Theraplay Helping Parents and Children Build Better Relationships Through Attachment-Based Play

Theraplay, Third EditionTheraplay, a pioneering application of attachment theory to clinical work,helps parents learn and practice how to provide the playful engagement, empathic responsiveness, and clear guidance that lead to secure attachment and lifelong mental health in their children. This third edition of the groundbreaking book Theraplay shows how to use play to engage children in interactions that lead to competence, self-regulation, self-esteem, and trust. Theraplay's relationship-based approach is uniquely designed to help families facing today's busy and often chaotic lifestyle challengesform joyful, loving relationships."The third edition of Theraplay successfully tackles the difficult question of how to address attachment-based trauma-healing wounds, teaching healthy relationship-building, and having fun-without re-traumatizing the already traumatized child. This is a first-class, step-by-step guide, which includes theory and rationale for the many Theraplay activities provided." -Lark Eshleman, Ph.D, author of Becoming a Family: Promoting Healthy Attachments with Your Adopted Child and founder and CEO, Institute for Children and Families"Phyllis Booth and colleagues have again brought to life this rich model of treatment for children and their parents. Theraplay is truly a gift provided to those of us who offer developmental assistance to children and their families." -Dan Hughes, Ph.D., psychologist and author of Attachment-Focused Family Therapy and Attachment-Focused Parenting

Phyllis B. Booth is clinical director of The Theraplay Institute in Chicago. She provides training and supervision for Theraplay therapists throughout the world. Ann M. Jernberg was the founder and director of The Theraplay Institute until her death in 1993. She provided the inspiration for the Theraplay approach and was the author of the first edition of this book. The Theraplay Institute is an international not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong families and emotionally healthy children and adults through training, treatment, advocacy, and research. The Institute also holds an international conference every other year, sponsors a research network, publishes a biannual newsletter, and can be contacted at www.theraplay.org.