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HIDDEN TREASURE This classic edition of Violet Oaklander’s groundbreaking book presents her pioneering approach to engaging with children who enter therapy. A new introduction by Peter Mortola reflects on the ways that Hidden Treasure continues to inform therapeutic practice all over the world. Most of the literature available on working with children is writ- ten from a traditional “play therapy” point of view; the Gestalt therapy-based approach detailed here provides a more effective method for psychotherapeutic work with children of all ages. With a focus on the relationship between the therapist and the client, Violet Oaklander shows a wide variety of creative, expressive, and projective techniques in her work, and each chapter reflects and exemplifies the use of this work in the service of therapy. This dynamic approach is applicable to a wide variety of ages as well as individual, family, and group settings. This book will interest child and adolescent psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers, counsellors, school personnel, and parents, as well as graduate students. Violet Oaklander, Ph.D., was the author of the books Windows to Our Children: A Gestalt Therapy Approach to Children and Adolescents (now in 17 languages), and Hidden Treasure: A Map to the Child’s In- ner Self (now in 9 languages), as well as several journal articles, book chapters, and audio and video recordings on psychotherapeutic work with children. She earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, a Master of Arts in Marriage, Family and Child Counselling, a Master of Science in Special Education with emotionally disturbed children, and was a certified Gestalt Therapist. Routledge Mental Health Classic Editions The Routledge Mental Health Classic Edition series celebrates Routledge’s commitment to excellence within the field of mental health. These books are recognized as timeless classics covering a range of important issues and continue to be recommended as key reading for professionals and students in the area. With a new introduction that explores what has changed since the books were first published, and why these books are as relevant now as ever, the series presents key ideas to a new generation. Unlocking the Emotional Brain Eliminating Symptoms at Their Roots Using Memory Reconsolidation (Classic Edition) By Bruce Ecker, Robin Ticic, and Laurel Hulley The New Handbook of Counseling Supervision (Classic Edition) By L. DiAnne Borders and Lori L. Brown Therapy and the Postpartum Woman Notes on Healing Postpartum Depression for Clinicians and the Women Who Seek their Help By Karen Kleiman Beyond Empathy A Therapy of Contact-in-Relationship By Richard G. Erskine, Janet P. Moursund, and Rebecca L. Trautmann Hidden Treasure A Map to the Child’s Inner Self Violet Oaklander For more information about this series, please visit: https://www. routledge .com HIDDEN TREASURE A Map to the Child’s Inner Self Classic Edition Violet Oaklander Cover image: marabird / Getty Images Classic Edition published 2023 by Routledge 4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN and by Routledge 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2023 Violet Oaklander The right of Violet Oaklander to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Publisher’s Note: References within each chapter are as they appear in the original complete work. First edition published by Karnac Books Ltd. 2007 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Oaklander, Violet, author. Title: Hidden treasure : a map to the child’s inner self / Violet Oaklander. Description: Classic edition. | Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2023. | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Identifiers: LCCN 2022025662 (print) | LCCN 2022025663 (ebook) | ISBN 9781032358734 (hardback) | ISBN 9781032332987 (paperback) | ISBN 9781003329114 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Gestalt therapy. | Child psychotherapy. | Adolescent psychotherapy. | Children. Classification: LCC RJ505.G47 O23 2023 (print) | LCC RJ505.G47 (ebook) | DDC 618.92/8914—dc23/eng/20220606 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022025662 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022025663 ISBN: 978-1-032-35873-4 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-032-33298-7 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-003-32911-4 (ebk) DOI: 10.4324/9781003329114 Typeset in Times New Roman by codeMantra I would like to dedicate this book to Mollie Filler Solomon and Joseph Solomon, my wonderful parents who gave me the kind of childhood which I would wish for all children. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ix INTRODUCTION TO THE CLASSIC EDITION xi CHAPTER ONE Introduction 3 CHAPTER TWO What brings children into therapy: a developmental perspective 5 CHAPTER THREE The therapeutic process with children and adolescents 20 CHAPTER FOUR Enhancing the sense of self of children and adolescents 50 CHAPTER FIVE The many faces of anger 69 viii ContEntS CHAPTER SIX Working with adolescents 93 CHAPTER SEVEN Loss and grief 119 CHAPTER EIGHT Helping children and adolescents become self-nurturing 142 CHAPTER NINE Working with very young children 164 CHAPTER TEN Working with groups 175 CHAPTER ELEVEN Treating children with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactive disorder 188 CHAPTER TWELVE An innovative way to use music in therapy 210 EPILOGUE 227 REFERENCES 229 INDEX 231 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like, in particular, to acknowledge my dear son and daughter, Mha Atma Khalsa and Sara Oaklander, who encouraged me and urged me and lovingly did whatever they could to make sure I wrote this book. My daughter-in-law, Martha Oaklander, especially helped me in more ways than she knows.