FILIAL THERAPY
Strengthening Parent-Child Relationships Through Play
Second Edition
A Practitioner's Resource Series book

By
RISE VANFLEET

    Since the first edition of this book was released 11 years ago, public and professional interest in Filial Therapy has grown substantially throughout the world. Because of this interest, Dr. VanFleet has written an updated version of her original text incorporating the latest information on this technique.
Filial therapy combines psychoeducational, empowerment, and play therapy methods which actively involve parents in their child’s treatment. This comprehensive how-to-do-it guide provides applied filial therapy techniques for use with 3- to 12-year-old children who are experiencing a wide range of clinical problems. Filial therapy has been shown, through research and over 40 years of clinical use, to be a highly effective therapeutic intervention. Topics such as how to actively engage parents in the therapeutic process, selecting toys, maximizing the effectiveness of parent education, handling common therapy problems, and applying filial therapy to a variety of social, emotional, and behavioral problems are covered. An extended case example illustrates the different phases of therapy. This book will be a valuable resource for child and family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, pediatric and family physicians, mental health professionals, nurses, educators, guidance counselors, play therapists, and early childhood specialists and caregivers. Includes a digest of research conducted on many applications of filial therapy that provides strong empirical support for its efficacy.

REVIEWS

"In the past decade a growing number of child therapists are incorporating Filial Therapy in their practice. This timely Second Edition relects the current 'state-of-the-art' of this popular Play Therapy Intervention. Highly recommended!."
     *Charles E. Schaefer, PhD, RPT-S, Director-Emeritus, Association for Play Therapy

"A timely update due to the rapidly growing interest in Filial Therapy both in the United States and across the World. Dr. VanFleet has made a wonderful book, which includes the 'how to' for conducting Filial Therapy, even more comprehesive by including the research and applications of Filial Therapy, as well as the multicultural aspects of this field. This book is a must for any clinician working with children and families."
     *Heidi G. Kaduson, PhD, RPT-S, Director, The Play Therapy Training Institute, Inc.; Private practice, Monroe Township, NJ and New York, NY