Play Therapy and Expressive Arts in a Complex and Dynamic World: Opportunities and Challenges Inside and Outside the Playroom

This book offers cutting-edge expertise and knowledge in new and developing play therapy, therapeutic play, and expressive arts for families and children in crisis and challenging situations.

The book focuses on the use of play therapies in complex and dynamic situations such as pandemics, post-disaster conditions, crisis, migration, poverty, and deprivation. Evidence in the book is rooted in theory and contains examples of direct clinical experiences of play therapy approaches by the authors from across six continents, offering innovative methods to apply expressive arts modalities across different situations. It highlights the need to understand the context and needs of the children and families in their particular situations and provides examples of application of therapeutic principles and techniques in individual and group settings and within schools and communities.

With reflections and guidance on how to support children in reaching their potential in a variety of difficult contexts, the book will be key reading for scholars and researchers in the fields of play therapy, expressive arts therapies, and creative psychotherapy, as well as professionals in these areas.

Isabella Cassina is Social Worker specialised in International Cooperation (IHEID Geneva) and Migration and Registered Therapeutic Play Specialist (APT Italy). She is International Speaker, Head of Project Management, and Trainer at the International Academy for Play Therapy (INA) in Switzerland.

Claudio Mochi is Clinical Psychologist, Child and Adolescents Psychotherapist, and Registered Play Therapist Supervisor.

Karen Stagnitti is Emeritus Professor at Deakin University, Australia, Occupational Therapist, and Play Therapist.