Play therapists, like all mental health clinicians, are being asked to provide empirical evidence for their approach to therapy. Empirically Based Play Interventions for Children (edited by Linda A. Reddy, Ph.D.; Tara M. Files-Hall, and Charles E. Schaefer, Ph.D.) is an excellent resource for play therapists who are interested in research and how research supports play therapy.

The following review was recently published in Play Therapy (Volume 3, Issue 2, June 2008) and is reprinted here, with permission.

This collection of chapters by various authors highlights research that has been conducted related to play therapy.  Although the quality of the content varies, there are many excellent chapters.  Janine Shelby’s chapter on trauma interventions stands out in quality.  While most practitioners of play therapy do not engage in formal research studies, there is great value in being able to support appropriate research based interventions.  This book can prepare clinicians to justify techniques to peers, parents, and third party payers.  The text will assist clinicians in understanding clients’ symbolic play at various developmental levels and stages of therapy.

Select chapters also point to ways to expand the play therapist’s realm of interventions, such as spearheading school programs for children with special needs including those demonstrating aggressive behavior and/or children with autism.  Chapters also include discussions about specific programs involving symbolic play that are currently being implemented and used successfully.  In addition, the reader will find preventive play interventions and well thought out programs that provide supportive scaffolding for at-risk children (Pedro-Carroll & Jones).

Play therapists are especially well prepared to help teachers and parents understand the importance and function of symbolic play.  As therapists, we know intuitively that play therapy works – this book provides empirical support for our intuition.

Reviewed by Rebecca Peters, LMHC, a Wabash Valley Hospital outreach counselor in Rensselaer, IN and Becki Bowditch, LCSW, ACSW, RPT-S, clinical social worker at Heartland Clinic in Lafayette and former Indiana APT treasurer.