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Theraplay
Theraplay uses a play therapy
context to strengthen attachments and bonds between a child and their
parents. This is done by imitating early parent infant interactions and
having parent and child play this out together in the therapy sessions and
then continue these exercises at home.
We offer a professional counseling / counselling framework for working through Theraplay issues with children and
their mother, father or parent figures.
Explanation
Theraplay is an active, directed form
of play therapy, which is based on attachment theory. The attachment that
forms between the infant and the primary caregiver is critical for healthy
emotional development. The nature of the attachment relationship forms a
prototype for all future relationships. Children who have formed a secure
attachment have a reduced risk for the development of emotional
difficulties later in life. Sometimes because of early hospitalization,
numerous foster care placements, adoption, or issues that the primary
caregiver is dealing with, the attachment is not as secure as it could be.
Theraplay is designed to
imitate early parent-infant interactions and strengthen the child’s
attachment. After an assessment of the parent-child relationship,
counseling / counselling is designed around the areas that need support in
the relationship.
O ur goal is to help you & your child to strengthen
attachments & bonds between each other, as a way of minimizing or
eliminating current emotional detachment, clinging, &/or acting out issues.
In part it is also a way of avoiding the development of emotional
difficulties later in their life.
Phone counseling / counselling,
Online audio / video, email
or LiveType Chat Instant Messaging etherapy sessions are available for
working through issues as an alternative to the standard
Office appointments we
also offer
(see
Online & Phone Counseling).
These are obviously not the best formats for theraplay, but
where there are no local theraplay therapists available &
parents are still interested in trying to work in conjunction with a
theraplay therapist to try to help strengthen parent / child attachments &
bonds, it is do-able. Where possible,
online audio video would be the best alternate medium for this. It must be understood
though, that this is a somewhat more
limited & limiting format than an office appointment for theraplay would be.
In our
Resources section
we have a number of
links, books, articles, essays & seminar notes that may be of help as a
supplement to counseling.
Context of
our Value Base
Our counseling services are available
to both Christians & non-Christians alike (as per our
Mission Statement), & for both
we integrate our spirituality only to the degree that people request & are
comfortable with.
We are respectful
of others being in somewhat different places than we are in the life journeys we walk out, & are also aware that many have been hurt or offended
religiously by others in their past.
We do not try to force our Christian value base or
beliefs on others, although it can at times affect what goals we feel
comfortable about being able to work on, because
there are a handful of moral & spiritual issues where we will not be
comfortable in counseling contrary to our beliefs. These issues generally
do not tend to come up in most people's counseling though.
We come from a spiritual, biblical
perspective so when requested we also function as pastoral counselors / counsellors
in addition to being professional counselors, marriage & family therapists.
We are very comfortable with prayer & the inclusion
of scripture where this is requested & desired,
yet even
then it will be integrated only
to the degree that people are
comfortable with.
Who we are : MSW MDiv 20+ years counseling experience
Please feel free to book
Online & Phone counseling appointments as an alternative to our Office
appointments
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