Theraplay is a playful therapy, between children and their foster carers. It offers connection, through the simple act of playing together.
By spending time together, the child-carer bond deepens. Theraplay uses simple activities, encouraging children to relax and be in the moment. Many carers enjoy these simple, playful moments too!
What happens in a Theraplay session?
Clare, as a Foundational Theraplay Therapist, runs sessions. Clare joins foster carers and their children (from 2 - 16 years old) in weekly sessions.
Inside a venue, children play with balloons, foam obstacle courses, toys and more. Each session includes games which encourage connection. Children and their foster carer play together, showing children they are special.
This grows your bond, helping the child regulate their feelings. Most importantly, you have fun together!
What can Theraplay offer?
We know trauma impacts ability to form healthy relationships and regulate their emotions. Theraplay strengthens relationships, connection and enjoyment. This decreases the challenges of caring for a traumatised child.
Theraplay sessions help traumatised children start healing, in several ways:
- Children learn to trust again, through positive interactions with a therapist and their foster carer
- Also, positive interactions in Theraplay sessions boost a child's self-confidence
- Theraplay activities grow the bond between the child and their carer. This helps children address attachment issues, caused by their trauma.
- Children feel comfortable to express, and manage, their feelings. Theraplay sessions help build a safe, supportive environment, through play and connection.
- Children learn important social skills, like empathy, through the interactive nature of Theraplay
Theraplay achieves these benefits, by focusing on four dimensions of a child-carer relationship
The core concepts of Theraplay focus on these elements of a relationship.
- Structure - the adult creates organisation for the child, communicating safety
- Engaging - by simply being present, the child feels seen, heard and accepted by their carer
- Nurturing the child, calming their emotions to make them feel soothed
- Challenging - supporting the child to learn new skills, growing their confidence
Find out how to get started with Theraplay
Theraplay has so many benefits, through the simple act of play. Find out more from Clare and how to get started with Theraplay.