Integrating Directive and Posttraumatic Play Therapy to Address Childhood Trauma


| SUEANN KENNEY-NOZISKA, MSW, LCSW, RPT-S


epidemiological research on the incidence and prevalence of childhood trauma indicates that the majority of victimization begins early in life  their way to us – play therapists. It can be overwhelming and rewarding to bear witness to trauma recovery through play therapy. Trauma work


F 12 | PLAYTHERAPY June 2019 | www.a4pt.org


rom child abuse to mass shootings to natural disasters, the list of abusive and traumatic events children and 


is a responsibility play therapists should not take lightly nor undertake without knowledge pertaining to trauma, trauma’s impact, and trauma treatment.


In this article, I explore an integrative approach to using play therapy in trauma treatment. I discuss the clinical utility of blending directive play therapy interventions and posttraumatic play therapy. I explore directive, structured play therapy interventions in the context of core components of evidence-based trauma treatments. I frame posttraumatic play as


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