Focused Play Therapy and Non-Directive Play Therapy

Trauma Outcome Process Assessment (TOPA) Model: An Ecological Paradigm for Treating Traumatized Sexually Abusive Youth

“…The paradigm of the Trauma Outcome Process is consistent with the integrative, holistic, and ecologically based approach now being called for in the treatment of sexually abusive youth (Longo & Prescott, 2006). The experiential exercises originally proposed by Rasmussen and colleagues to operationalize the model and discussed in this article (Burton et al, 1998;Rasmussen, 2001;Rasmussen & Cunningham, 1995) are universal; they are still viable and applicable for contemporary clinical practice for sexually abusive youth (both children and adolescents). The exercises meet today's need for individualized, developmentally sensitive interventions, which take into account the age of the youth, cognitive capacities, learning style, and intellectual functioning.…”

“…Interventions in the TOPA model are sensitive to those youth who do not do well in processing auditory information but have visual or kinesthetic learning styles, attention deficits and learning disabilities, and/or sensory impairments (e.g., hearing impairment and/or speech difficulties). TOPA integrates focused (cognitive-behavioral) and nondirective (expressive/experiential) techniques, facilitating exploration of thoughts and feelings related to children's sexual abuse, sexually abusive behaviors, or both (Rasmussen, 2001;Rasmussen & Cunningham, 1995). With interventions such as those in the TOPA model, youth who have a learning disability or other developmental challenges can explore thoughts and feelings about their past traumatic experiences and current sexually abusive behaviors in the nonverbal, experiential ways that best facilitate their recovery from the effects of multiple traumas (Blasingame et al, 2006;Longo, 2004;Longo & Longo, 2003).…”

Play therapy with sexually abused children: Including parents in therapeutic play

“…It has been argued (Hill 2005) that these limitations of filial therapy in cases of sexual abuse may relate, respectively, to the serious impact on parents of finding out about the sexual abuse of their children (Hooper 1992; Trotter 1998) and to some possible limitations of using a non‐directive approach in relation to child sexual abuse (Rasmussen & Cunningham 1995).…”

Patterns of Non-offending Parental Involvement in Therapy with Sexually Abused Children

“…Finally, and most importantly, sexually abused children often develop cognitive misattributions that mean that they experience themselves as powerless and unable to affect what happens to them. Rasmussen and Cunningham (1995) acknowledge that the principles of non-directive therapy can be very reassuring to sexually abused children, particularly in the early stages of work. But the above considerations lead them to argue that 'sexually abused children require more than a trusting therapeutic relationship to address the multiple needs related to their trauma' (Rasmussen and Cunningham, 1995: 10).…”