This book was on my to-do list for quite a few years. I was always too busy working with children first-hand and raising my own to sit down and write anything. Since my season of working primarily with children has ended, I have found I have much more time to bring my ideas to life. Working with children was a dream of mine since age twelve. I planned my academic pursuits just that long ago, choosing to study the things I felt I would most need to succeed in that goal. I starting reading books about therapists and social workers' most difficult and extraordinary cases before I reached my teen years, works such as "The Tiger's Child," by Torey Hayden, and "A Child Called It," by Dave Pelzer. I started working with children around the same time, in any way that I could. I began babysitting for neighbors and friends, and also volunteering in the nursery at a local church. Over the years I have worked with children in almost any capacity you can imagine. I have been a Sunday School teacher, a mentor, a friend, a babysitter, a classroom teacher, a teacher's assistant, a children's minister, a counselor, a mother, and finally a licensed therapist. All of these roles have helped equip me for my professional work. Professionally, I sought trainings that specifically pertained to children and adolescents, and as I began my career I sought to work almost exclusively with children and families. I worked with children aged two to 18 from 2007 to 2017 as a licensed therapist. I was an in-home, community-based therapist, which means that I would do therapy anytime and anywhere, basically! I met my clients at school, at home, at the park, or wherever I could. I had to find ways to make therapy portable yet effective. It was challenging, and flexibility was a required skill for sure. But I believe my abilities as a therapist were honed and grown tremendously over that time. Over the years I trained and supervised other therapists who also worked with children, and I taught a few workshops on play therapy, behavioral modification, and other things related to the work. This book is essentially a summary of my training in a simple, easily read format. I have designed this for new and up-and-coming therapists, or for those who are struggling in their work with children (in the educational field, the medical field, even parents).. I include illustrations of some art and play therapy techniques, as well as some suggestions for both young, preschool-aged children as well as teenagers. This is meant to be a cliff-note-style brief guide based on my education and experience. I hope it gives you a jumpstart to making a difference in the lives of your younger clients!
The e-pub version is available here on the Books tab for only $2.00!!
I hope you find this helpful!
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