This comprehensive book will serve as a step-by-step guide to Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis, updating and expanding concepts and practices. Following extensive research on the method developed by Rudolf von Laban and his disciples, this book explains movement principles, exercises, and motif symbols in detail. Organized according to the four categories of Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis (Body-Effort-Shape-Space), additional chapters present the different developments of the theory in relation to performing arts and movement therapy. The author draws on Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis as a dynamic and connective approach, traveling from classroom and studio to everyday life, stage performance, and film acting. The Laban perspective serves as a multimedia artistic viewpoint, intertwining theory, learning, and imagery. This unique approach to this internationally used method is essential reading for educators and students of dance and other performing arts and movement-related professions.

This unique resource is now in an extensively revised second edition with more than 90% new material and an expanded conceptual framework. Filled with rich case illustrations, the book explores how children's cultural identities--as well as experiences of marginalization--shape the challenges they bring to therapy and the ways they express themselves. Expert practitioners guide therapists to build competence for working across different dimensions of diversity, including race and ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. Purchasers get access to a companion website featuring chapters from the first edition on play therapy with major cultural groups: African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asian Americans. New to This Edition *Virtually a new book; incorporates a broader definition of culture and an increased social justice focus. *Chapters on working with children of color, LGBT children and adolescents, undocumented families, and Deaf children. *Chapter on dismantling white privilege in the play therapy office. *Chapters on school bullying and on how technology is transforming play, including tips for conducting tele-play therapy.

Championing the therapeutic power of nature, this book explores why outdoor play therapy offers children more than being confined to a playroom and how practice can be moved into the natural environment in a safe and ethical way. By using outdoor environments, the traditional dyadic relationship between the therapist and the child becomes a triadic one in which the therapeutic process is enhanced and the environment for the play therapy is shared and therefore more 'democratic'. The child can develop a lifelong therapeutic attachment to the 'nature mother' which supports the development of the body self and a growing recognition of our interdependence with nature. The author explores how this is achievable in practice and the benefits to children with a wide range of needs including profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), complex social, emotional and behavioural problems (SEBD) and attachment issues. Synthesising traditions of using outdoor spaces in a therapeutic context with approaches from educational perspectives, this book offers a theoretically-sound and practical framework for taking play therapy into natural environments.

Using a contemporary synthesis of Jungian and Post-Jungian imaginal perspectives, animate ecological phenomenology, somatics and recent scholarship in dance movement and progressive spiritualities, this unique book discusses how the promotion of a fluid relationship between imagination and movement can bring the mover back into relationship with soul and spirit. This connection with soul and spirit is considered as an essential and powerful resource in mental health. The book provides a rich digest of theory and produces a clear framework for the application of transpersonal theories to Dance Movement Psychotherapy (DMP) practice, writing and research, illustrating the use and value of transpersonal perspectives through detailed case studies. Providing spiritual, soulful and mythological perspectives on DMP rooted in theory and practice, this book will be essential reading for dance movement psychotherapists, drama psychotherapists, expressive arts therapists, and dance movement psychotherapy students, drama psychotherapy students and arts therapy students.

Ritual theatre is a powerful healing system that has been practised since ancient times by early societies and in tribal communities. It has the ability to effect deep transformation in its participants, support growth and development, and resolve personal issues. This book considers the relevance of ritual theatre in contemporary life and describes how it is being used as a highly cathartic therapeutic process. With contributions from leading experts in the field of dramatherapy, the book brings together a broad spectrum of approaches to ritual theatre as a healing system. It explores the anthropological and tribal roots of dramatic ritual and proposes that ritual theatre finds its most potent expression in personal development work. The practical application of ritual theatre in various clinical settings is discussed and the final chapters explore the possibilities of ritual theatre as performance. Offering a comprehensive discourse on the theory, application and potential of ritual theatre, this book will be an essential text for all students and practitioners of dramatherapy, arts therapists, psychotherapists, psychologists, counsellors and theatre professionals.

This book vividly shows how creative arts and play therapy can help children recover from experiences of disrupted or insecure attachment. Leading practitioners explore the impact of early relationship difficulties on children's emotions and behavior. Rich case material brings to life a range of therapeutic approaches that utilize art, music, movement, drama, creative writing, and play. The volume covers ways to address attachment issues with individuals of different ages, as well as their caregivers. Chapters clearly explain the various techniques and present applications for specific populations, including complex trauma survivors.

