x Contributors Anne L. Stewart, PhD, RPT-S, Department of Graduate Psychology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia Shulamith Lala Ashenberg Straussner, DSW, CAS, Silver School of Social Work, New York University, New York, New York Susan M. Swearer, PhD, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska Jennifer Taylor, LCSW, RPT, Department of Social Work, University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida Nancy Boyd Webb, DSW, LICSW, RPT-S, Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University, New York, New York; private practice, Amesbury, Massachusetts Maxine L. Weinreb, EdD, Child Witness to Violence Project, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts William F. Whelan, PsyD, Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia Foreword On a long Sunday afternoon, a professional working with stressed children sometimes wonders, “Why do I do what I do?” We all know that children experiencing horrible luck are not easy to treat. They veer off-subject and speak in code. They run around the office, sometimes trying out light switches or spilling water on the carpet. Once in a while they immerse themselves in an online game or a book they’ve brought with them. In fact, a number of times one of them sitting in the consulting room claims to be studying for a test or doing a homework assignment. So why do we professionals keep coming back for more? Because children and adolescents, even when they are in crisis,