Yet another FREE book.  

I have a PDF of School-Based Play Therapy by Drewes and Schaefer.  It has a lot of information and is 526 pages long.

Just E-mail me if you want me to send a copy over to you (uclasocialworker@gmail.com)

Therapeutic Games

Therapeutic games are great but usually pretty expensive.  Children and teens disclose and express a lot more during games than if I were to just ask them questions.  One way I keep the cost down is by buying low cost regular games and give them a therapeutic twist (see jenga and feelings tic-tac-toe posts).  

Bare Books has really cheap blank game boards, books, puzzles, etc.  A professional looking blank board game is just $3.95.  They have flat rate shipping so I suggest getting together with a couple people to place your orders.  Click here to check it out.

Free Mental Health Powerpoint Presentations

Many School-Based Mental Health practitioners do presentations or in-service trainings for teachers and parents surrounding mental health issues.  This website provides free powerpoint presentations that may be helpful.  Many topics apply to practitioners working in non-school settings as well.

Subjects include adolescent development, anxiety disorders, disruptive behaviors, the IEP process, depression, anger management, and more.

Click here

Therapeutic Toys

Here is a list of therapeutic toys that are used in play therapy.

1. Nurturing/Family Toys

• Purpose: Build and explore relationships
• Dolls, baby bottles, blankets, diapers, doll house (furniture and doll family), puppet family (people and/or animals), miniatures, kitchen set (food, dishes, etc.), doctor’s kit.

2.  Fantasy/Pretend Toys

• Purpose: Express feelings, and play out roles/scenarios
• Dress-up clothes/hats, costume jewelry, puppets, miniatures, mirror, masks, play money, magic wand, vehicles (cars, trucks, rescue vehicles, planes), doctor’s kit, communication toys (phone, microphone, mailbox, etc.)

3.  Expressive and Construction Toys

• Purpose: Express feelings, mastery, problem solving and creativity
• Arts supplies (markers, crayons, paint, paper, etc.), craft supplies (stickers, pipe cleaners, beads, popsicle sticks, tape), water, play dough, clay, building blocks, legos, cardboard bricks.

4.  Acting Out/Aggressive Release Toys

• Purpose: Expression, processing and mastery of fear and anger; Control
• Monsters and villains, heroes, plastic soldiers, dinosaurs, spiders, snakes, aggressive looking puppets and miniatures (ex. dragons, animals with teeth showing, etc.), rope, handcuffs, bop bag, toy guns/knives, dart gun.

5. Movement and Motion Toys

• Purpose: Mastery, emotional outlet, and self-regulation.
• Balls, basketball/hoop, bubbles, ring toss, bean bags, target games, jump rope, hula hoop, music.

Van Fleet et. al (2012). Child Centered Play Therapy.