The Healing Forest in Post-Crisis Work with Children
On sale
28th June 2013
Price: £21.99
Nature Therapy is an innovative approach for working with children who have experienced stress or trauma. For the first time in the English language, this book presents the theory behind the approach along with detailed guidelines for introducing it to the classroom and other group settings
The flexible 12-session programme pairs nature-based activities with storytelling and other expressive arts approaches. It is designed to strengthen coping and resilience in children who have been through common causes of stress such as the divorce of parents, moving home, the illness of a loved one or bullying. It can also be used in the aftermath of large-scale crises such as war, terrorism and natural disasters to prevent and treat post-traumatic stress disorder. An evocative colour storybook, ‘The Guardians of the Forest’, is also included for use within the programme.
The original, evidence-based approach described in this book will be of interest to all those working therapeutically or creatively with children who have experienced stress or trauma, including teachers, arts therapists, psychologists and counsellors.
The flexible 12-session programme pairs nature-based activities with storytelling and other expressive arts approaches. It is designed to strengthen coping and resilience in children who have been through common causes of stress such as the divorce of parents, moving home, the illness of a loved one or bullying. It can also be used in the aftermath of large-scale crises such as war, terrorism and natural disasters to prevent and treat post-traumatic stress disorder. An evocative colour storybook, ‘The Guardians of the Forest’, is also included for use within the programme.
The original, evidence-based approach described in this book will be of interest to all those working therapeutically or creatively with children who have experienced stress or trauma, including teachers, arts therapists, psychologists and counsellors.
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Reviews
Nature therapy is an innovative approach that has been shown to help children who have experience a variety of difficulties including violence, death, parental divorce and natural disaster... It is intended for children between 5 and 10 years old, however it could be adapted for younger children, adolescents and adults... The text is presented in a clear and accessible manner and offers a very detailed nature therapy program. The program may be of interest to therapists, counsellors and teachers who are interested in the theory behind nature therapy and integrating the program within their setting.
This book is an invaluable resource for educators and clinicians who work with children under duress. It provides an artful synthesis of trauma theory and nature therapy applications for use with children in classroom and natural environments. Hands-on tools and exercises offer a practical guide for facilitators to create "safe spaces" for children.
As someone who views art-making as a force of Nature and the arts therapies as a contemporary manifestation of ancient shamanic practices, I welcome The Healing Forest in Post-Crisis Work with Children with enthusiasm. It will help heal people and the world too.
The Healing Forest in Post-Crisis Work with Children is an important book in the development of educational and therapeutic work with children and nature. Clearly written with a strong rationale and plenty of practical ideas, is accessible and attractive. I would like it to be sent to Ministers of Education in as many countries as possible!
The Healing Forest in Post-Crisis Work with Children combines theory, practice and research in an accessible and highly readable manner. It is essential reading for anyone looking for new ideas about how to work in a creative, gentle way with children who have experienced trauma. I also warmly recommend this book to any counsellor or psychotherapist who is interested in the potential of using the outdoor environment as part of the therapeutic process.
This is a practical guide book aimed at (as it states) 'therapists, counsellors, teachers and parents; in fact anyone working with children, at any stage of difficulty'... It is a concise easy to read publication, written in a very clean practical style. The author guides the reader through a rich journey from trauma to enlightenment, while offering step by step strategies for the facilitator to prepare and present this creative and expressive intervention... This book is an invaluable resource providing a comprehensive tool kit. In my opinion it would adequately hold and guide any professional wanting to develop creative group interventions, to nurture and support children feeling disempowered, vulnerable and frightened by traumatic life experience.