Magical realism: a cultural intervention for traumatized Hispanic children

A case study is presented of two Spanish-speaking immigrant children who were run over in an automobile accident and hospitalized, to describe a culturally congruent play-therapy technique. Drawing on the work of Pynoos and Nader, the author argues for an anthropological approach in play therapy to create hyperaroused states for the traumatized child and to use cultural super heroes-what is termed "magical realism." Such an approach can be used with Latin American traumatized children as well as with children from other Third World countries to provide a culturally appropriate intervention to treat the psychological sequelae of trauma.