Noting that children from stable as well as at-risk environments come to preschool settings with fears they cannot articulate, this book provides early childhood professionals with a framework for understanding the emotional lives of the young children they serve. The book combines a theoretical foundation with a practical basis for making preschool classrooms function as therapeutic environments. It also introduces an innovative method of designing curriculums that help children integrate experience in affective as well as cognitive ways. Part 1 of the book presents emotional issues within the context of general development. Part 2 gives teachers and clinicians the tools they need to make adult-child relationships in preschool strong and therapeutic by providing structure and analyzing therapeutic components of classroom experience, play therapy experience, and language therapy experience for children in need of early intervention. Part 3 offers teachers a conceptual framework for a method of inventing emotionally based curriculums, and provides lesson plans for teachers interested in implementing activities that support emotional life. Part 4 helps the reader to focus on special populations of children in the preschool group who may present a confusing developmental picture to parents, teachers, and therapists. Part 5 helps preschool professionals to address the needs of families in the program. This part also analyzes the needs of staff members who collaborate to accomplish their goals. Each chapter contains references. (HTH)