Big Behaviors in Small Containers: 131 Trauma-Informed Play Therapy Interventions for Disorders of Dysregulation

by Paris Goodyear-Brown MSSW LCSW RPT-S

When it comes to working with dysregulated children, sometimes the biggest behaviors come in the smallest containers.

From tantrums and defiance to self-injury and withdrawal, even the most skilled professionals find themselves focused on extinguishing the troubling behavior rather than stepping back to ask: What is the underlying emotional need? 

In Big Behaviors in Small Containers, you’ll find 131 practical, fun, and ready-to-use play therapy interventions that shift the paradigm around problematic behaviors to allow for therapeutic growth and healing. Based on TraumaPlay®, a treatment approach that prioritizes attachment, co-regulation, and the science of the stress response system, the interventions inside will help kids:

• Develop a sense of safety and security
• Expand their window of tolerance
• Cope adaptively with anger, anxiety, and other strong emotions
• Enhance their emotional literacy
• Strengthen social skills and self-esteem
• Challenge and overcome unhelpful thoughts
• Develop a coherent narrative around trauma and other difficult experiences
• And more!

Whether you’re a therapist, teacher, doctor, caregiver, or trusted grown-up in a child’s life, the tools inside will allow you to become the co-regulating, nurturing, and consistent presence that your “small container” needs to remain grounded in the face of stress, big feelings, and difficult situations.