Press Reviews
Dramatherapy
If I could unravel the strands that make this book, they might be these: the author's thirty years experience as probation officer, social worker and therapist; the phenomena of the sexual abuse of children as it emerged into public consciousness since the 1970s; ways of demonstrating the value of creative arts therapy for traumatized children; a therapeutic model for working in this field that is linked to theory and backed by the author's own research; the poetry of therapy sessions with children as expressed in case studies. All this in only 144 pages of text!
Journal of Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
The author has 25 years of experience as a probation officer, a social worker and a psychotherapist. After publishing extensively on child protection issues, psychodrama, drama therapy and play therapy she now reflects on how her "Regenerative Model" of assessing and treating traumatized children came into being...an intriguing introduction to the field for a beginner and is a rewarding and stimulating review for a seasoned therapist.
YoungMinds Magazine
This book will be helpful to a variety of professionals who are trying to work with children who have experienced abuse in their lives. The NSPCC plays a leading role in trying to understand and deal with the effects of abuse on children's lives and development and this book reflects the careful and thoughtful approach that is needed in such work. Ann Bannister's work has been one of the foundations in the development of the approach taken by the NSPCC.
Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists Journal
This book presents an approach which reflects the authors deep respect and understanding of the children she has worked with. It provides strong theoretical evidence for working creatively with traumatized children and presents relevant case material which illustrates how Bannister has successfully applied this theory to practice. It is an essential resource for all creative therapists working with children who have suffered abuse, providing a model of intervention which seeks to "return the power of regeneration to the young person."
Family Futures Consortium
a lovely combination of theory and practice written in an easy to digest style. It was rewarding to read how the arts could be used so effectively to help children in what was very short term work. During the case studies there were some inspiring pieces of work presented as both therapist and children strove to make sense of the unthinkable and unsayable using the arts.
BPA Journal
Anne Bannister is one of Psychodrama's great practitioners in the field of working with children and young people. This book is testimony to her endless and untiring work alongside children. She is someone who is playful, creative, energetic, and a strong advocate and witness, for those children whose voices may have been silenced through abusive experiences.This book is a must for all who work with traumatised people and it provides a well grounded and safe model that allows for people to grow and develop.