THERAPLAY® Level One with Theraplay Institute

Theraplay^® is an evidenced-based, attachment-focused intervention utilising non-symbolic, interactional play to re-create experiences of secure attachment formation between parent and child. Therapist-guided short-term, dyadic therapy focuses on improving the child’s behavioural and emotional challenges through the parent-child relationship. In a session, the therapist guides the parent and child through playful games, challenging activities, and nurturing interactions. Theraplay^® helps the child experience previously difficult interactions in new ways, helps overcome fear/shame, increase trust, and create a positive change in the child’s sense of self. Theraplay^® helps the parent be attuned to the child, understand the motives of the child’s behaviour and the underlying needs, manage environmental stimuli, and carefully challenge their child in a safe place. While other therapies may work primarily with the child alone or work with parents on managing the child’s behaviours, Theraplay^® has shown that the parent-child relationship is the most powerful and influential element for change. It is also a complimentary approach to Dyadic Developmental Practice (developed by Dan Hughes).

Theraplay^® has been used successfully to help:

• Children with developmental trauma
• Shy, withdrawn children
• Overactive, controlling or aggressive children
• Foster/adoptive children with attachment difficulties
• Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Pervasive Development Disorder
• Children with physical disabilities, developmental delays or those who are non-verbal
• Children who live in group settings
• Early childhood students and others who receive services in group settings

You will learn:

• Administer the MIM and analyse it at a beginning level
• Conduct feedback sessions with parents based upon the MIM analysis
• Use the MIM as a guideline for Theraplay treatment planning
• Observe demonstrations of Theraplay treatment and techniques
• Practice Theraplay activities in dyads
• Identify the types of behaviors that require a particular dimension
• Utilise the four Theraplay dimensions to treat the specific needs of a child
• Describe how Theraplay is applied to meet the needs of children with behavior problems, foster and adopted children, children with ASD, and older children
• Describe how to guide parents to participate in a Theraplay treatment session

• The training concludes with the creation of a treatment plan for one of your own clients and a chance to practice it for feedback

We recommend beginning with an easier case to get practice and confidence before trying to work with complex families or trauma. Participants are referred to the Theraplay® book which underpins the approach.