What is Theraplay?

Theraplay is a structured, engaging, play therapy for children and their parents. /It is designed to enhance attachment, raise self-esteem, improve trust in others, and create positive engagement. Theraplay is based on the natural patterns of healthy interactions between parent and child. It is fun, physical, personal, and intensive. Children have been referred for a variety of problems, including depressed behavior, problems with self-regulation (e.g., anger, temper tantrums, AD/HD, etc.), phobias, and poor social skills. Since it focuses on relationship development, Theraplay has also been used successfully for many years with foster and adoptive parents.

Theraplay focuses aggressively on four serious problems that too many children and families face today: (1) inadequate structure in their daily lives—needed for learning and organization, (2) too little personal engagement—needed for developing emotion-regulation and social skills (3) insufficient empathic nurturing—needed for healthy attachments and feeling valued, and (4) not enough challenge—needed for self-esteem, growth, and motivation. Theraplay sessions create an active, playful, and empathic connection between the child and the caregivers, resulting in a changed view of the elf as worthy and loveable and of relationships as positive and rewarding. Caregivers are actively involved in the treatment and are empowered to continue the health-promoting interactions of the treatment sessions in their own at home.

Theraplay and The Theraplay institute (in Chicago, IL) were developed by clinical psychologist Ann M. Jernberg, Ph.D. Theraplay has been used extensively since 1967 in Head Start and day care centers, special education classrooms, early intervention and parenting programs, residential and out-patient treatment center and private family practice. Theraplay is a register service mark of the Theraplay Institute, 3330 Old Glenview Road, Suite 8, Wilmette, IL 60091.