Book Study – Hidden Treasure: A Map to the Child’s Inner Self

Hidden Treasure: A Map to the Child’s Inner Self

By Violet Oaklander

This book is a follow up to Oaklander’s bestselling book, Windows to Our Children. It offers the reader a variety of creative, expressive and projective techniques to help children discover their true inner selves, with Gestalt Therapy, theory, philosophy and practice as the underlying framework. The play-based approach is applicable to a wide variety of ages, as well as individual work, family work, and group settings.

Participants will:

1. Understand the Gestalt Therapy-based approach and how it provides an effective method for psychotherapeutic work with children of all ages.
2. Learn through practical examples ways to successfully build therapeutic relationships that enable children to express his or her innermost feelings, to foster self-awareness and self-discovery, to enhance self-esteem, and to promote emotional growth.
3. Explore non-directive and directive play therapy interventions as it relates to specific topics including dealing with anger in children; approaches to making contact with adolescents; helping children cope with issues of loss and grief; fostering a sense of self-nurturing; working with very young children; conducting therapy groups for children and adolescents; treating children with symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; and the therapeutic use of music.