Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship Book

I was looking for a person-centred book on child therapy and was recommended this one, and it's fantastic!

Landreth has taken Carl R. Rogers' client-centred therapeutic approach and adapted it for the largely non-verbal medium of play therapy. He clearly sets out his underpinning philosophy/theory in the opening chapters, and then clearly guides through the process of therapy with clearly described examples, suggested responses to client behaviours, and fully explained justified dos-and-don'ts. It helps that his language is direct, immediate and engaging. Reading the book is more like listening to a well-lived teacher deliver a lesson. More than once when I started to say to myself, "Yes, but what if...", and Landreth's next sentence answered my question as if in response - excellent writing!

The final chapters describe and summarise the research evidence for the effectiveness and efficacy of the approach, which has been rigorously and scientifically tried and tested. As I embark upon my children and young people practice, Landreth's book will be on of my mainstays.