More energy, less stress, better sleep, happier lives. Isn't that what we all wish we had more of? Well, the solution is, quite literally, under your nose: your breath. From leading Breathwork practitioner, Richie Bostock, comes Exhale - a guide to learning the transformative power of breathing to help you lead a happier, healthier life. Exhale will help you master your physical, mental and emotional state in the comfort of your own home. Whether you're looking to reduce stress, improve creativity, tackle back pain or treat chronic ailments, conscious breathing has benefits for everyone. With over 40 exercises, experience the life-changing effects of Breathwork and cultivate your own breathing toolkit. With techniques inspired by traditional Sufi meditation and practices implemented by the Navy SEALS, Richie's Breathwork plan will help you find the solution to life's everyday challenges, in as little as ten minutes a day. Greater health and happiness is just a few breaths away.

When guided effectively, the relationship between adolescents and music can offer powerful opportunities for expression and release. This book provides music therapists with the complete 'how to' of working with teenage clients. Helpful and accessible, the book explains the methodology used in music therapy, a topic that has been considered only briefly until now. The author presents an empowering approach to practice, discussing how the therapist can be placed in a collaborative relationship with the individual or with the group. A range of strategies is explored, including song sharing, improvisation, song writing and various multi-media approaches. Some of the key challenges faced by music therapists working with adolescent clients are addressed, including the constantly changing repertoire and evolving musical tastes, and the author offers practical solutions for overcoming these. Contemporary models of Community Music Therapy are outlined in the second half of the book, and case vignettes illustrate how each of the methods can be applied in practice, and the outcomes that may be expected. The first of its kind, this comprehensive book is a must for all music therapists working with adolescent clients.

'Laughter yoga is a perfect way to laugh and get exercise at the same time...I've tried it, and it works.' - Oprah Winfrey With Laughter Yoga, join the worldwide movement and discover how laughter really is the best medicine! This book will show you how to bring laughter into your life at any time of the day - no special equipment needed, no new wardrobe, no expensive classes, not even a sense of humour! Laughter Yoga is all about voluntary laughter - how you can learn to laugh even in the absence of humorous stimuli, and reap the extraordinary, scientifically proven benefits, which include stress reduction, pain relief, weight loss and enhanced mood. If you act happy, you'll become happy - your body can't tell the difference. The exercises in Laughter Yoga combine voluntary laughter with yogic breathing to give you a full mind-body workout. And it turns out that laughter is the fastest way to reduce stress and the best kind of cardio: 30 minutes of hearty laughter is equal to thirty minutes on the rowing machine. 'Laughter connects you with people. It's almost impossible to maintain any kind of distance or any sense of social hierarchy when you're just howling with laughter. Laughter is a force for democracy.' - John Cleese, after visiting a laughter club in Mumbai during the filming of BBC's TV series The Human Face 'Laughter yoga exemplifies a form of 'right-brain thinking' that managers should promote.' - Daniel H. Pink

Children and Adolescents in Trauma presents a variety of creative approaches to working with young people in residential children's homes, secure or psychiatric units, and special schools. The contributors describe a wide range of approaches, including art therapy and literature, and how creative methods are applied in cases of abuse, trauma, violence, self-harm and identity development. They discuss the impact of abuse and mistreatment upon the mental health of 'looked after' children, drawing links between psychoanalytic theory and practice and the study of literature and the arts. This indispensable book provides useful insights and a fresh perspective for anyone working with traumatised children and adolescents, including social workers, psychotherapists, arts therapists, psychiatrists, counsellors, psychologists and students in these fields.

Stephen K. Levine's new book explores the nature of traumatic experience and the therapeutic role of the arts and arts therapies in responding to it. It suggests that by re-imagining painful and tragic experiences through art-making, we may release their fixity and negative hold on our lives and resist the temptation to assume the role of the victim. Among the many concerns that the book addresses is the damage done by the tendency to adopt stock methods of understanding and superficial explanations for the depths, complexities, wonders, and exasperations of human experience. The book explores the chaos and fragmentation inherent in both art and human existence and the ways in which memory and imagination can find meaning by acknowledging this chaos and embodying it in appropriate forms. The book builds on the important theories of Stephen K. Levine's previous book, Poiesis: The Language of Psychology and the Speech of the Soul, also published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. It challenges dominant psychological perspectives on trauma and provides a new framework for arts therapists, psychotherapists, psychologists and social scientists to understand the effectiveness of the arts therapies in responding to human suffering.

Play for Sick Children offers a unique insight into the crucial work of the play specialist. It examines the repercussions of being ill and receiving treatment experienced by children and their families, and highlights the importance of receiving quality play opportunities to counter these negative effects. The author proposes that play should be a high priority for those working in hospitals and other healthcare settings, and challenges other professionals to acknowledge, understand, accept and value the play specialist's role within the multidisciplinary team. The book explores the history of play in hospital, outlines the basic techniques and practical approaches used in working with sick children and young people, and identifies and discusses key theoretical and practical elements of the ever-changing role of the play specialist. This all-encompassing resource will be of great value to the ever growing and dedicated community of professionals who provide play, information and emotional support for sick children and their families.

