What is Theraplay?
Theraplay is a dyadic child and family therapy that is based on natural patterns of healthy interactions between parents/carers and child. It is a proactive therapy and is relationship focused. The parents/carers are actively involved in the therapy and work together with the practitioner to form a healthy strong attachment with the child. Theraplay uses structured play activities to enhance and build trust in others, self-esteem and attachment.
Theraplay is based on the natural patterns of playful, healthy interaction between parent and child and is personal, physical, and fun. Theraplay interactions focus on four essential qualities found in parent-child relationships: Structure, Engagement, Nurture, and Challenge.
The Theraplay setting provides the Parent and child with a safe place to provide positive experiences through play. The aim is to help repair the relationship between parent and child enabling them to have fun, learn to trust each other, feel safe in the world and see themselves as lovable people. This approach utilises parents in the therapeutic playroom to help heal the relationship, soothe the child and teach parents different ways to access their child emotionally. Theraplay sessions create an active, emotional connection between the child and parent or caregiver, resulting in a changed view of the self as worthy and lovable and of relationships as positive and rewarding.
What happens in Theraplay?
During the session, the practitioner will lead the child through a series of simple, fun games and activities, while helping the child be successful and competent. This is carried out in a nurturing, healing and calming way. During the therapeutic session, it makes perfect sense to involve the parent/career into the process when appropriate. Allowing the parental figure ‘when ready’ to be the emotional anchor in the room enables the techniques to be practical in a safe environment, thereby supporting the learning to the relationship at home allowing the family dynamic to heal. Parents are taught to recognise where a child is at developmentally, which often is not where the child is chronological. Educating the parent and joining together as a team are essential ingredients in a successful Theraplay experience. Theraplay is suitable for the child and one parent or a child and both parents.
The Theraplay Plan
Before Theraplay sessions begin, the practitioner holds a parent only intake. Duration is usually one and a half hours. During this evaluation, the therapist is taking a full history and look at the child’s emotional, behavioural and relational health. During the Theraplay plan, parent sessions/reviews are inserted throughout the therapeutic process to help educate the parent and support the processes that are occurring in the therapeutic sessions and at home.
The second and third appointments are observation sessions using the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) which is unique to Theraplay. The parent and child are given specific tasks to complete or prescriptive activities to do together. These interactions are videotaped and assessed by the therapist. The parent/career meet again with the therapist to discuss the findings of this assessment and together, a treatment plan is discussed. Once a plan is agreed on the session then progress.
The Four Dimensions of Theraplay
Parents are involved in the therapeutic playroom during every session. Theraplay is a structured approach that utilises four thoughtful approaches during sessions: structure, engagement, nurture and challenge. The practitioner helps teach the parent about the four dimensions of therapy and helps the parent to recognise the emotional and relational benefit of each activity that is utilised during sessions.
Structure
To relieve the child of the burden of having to be in control. The adult sets limits, defines body boundaries, keeps the child safe and helps complete activities.
Engagement
To establish and maintain a connection with the child, to focus on the child in an intense way and to surprise and entice the child into enjoying new experiences.
Nurture
To reinforce the message that the child is worthy of care and that adults will provide care without the child having to ask for it.
Challenge
To build a child’s ability and confidence by encouraging them to take slight risks and accomplish an activity with adult help.
Who can Benefit from Theraplay?
Theraplay is appropriate for children of all ages, including babies, and adolescents and can be effective for children and young people experiencing:
- Attachment insecurity
- Complex trauma
- Loss and separation,
- family crisis
- Developmental delays
- Children on the autism spectrum
- Withdrawn, depressed, fearful, shy
- Acting out, angry, non-compliant
- Impulsive, hyperactive (ADHD)
- Anxious
- Adoption/ children in care and more ….
How long does treatment last? Typically, the total number of sessions is 24, case dependent. Therapeutic progress will be explored throughout the intervention, with a formal review at the end of the work.