Children Referred for Theraplay

Theraplay with Angry, Aggressive Children

Theraplay for angry, aggressive, controlling children is structured and nurturing. The child learns to accept and enjoy direction from an adult through participation in playful, engaging activities. The child also learns to accept and enjoy nurture and positive attention, which is freely offered to meet the child’s emotional needs.

Theraplay with AD/HD Children

Theraplay for children with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) seeks to promote self-control and the internalization of rules and structure. As a result, the child learns to modulate her/his own behavior. In Theraplay with AD/HD children, the therapist varies the pace of the session and introduced activities that enhance impulse control and the ability to delay gratification. This structure delay improves self-esteem and helps AD/HD children develop the social skills necessary for success in school and in peer relationships.

Theraplay with Attachment Disordered Children

Theraplay recreates the patterns of healthy interactions seen between very young children and their caregivers that lead to secure attachment. Regardless of age, the child will benefit from experiencing these healthy patterns with caregivers. Bonds of trust and affection develop between attachment disordered children and their caregivers, allowing these children to relax their need to be in control of interactions and to engage more fully with others, and allowing caregivers to enjoy their caregiving. The treatment has been used successfully with biological children who have sustained significant losses, foster and adopted children, and post-institutionalized adopted children.

Theraplay with Depressed Children

Theraplay with children suffering from depression is active and playful, seeking to bring out the child’s playful qualities and to raise levels of physical activity. The therapist repeatedly calls attention to the child’s strengths and to those characteristics that make him/her unique, as a way of raising self-esteem. Activities that provide the child with success will promote feelings of mastery and competence.

Theraplay with Anxious/Withdrawn Children

Theraplay for children with anxiety disorders seeks to promote engagement, self-esteem, trust in others, and to reduce withdrawal behaviors. The therapist pursues the child when s/he withdraws and entices her/ him to participate. By establishing a foundation of social interaction, Theraplay has demonstrated good results in helping anxious children (and even autistic/ Pervasively Developmental Delayed children) move from being isolated and fearful to sociable, engaged, calm, and interactive.