Table Of Content®
The AutPlay
Therapy Handbook
The AutPlay® Therapy Handbook provides a thorough explanation and un-
derstanding of AutPlay® Therapy (a n integrative family play therapy frame-
work) and details how to effectively implement AutPlay® Therapy for
addressing the mental health needs of autistic and neurodivergent children
and their families.
This handbook guides the mental health therapist working with children
and adolescents through their natural language of play. Opening with an
extensive review of the neurodiversity paradigm and ableism, the chapters
cover AutPlay® Therapy protocol, phases of therapy, assessment strategies,
and common need areas along with understanding neurodiversity affirming
processes. Additional chapters highlight the therapeutic powers of play, in-
tegrative play therapy approaches, understanding co-o ccurring conditions,
working with high support needs, and using AutPlay® Therapy to address
regulation, sensory, social/ emotional, and other mental health concerns that
neurodivergent children may be experiencing.
The handbook serves as a thorough guide for play therapists, child thera-
pists, and family therapists who work with neurodivergent children and their
families.
Dr. Robert Jason Grant is a licensed professional counselor, national board
certified counselor, and registered play t herapist- supervisor based in Mis-
souri, USA.
®
The AutPlay
Therapy Handbook
Integrative Family Play
Therapy with Neurodivergent
Children
By Robert Jason Grant
Designed cover image: Getty Image
First published 2023
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Robert Jason Grant
The right of Robert Jason Grant 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.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Grant, Robert Jason, 1971– author.
Title: The Autplay® therapy handbook: integrative family play therapy with
neurodivergent children / by Robert Jason Grant.
Description: First edition. | New York, NY: Routledge, 2023. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022027819 (print) | LCCN 2022027820 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781032075495 (hbk) | ISBN 9781032075488 (pbk) |
ISBN 9781003207610 (ebk)
Subjects: LCSH: Play therapy. | Developmentally disabled
children—Treatment. | Play assessment (Child psychology)
Classification: LCC RJ505.P6 G733 2023 (print) | LCC RJ505.P6 (ebook) |
DDC 618.92/891653—dc23/eng/20220802
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022027819
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022027820
ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 07549- 5 ( hbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 07548- 8 ( pbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 003- 20761- 0 ( ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/ 9781003207610
Typeset in Goudy
by codeMantra
Contents
Foreword vii
Acknowledgements xi
Introduction 1
1 Neurodiversity, Ableism, and Being Neurodiversity Affirming 5
2 The Neurodivergent Child 31
3 Neurodivergent Mental Health Needs 66
4 Neurodivergent Play 91
5 Play Therapy and the Therapeutic Powers of Play 109
6 An Integrative Play Therapy Approach 127
7 The AutPlay® Therapy Process 147
8 The AutPlay® Therapist 175
9 Phases of AutPlay® Therapy and Therapy Goals 190
10 Parent and Family Involvement 211
11 The AutPlay® Therapy Follow Me Approach ( FMA) 234
12 The AutPlay® Therapy Follow Me Approach ( FMA)
with Parents 254
13 The AutPlay® Therapy Follow Me Approach ( FMA)
Case Examples 271
14 Social Navigation Interventions 303
vi Contents
15 Emotion Identification and Expression Interventions 328
16 Connection ( Relationship Development) Interventions 357
17 Anxiety Reduction, Sensory Integration, and Regulation
Interventions 383
Conclusion 407
Common Terms Related to Neurodivergence 409
Index 447
Foreword
The AutPlay® Therapy Handbook:
Integrative Family Play Therapy with Neurodivergent Children
Connection
Dr. Robert Jason Grant and I met through the play therapy community. We
were both invited to a week- long, international meeting for play therapists.
I was immediately drawn to Dr. Grant and his vast knowledge regarding the
neurodivergent population. Having worked in therapeutic settings since
1991, I had provided services to a number of clients who were neurodiver-
gent by the time I met Dr. Grant. The topic of neurodiversity in general,
along with specific considerations, identification, understanding, and ther-
apy was not a prominent part of my graduate school training. Meeting Dr.
