Play Therapy

Morning Star Community Services provides Theraplay®-based sessions for parents and children and equips professionals with Theraplay® principles and Theraplay®-informed interventions. 𝗜𝘀 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱? The way children cope can often be an enigma for parents and the adults teaching or caring for them. What is outwardly seen as prolonged defiance and anger, impulsivity and hyperactivity, anxiety or aggression, may be the outward manifestations of a child’s secret longings that they are not able to express. The Play Therapist uses a wide range of play and creative arts techniques, including Sand Play Therapy and Art Therapy, to help children with difficulties that often lie deep beneath the surface. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆? In the process, a child’s brain is transformed to help him/ her become more emotionally and behaviourally regulated. Through Play Therapy, children will learn: • To respect themselves • That their feelings are acceptable • To express their feelings responsibly • To assume responsibility for themselves • To be creative and resourceful in confronting problems • Self-control and self-direction • To accept themselves • To make choices and to be responsible for their own choices Play Therapy is suitable for children 5 to 12 years old. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴/ 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆? Parents can also opt for parenting sessions concurrently, where a family therapist supports you in addressing your child’s challenging behaviours and provide tips on how to support your child’s therapeutic play process. Theraplay® is a dyadic child and family therapy that has been recognized by the Association of Play Therapy as one of seven seminal psychotherapies for children. Developed over 50 years ago, and practiced around the world, Theraplay® was developed for any professional working to support healthy child/caregiver attachment. Strong attachment between the child and the important adults in their life has long been believed to be the basis of lifelong good mental health as well as the mainstay of resilience in the face of adversity. Modern brain research and the field of neuroscience have shown that attachment is the way in which children come to understand, trust and thrive in their world.