ABSTRACT
In this chapter, David Crenshaw and Jillian Kelly tap into the core elements of play therapy—symbolism, containment, metaphor, miniaturization, and externalization—and in so doing, take us on a journey of pain and resilience with children attempting to adapt to the often-harsh realities of medical challenge. The authors focus on their clinical experience treating a range of serious and chronic illnesses in children drawn from a range of cases and conditions, some of which include cancer, obesity, asthma, renal conditions, seizure disorders, and cardiac abnormalities. In so doing, they demonstrate how Play Therapy offers some unique advantages in enabling these children to cope with their painful medical experiences, the disruption to family life, and the confusions and fears about health and well-being.
