Play therapy offers a powerful means of helping children resolve a wide range of psychological difficulties, and many play approaches are ideally suited to short-term work. This book brings together leading play therapists to share their expertise on facilitating children's healing in a shorter time frame. The book provides knowledge and skills for clinicians working in managed care or other environments where time and resources are limited. Chapters describe a range of short-term methods and provide clear, step-by-step guidelines for implementation. Divided into three parts, the volume includes approaches for use with individual children, families, and groups. Each chapter highlights ways to elicit children's active participation in treatment, develop clear treatment goals, and bring about rapid, long-lasting results. Interventions are provided for addressing such difficulties as fears and phobias, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and the effects of sexual abuse. Also covered are short-term interventions for teen parents and their children, children in divorced or adoptive families, and children whose families are affected by chronic illness. A wide range of theoretical orientations and techniques are represented, from cognitive-behavioral and gestalt models, to client-centered, structured, and filial approaches, to Theraplay and parent-child interaction therapy. The foundations of each model are outlined, and assessment and treatment strategies are described in depth. (Contains references at the end of each chapter and a subject index.) (GCP)