Children's Stories in Play Therapy

For therapists working with children one of the main obstacles to effective treatment is the difficulty of finding an appropriate means of communication; both in terms of the child's expression of thoughts and feelings and in terms of their understanding of what the therapist is trying to convey to them. Stories have traditionally been used as a method of communicating ideas to children, yet stories can equally be used by children to reveal their internal life and emotions, and contain their experiences. Based on her extensive experience as a play therapist Ann Cattanach extends her acclaimed earlier published work to explore further the therapeutic value of story-making with children. Incorporating stories from children and by other authors, the book examines the common themes and metaphors that emerge, the purpose of stories, and the communication that they can engender between the therapist and the child. Case studies and specific examples are used to show how the stories are created and developed, and how an equal relationship between narrator and listener, which facilitates the unfolding of the child's story, can help gain the child's trust, thus creating an environment that is conducive to the therapeutic process. This is an important book for all therapists who work with children, supplying both the theory and the material necessary to use stories successfully in therapy for a child.