ABSTRACT
In this chapter, Jenaya Gordon and Suzanna Paisley discuss the importance of medical play from the perspective of child life specialists with hospitalized children who have experienced medical trauma in a way that helps us to appreciate the role of processing with and for the child and her family. They explore how trauma-focused medical play can transform the story of illness and trauma into one of understanding, hope, and empowerment for children facing various frightening and overwhelming challenges in health care environments. Reminding us that children have stories to tell, they encourage us to develop our knowledge of medical trauma and its effect on children and the need to build our repertoire of interventions.
