This book combines empirical support, clinical acumen, and practical recommendations in a comprehensive manner to examine creative augmentations to the robust cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) model. It discusses augmentations that are supported by research and practice and are also clinical-friendly tools. Each chapter briefly summarizes research findings, offers parsimonious explanations of theoretical concepts and principles, presents vivid descriptions of therapeutic procedures, and describes rich case illustrations. The book addresses the use of humor in CBT with youth, playful applications of CBT, applications of improvisational theatre in CBT and integrating superheroes into CBT.Key areas of coverage include:Building stronger, more flexible, and enduring alliances with children and adolescents to improve treatment retention and impact.Using humor and irreverent communication in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to enhance outcomes with adolescents.Developing rapport between medical and psychosocial team members to alleviate stress during pediatric medical procedures and as an adjunct to therapeutic interventions.Cognitive behavioral play therapy (CBPT) with young children.Family-focused CBT for pediatric OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder).Cognitive Behavioral Psychodrama Group Therapy (CBPGT) with youth.This unique and compelling volume is an authoritative resource for researchers, professors, clinicians, therapists and other professionals as well as graduate students in developmental psychology, pediatrics, social work, child and adolescent psychiatry, and nursing.

Discusses innovative evidence-based CBT therapies that are clinical-friendly tools

Chapter 1. Introduction: Integrating Play, Humor, Improvisational Theater, and Superhero Characters into CBT with Youth.- Part I. Integrating Humor into CBT with Children and Adolescent.- Chapter 2. Humor and Engagement in Children and Adolescents.- Chapter 3. Humor and Irreverent Communication in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) with Adolescents.- Chapter 4. Humor with Pediatric Patients.- Part II. Playful Applications of CBT with Youth.- Chapter 5. Overview of CBT Play Therapy.- Chapter 6. Integrating Play into Evidence-Based Treatments for Youth.- Chapter 7. Playful CBT with Aggressive Youth.- Chapter 8. Playful CBT with Children Diagnosed with OCD.- Part III: Integrating Improvisational Theater in CBT with Youth.- Chapter 9. Improvisational Theater with Socially Anxious Youth.- Chapter 10. Integrating Psychodrama and CBT with Adolescents in Groups.- Chapter 11. Popular Culture Character and Theater Techniques in CBT Supervision.- Part IV. Integrating Superheroes in CBT.- Chapter 12. CBT and Use of Superheroes with Youth.- Chapter 13. Using Fiction and Fandom with CBT for Youth: Creating a Climate of Safety, Tolerance, and Trust.- Chapter 14. The Force Awakens: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Star Wars.- Chapter 15. The Last Stanza: Concluding Thoughts.