Family therapists are in a position to provide therapeutic support to each member of a family system. Many family therapists however can feel at a loss as to how to actively include children in a session ensuring they gain the full benefit of the therapeutic interaction. This article provides relevant information on the rationale for actively including children in family sessions and specific experiential child-friendly techniques for use in family therapy.
AndersonS. A.SabatelliR. M. (2007). Family interaction: A multigenerational developmental perspective (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
2.
BlatnerA. (2001). Psychodramatic methods in psychotherapy. In WienerD. J. (Ed.), Beyond talk therapy: Using movement and expressive techniques in clinical practice (2nd ed., pp. 125–143). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
3.
BloomS. L. (2000). Trauma theory abbreviated. Philadelphia, PA: Community Works.
4.
BowenM. (1966). The use of family theory in clinical practice. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 7, 345–374.
5.
BrattonS.RayD.RhineT. (2005). The efficacy of play therapy: A meta-analytic review of treatment outcomes. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36, 376–390.
6.
DonnaD. M. (2002). Perceiving the pattern of organization in a family system. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 19, 499–499.
7.
GehartD. R.TuttleA. R. (2003). Theory-based treatment planning for marriage and family therapists. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
8.
GilE. (1994). Play in family therapy. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
9.
GilE.SobolB.BaileyC. E. (2005). Children in therapy: Using the family as a resource. New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
10.
HallT. M.KadusonH. G.SchaeferC. E. (2002). Fifteen effective play therapy techniques. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 3, 515–522.
11.
HaslamD. R. (2007). Basic skills and concepts for play therapy with families and parent-child dyads. Fresno, CA: Association for Play Therapy.
12.
HaslamD. R.HarrisS. M. (2011). Integrating play and family therapy methods: A survey of play therapists’ attitudes in the field. International Journal of Play Therapy, 20, 51–65. doi:10.1037/00023410
13.
HomeyerL. E.SweeneyD. S. (2008). Sandtray therapy. In MalchiodiC. A. (Ed.), Expressive therapies (pp. 162–182). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
14.
IrwinE. C.MalloyE. S. (1975). Family puppet interview. Family Process, 14, 179–191. doi:10.1111/j.1545-5300.1975.00179.x
15.
IveyA. E.IveyM. B.ZalaquettC. P. (2010). Intentional interviewing and counseling: Facilitating client development in a multicultural society (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
16.
LandrethG. L. (2012). Play therapy: The art of the relationship. New York, NY: Brunner & Routledge.
17.
LantzJ.RaizL. (2003). Play and art in existential trauma therapy with children and their parents. Contemporary Family Therapy, 25, 165–177. doi:10.1023/A:1023668000249
18.
LowensteinL. (Ed.). (2010). Creative family therapy techniques: Play, art, and expressive activities to engage children in family sessions. Toronto, Canada: Champion Press.
19.
McGoldrickM.GersonR.PetryS.GilE. (2008). Family play genogram. In Genograms: Assessment & intervention (3rd ed., pp. 257–274). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
20.
PereiraJ. K.Smith-AdcockS. (2013). The effects of a training on school counselor trainee’s attitudes, knowledge, and skills, and self-estimate of ability. International Journal of Play Therapy, 22, 129–142.
21.
PereiraJ. K.Smith-AdcockS. L. (2011). Using a child-centered communication style for classroom management. Action in Teacher Education. 33(3), 254–264.
22.
RaimondiN. (2002). Training family therapist to work with children: A needs assessment(Unpublished doctoral dissertation). The Florida State University, Florida.
23.
RubinL.LivesayH. (2006). Look, up in the sky!: Using superheroes in play therapy. International Journal of Play Therapy, 15, 117–133.
24.
SchaeferC. E.CareyL. J. (1994). Family play therapy. Northvale, NJ: Aronson.
25.
SoriC. F.DermerS.WesolowskiG. (2006). Engaging children in family therapy. New York, NY: Routledge.
26.
SweeneyD. S.RochaS. L.WattsR. E. (2000). Techniques in marriage and family counseling. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.
27.
WolfeL. A.Collins-WolfeJ. A. (1983). Action techniques for therapy with families with young children. Family Relations, 32, 81–87.