Grant and learning from him allowed me to greatly expand my repertoire be-
yond the piecemeal education and research I had pursued to date. I attended
his trainings, read his books, and became a Certified AutPlay Therapy Pro-
vider. Along the way, it was my pleasure to know him better. We have since
collaborated on a number of projects such as the AutPlay Expansion Pack for
the Virtual Sandtray App©, multiple presentations, and publications such as
Play Therapy Theory and Perspectives: A Collection of Thoughts in the Field and
Implementing Play Therapy with Groups: Contemporary Issues in Practice (b oth
of these texts were c o- edited with Clair Mellenthin). Dr. Grant’s contribu-
tion to my knowledge and scope of practice has been invaluable. I am certain
it will be the same for you.
viii Foreword
Challenging the Traditional Neurodivergence View
In March 2020, Drs. JÂcqûelyn Fede and Amy Laurent challenged people
to Level Up! their knowledge base regarding neurodivergence. This team of
professionals includes both neurodivergent and neurotypical members, with
a philosophy which includes beliefs that “t hrough education, accessible re-
sources, practical strategies and a commitment to consistently incorporating
the experiences and perspectives of autistic people, we can support the leve-
ling up of society when it comes to autism and neurodiversity” (F ede & Lau-
rent, 2020, para 46). A key aim of this article is to challenge the traditional
view of “ deficit and disorder” regarding neurodiversity ( para 6).
Fede and Laurent proposed that simple awareness is not enough, particularly
regarding autism. We must be aware and strive toward advocacy, with ac-
ceptance, appreciation, and empowerment along the path ( Fede & Laurent,
2020). It is a process of recognizing where you are currently, looking inward
and performing a self- evaluation of biases and belief systems, and then taking
the next steps toward greater understanding, learning, and active involve-
ment. These are some of the critical components of increasing everyone’s
understanding of the realities of neurodiversity and autism (F ede & Laurent,
2020).
The AutPlay® Therapy Handbook
The AutPlay® Therapy Handbook encompasses the philosophies of Autism
Level Up. Building upon a quickly growing set of Dr. Grant’s authored re-
sources, the addition of the AutPlay® Therapy Handbook presents neurodi-
vergence as an inclusion of differences which are “n ormal, natural variations
in the human genome.” The shift in conceptualization from pathology to
normalcy is very powerful and sets the stage for many ways to work with
individuals in mental health settings utilizing the approaches, goals, and in-
terventions outlined in this book.
Grounded in the acknowledgement of each individual as unique and en-
compassing a multitude of ideologies, Dr. Grant has provided the reader with
a critical foundation. This foundation springs into 18 additional chapters,
each geared toward understanding and working with neurodivergent clients
and their families. Neurodiversity, Grant explains, is not a belief, a political
position, paradigm, perspective, or a pproach – “ it is a fact”; it is a “t he vari-
ance of human neurotypes.”
Foreword ix
Of particular interest to me is Chapter 10. Important works by Dr. Eliana
Gil ( 1994, 2015) and Dr. Kay Trotter (2 013) are referenced for further un-
derstanding of family play therapy. Grant describes a “ synergetic effect” re-
garding the complementary relationship between play therapy and family
therapy when integrated. This is a powerful statement; inviting the reader
to learn more about the integration, synergy, and impact that utilizing the
tenets of AutPlay® Therapy will have on the family therapy process. This
chapter of the AutPlay® Therapy Handbook informs us about important
concepts such as “p arents might find play challenging, parents should fol-
low their child’s lead, parents need to play within their child’s zone of
proximal development…” and so much more. These are skills and con-
ceptualizations that will be powerful with both the neurodivergent and
neurotypical populations!
Importance of Understanding the Realities
Returning to the importance of the above challenge posed by Fede and Lau-
rent, and the importance of increasing our understanding of the realities
of neurodiversity and autism, we can see that Dr. Grant works to guide the
reader toward achieving this goal. C hapters 1– 4 are defining key founda-
tional concepts regarding neurodiversity and setting the stage for the rest of
the book. Chapters 5– 9 introduce and discuss the key components of play
therapy, an integrative approach, and AutPlay Therapy. C hapters 10– 17,
Conclusion present a number of interventions and examples to fill the
play therapist’s toolbox and illustrate the concepts. Easy to follow and use
handouts, inventories, and forms are provided for smooth integration of the
concepts.
This text is certain to contribute valuable foundations, understandings, con-
cepts, interventions, and more to your professional development and offer-
ings. We can all work toward the challenge to Level Up! and the AutPlay®
Therapy Handbook provides a number of concepts and tools to rise to the
challenge. Here we go!
Jessica Stone, Ph.D., R PT-S
Affiliate, East Carolina University Neurocognition Science Lab
Certified AutPlay Therapy Provider
Author, Digital Play Therapy
