Dying, Bereavement and the Healing Arts describes a range of successful programmes pioneered by artists, writers, nurses, musicians, therapists, social workers, and chaplains in palliative care settings. These range from simple painting and writing activities to organized communal activities like writing and performing a play. The arts are shown to offer a means to reflect on memories, hopes, fears and anxieties, and gently explore the emotional, spiritual, and psychological issues which can aid a fuller understanding of oneself and one's condition. The arts also serve as a way to communicate difficult and complex feelings to professionals or family members not possible in everyday conversation. Dying, Bereavement and the Healing Arts offers valuable insights and inspiration for any practitioner working in a palliative care setting.
Practising yoga creates a sense of calm and focus and heightens awareness of the body's functions and movements. For children with sensory processing difficulties – because they either have low sensory thresholds and are overwhelmed by sensory stimulation, or because they have high thresholds and do not register stimulation – yoga can be hugely beneficial. This book presents easy-to-follow basic postures and sequences for children and young people which can be easily adapted for adults. Nicole Cuomo gives practical advice for how to choose appropriate sequences according to the child's particular needs and mood, knowing that yoga will be most beneficial when it is fun! Photographs of each posture supplement the descriptions. This practical book provides a wide range of ideas for therapists, educators and parents to help their children with sensory processing needs.
Maintaining a connection to nature is increasingly recognised as an important component of caring for a person with dementia. Design for Nature in Dementia Care provides comprehensive examples of ways to connect to nature through indoor and outdoor activities. The author describes a wide range of activities that offer a connection to nature, such as caring for house plants and pets, gardening and cooking, practising handicrafts and domestic chores. He suggests practical ways to incorporate nature into indoor and outdoor environments and also into the design of buildings and landscapes. These suggestions are drawn from interdisciplinary research in environmental psychology, neurology, architecture, nursing and dementia care practice. This book is a practical resource for care providers and design professionals who want to use nature to improve the lives of people with dementia.
Drug problems have a profound impact on families. Mothers and fathers, brothers, sisters and children are frequently caught in the maelstrom that drug problems almost inevitably create. Within the UK there is a serious lack of information on the experiences of families attempting to live and cope with a family members' drug problem. Drug Addiction and Families is an exploration of the impact of drug use on families, and of the extent to which current practice meets the needs of families as well as problem drug users. Drawing on a substantial research study comprising interviews with problem drug users and their extended family, Marina Barnard examines the effects of drug use not only on drug users themselves, but also the feelings of anger, sadness, anxiety, shame and loss that are commonly experienced by their extended family. She records the effects of drug use on family dynamics and relationships, including possible social and emotional costs. Its impact on the physical and mental health of family members is also discussed. The author highlights the often overlooked role of grandparents in protecting the children of drug users and considers the perspectives of practitioners such as teachers, social workers and health professionals. The conclusions drawn point to the fact that current service provision, in treating the problem drug user in isolation, fails to address the needs of drug-affected families, and misses the opportunity to develop family-oriented support and treatment. This accessible and insightful book is invaluable reading for drug workers, social workers, health professionals and all practitioners working with families affected by drug use.
Constipation, Withholding and Your Child is a positive, accessible guide to dealing with the common problems of stool withholding, soiling and wetting in young children. It gives insight into the perspectives of both children and parents, enabling a clear understanding of the issue. Using friendly and informal language, the book examines the different causes of toileting problems, including the arrival of siblings and difficulties at school, and provides practical techniques and strategies to help children overcome these problems. It emphasises the importance of diet and offers advice on how to make using the toilet less frightening, the benefits of keeping a stool diary chart, and what laxatives and medications to use in different circumstances. It provides tips on how to tackle inappropriate lavatorial behaviour sensitively and addresses the issues particular to children with special needs. This book is a reassuring, informative and non-patronising guide to help children overcome toileting problems. It is useful for parents and all professionals who work with children.
The value of music therapy in neurological rehabilitation is increasingly recognised and this practical manual provides comprehensive guidance for clinicians on the application of music therapy methods in neurorehabilitation. Felicity Baker and Jeanette Tamplin combine research findings with their own clinical experience and present step-by-step instructions and guidelines on how to implement music therapy techniques for a range of therapeutic needs. Photographs clearly illustrate interventions for physical rehabilitation, for example through the use of musical instruments to encourage targeted movement. The chapter on cognitive rehabilitation includes resources and lists suitable songs for use in immediate memory or abstract thinking tasks, among others. In her chapter on paediatric patients, Jeanette Kennelly demonstrates how procedures can be adapted for working clinically with children. A comprehensive list of terminology commonly used in neurological rehabilitation is also included. Music Therapy Methods in Neurorehabilitation will prove an invaluable reference book for music therapy clinicians and students. It is also suitable for work with other populations, in particular for work in special education.
As a probation officer and social worker, Anne Bannister has successfully used creative therapies with abused children for 25 years. Combining her practical experience and recent doctoral research she reflects on how and why these therapies actually work in the healing process. She shows how in 'the space between' children and their therapists, the child and adult can each use their creative skills to aid developmental processes, reverse negative brain patterns and affect positive behavioural changes to heal the damage caused by severe abuse in childhood. The author presents a practical model called the Regenerative Approach to use when assessing and working therapeutically with traumatised children. Her research has implications for those working in the field of children's development and learning, and provides an important new approach for social workers, creative therapists and all those who work with traumatised children.
For parents of children with Asperger Syndrome ordinary parenting just doesn't always do it – AS kids need a different approach. Brenda is mother to thirteen-year-old Kenneth, author of Asperger Syndrome, the Universe and Everything, and since his diagnosis at the age of eight she has gathered together the parenting ideas and tips that have had a positive effect on Kenneth's life. Brenda discusses parents' reaction to their child's AS and gives advice on how better to understand 'Planet Asperger'. This book helps parents to respond positively to the challenge of AS and find the 'treasure' in their child's way of being.
Asperger syndrome (AS) has often been considered to be incompatible with love and relationships, but as the number of people who are diagnosed with the disorder increases, it is becoming apparent that people with AS can and do have full and intimate relationships. Comparing and contrasting both AS and non-AS partners' viewpoints, this book frankly examines the fundamental aspects of relationships that are often complicated by the disorder. With all findings illustrated with case examples taken from interviews conducted with couples, the author tackles issues such as attraction, trust, communication, sex and intimacy, and parenting. Drawing on her extensive research and established career as a Relate counsellor, Maxine Aston has produced a much-needed analysis of intimate relationships where one adult has AS and this book is a must for all those with AS and their partners, as well as for friends, family and counsellors.
Personality Disorder (PD) is one of the most difficult psychological conditions to classify and treat and in the past literature on the subject has tended to neglect the invaluable viewpoint of sufferers themselves. Drawing on extensive research carried out in conjunction with service users, Heather Castillo seeks to adjust this imbalance and looks at the classification and treatment of PD from the service users' viewpoint. This book emphasises the need for health professionals to reassess their approach to the condition and allows those with PD to effectively define themselves and their illness. With a wide range of case study material and analysis, this book is essential reading for mental health professionals, workers in the voluntary and forensic sectors and service users themselves.