Meditation and Movement is an accessible series of structured relaxation and self-awareness sessions to help strengthen students' self-control, resilience and respect for both themselves and others. This course of fourteen one-hour structured sessions is suitable for groups of children, teens and youths, and especially beneficial for, but not limited to, use in schools with pupils with disabilities, special educational needs, self-esteem issues or behavioural difficulties. The course combines skills from different disciplines, and includes: meditation practices; therapeutic writing and talking tasks; movement and psychodrama play activities; and breathing, posture and movement techniques found in some martial arts. Complete with clear and full instructions and photocopiable worksheets, Meditation and Movement is straightforward enough for any enthusiastic non-'expert' leader to use with ease. An ideal course text for school teachers, school counsellors and psychologists, these structured sessions will also appeal to a variety of societies and associations, such as Buddhist, martial arts and drama groups.

While paediatric healthcare professionals view play as the treatment tool of choice for children under school age, the theory and practice underpinning play-based therapeutic approaches often remain less clear to individual practitioners. Paediatric intervention approaches are increasingly being questioned, and individual practitioners constantly asked to provide evidence-based practice. In response, a more coherent understanding and fresh discussion on children's play and utilisation of play for therapeutic purposes is needed, especially as societal expectations and lifestyles change. Play as Therapy provides background theory and practical applications of original research on play assessment and interventions used in therapy. The book offers a solid foundation for identifying and assessing play dysfunction, understanding play in different cultural contexts and considerations when intervening with play. The practical approach is underpinned by theory, research and case vignettes to explain how to utilise play as therapy with challenging children.

In the context of music therapy, microanalysis is the detailed analysis of that short period of time during a music therapy session during which some kind of significant change takes place. These moments are crucial to the therapeutic process, and there is increasing interest amongst music therapists in understanding how they come about and whether there are ways of initiating them. The contributors to this groundbreaking book look at methods of micro process analyses used in a variety of music therapy contexts, both clinical and research-based. They outline their methods, which include using video and audio materials, interviewing, and monitoring the client's heart rate, and also give examples of the practical application of microanalysis from their clinical experience, including work with clients who have psychiatric illness, autism and other conditions. Microanalyses in Music Therapy provides a wealth of important theoretical and practical information for music therapy clinicians, educators and students.

Dance Movement Therapy is a concise, practical introduction to a form of therapy, which has the body-mind relationship at its center. Movement, with both its physical and metaphorical potential, provides a unique medium through which clients can find expression, reach new interpretations and ultimately achieve a greater integration of their emotional and physical experience.

In the book, Bonnie Meekums maps the origins of Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) and its relationship to other more traditional forms of therapy. Outlining a new model for DMT, she describes the creative process, which develops in cycles throughout each session and over the course of therapy. Illustrated throughout with vivid case examples, the book defines the role of the therapist in working with clients to bring about change.

The beginnings of art are lost in the dim reaches of prehistory, eons before humans began recording and codifying their experiences in writing. And yet philosophers, artists, and historians have for centuries noted the intimate and perhaps inseparable relationship between human consciousness and the artistic impulse. As analyst and professor Christian Gaillard notes, we can see some of the earliest expressions of this intimacy in the cave paintings at Lascaux, and the relationship continues to the present day in the works of modern creators such as Jackson Pollock and Anselm Kiefer. What fascinates Gaillard-and, indeed, what fascinated Carl Jung-is, among other things, the notion that art enables us to explore our inner landscapes in ways that are impossible by any other means. In The Soul of Art: Analysis and Creation, Gaillard takes readers on a tour of his own "gallery of the mind," examining works of art from throughout history-and prehistory-that have moved, challenged, and changed him. He also explores instances where particular works of art have proven deeply significant in his or his colleagues' understanding of their analyses and their ability to serve as capable guides on the journey toward self-awareness.

Art therapists have long theorised about the healing properties of visual expression through various media and have articulated the importance of media choices based on individual client needs for self-expression and healing. Art Therapy is a tool that can favor social, educational and cultural integration for disadvantaged children and minority communities. Artistic activities promote tolerance, dialogue, respect for diversity and interaction among others. The field of art therapy is based on a few basic assumptions that only recently have achieved some degree of research-based support. The first chapter of this book examines three assumptions that underlie the field of art therapy and their relations to art therapy theory and practice. The second chapter reviews the model of the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC), and illustrates its use in assessment and treatment planning with case examples. The following chapters introduce aesthetics as it informs art therapy intervention; present the concept of ritual and explores the possibility of creating spontaneous rituals as a central axis in art therapy, in drama therapy and in nature therapy in particular; explores art therapy programs for building peace territories in schools in Ecuador; provide a literature review relevant to the use of visual journaling with military veterans; studies art therapy for mobilising personal resources in the elderly; describes the Videoinsight (R) Method and it's applications in the psychotherapeutic setting, in distress prevention and in promoting well-being and early recovery during rehabilitation following surgery; and provides an overview of the application of LEGO (R) block creations as a medium for art therapy.

