Follow the Breadcrumbs of Metaphor into a Child’s Trauma

By Kristi Pikiewicz, Ph.D.

How do children experience trauma? How do they report it? How can we help to treat it? The questions are especially complex within a framework where we could do more harm than good if we’re not careful.

Does Pretend Play Really Create Child Development?

By Kristi Pikiewicz, Ph.D.

If pretend play causes development, then we should prescribe pretend play for struggling children; but if pretend play merely marks development, then all the therapist-guided pretend play in the world ain’t gonna change a child’s trajectory.

How to Show Growth Without Directing the Course of Play Therapy

By Kristi Pikiewicz, Ph.D.

How can you work toward treatment goals while remaining true to the open-endedness of child-centered therapy, the most common play therapy theoretical orientation?

Back to School? How Play Teaches Learning Skills

By Kristi Pikiewicz, Ph.D.

My first career was as a 6th grade English and Social Studies teacher and I remember that first day of school; within hours or even minutes, there was an obvious difference between students: some kids could do things for themselves and others needed (or wanted...) things done for them.

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Welcome to Play Therapy

By John M. Grohol, Psy.D.

I’m very pleased to introduce Dr. Kristi Pikiewicz’s blog, Play Therapy. Here’s her wonderful and informative introduction to what she’ll be talking about on here:

Play therapy is more than babysitting amid colorful clutter.

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Play Therapy
Archives for Month: August 2014