There is a distinct lack of art therapy literature on working with adults with autism spectrum disorders, and this book combats this dearth by looking at the theory and practice of working with this client group. With clinical case examples throughout, it provides ideas for practice and interventions for use in institutional and community settings. There is a useful focus on directives to help with specific concerns, for example college and job readiness, social skills, and adapting to independent living. The book also includes information on ASD itself and gives advice on developmental and neurological considerations to take into account when working with this client group.

This book brings together music therapists who have worked in the challenging and rewarding world of children's palliative care. Examining techniques from working just with the breath, to technological advances in music therapy such as assistive recording and electronic downloading, it highlights the benefits music therapy can bring when working alongside children and young people. Drawing on the knowledge of expert music therapists, the book provides accessible guidance that practitioners can apply to their own work, including on professional development as part of a multi-disciplinary team, service evaluation, and managing publicity in the hospice setting. It addresses work with different client groups, such as teenagers, and discusses therapy with family members, including siblings. Music therapists and healthcare practitioners will be provided with the tools to reflect on their own professional challenges and deepen their understanding of the important role of music therapy in this sector.

In this ground-breaking synthesis of art and science, Diana Deutsch, one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of music, shows how illusions of music and speech-many of which she herself discovered-have fundamentally altered thinking about the brain. These astonishing illusions show that people can differ strikingly in how they hear musical patterns-differences that reflect variations in brain organization as well as influences of language on music perception. Drawing on a wide variety of fields, including psychology, music theory, linguistics, and neuroscience, Deutsch examines questions such as: When an orchestra performs a symphony, what is the "real" music? Is it in the mind of the composer, or the conductor, or different members of the audience? Deutsch also explores extremes of musical ability, and other surprising responses to music and speech. Why is perfect pitch so rare? Why do some people hallucinate music or speech? Why do we hear phantom words and phrases? Why are we subject to stuck tunes, or "earworms"? Why do we hear a spoken phrase as sung just because it is presented repeatedly? In evaluating these questions, she also shows how music and speech are intertwined, and argues that they stem from an early form of communication that had elements of both. Many of the illusions described in the book are so striking and paradoxical that you need to hear them to believe them. The book enables you to listen to the sounds that are described while reading about them.

Using a thematic approach to activity programming, this illuminating book teaches activity staff and recreation therapy students how to maximize cognition and brain functioning to improve the day-to-day performance of both well elders and those facing illness or disability. The author's Therapeutic Thematic Arts Programming method transforms activity planning from an episodic approach (isolated activities) to a continuum of related events using varying expressive forms: the visual arts, language, music and drama. Readers learn how to use these expressive arts in a dynamic, integrated way that will renew the hearts, minds and spirits of older people whose declining physical or mental health increasingly limits their experiences and interactions. Emphasis is placed on programming that is inexpensive and easily adapted for people at various levels of functioning.

This concise guide explains the theory behind drumming for therapy, as well as giving practical advice on facilitating and leading drum circles. The book explains why drumming is therapeutic, offers hands-on guidance for using drums in group therapy and details specific techniques to lead to increased engagement. Incorporating art therapy into drum circles, it provides step-by-step instructions on making and painting a multi-tonal drum from scratch. Emphasis is also placed on how to create a therapeutic or safe place while conducting a drum circle and making art.

The use of music therapy is long established with people with Autistic Spectrum Conditions. The combination of using music and relationship work in person-centred approaches supports the three main areas of difficulty people with autism often experience; social interaction, communication and imagination. Current research supports the positive psychological benefits of music therapy when people with autism spectrum conditions engage with music therapy. This book celebrates the richness of music therapy approaches and brings together the voices of practitioners in the UK. With a strong focus on practice-based evidence it showcases clinicians, researchers and educators working in a variety of settings across the lifespan.

Providing theory and practical interventions, this book is the perfect companion to creative arts therapy students and professionals who wish to work with the LGBTQ community and the unique challenges that sexual minorities, transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) clients face today. Considering ally development, unconscious bias and intersectionality, the book provides theory, case studies and practical guidance for working with this client group, as well as experiences emerging from within the LGBTQ and CATs community. The contributors cover a wide range of topics, from exploring sexuality and gender identity through portraiture to facilitating a music therapy group with transgender clients, and foster ally development in senior living communities through a multimodal approach. With research finding that people from the LGBTQ community are at increased risk of depression and anxiety, Creative Art Therapies and the LGBTQ Community provides indispensable guidance for therapists.