Domestic violence affects not just those that are experiencing the abuse, it can also have significant impact on those in the home that witness it. In fact, children who have witnessed violence in the home can have twice the rate of psychiatric disorders as children from non-violent homes. Exposure to domestic violence can leave children with difficulty forming attachments, anxiety, depression and developmental and learning delays, among other physical and mental health concerns.
There is hope. Radiance exists to provide support to those impacted by domestic violence, and we specialize in helping children work through their trauma and recover from the effects of experiencing or witnessing violence. Our team of professionals provide support both to children living in our shelter, as well as children enrolled in our trauma-informed children’s centre. They deploy a wide variety of practices catered to supporting children including Play Therapy and Theraplay.
The difference between Play Therapy and Theraplay
So, what are the differences between the two? Below we have broken down two key differences between Play Therapy and Theraplay.
- Parent involvement
Theraplay is intended to strengthen the parent-child bond through play and healthy interaction and increase trust and joy between the two parties. The parent is involved in each Theraplay session along with the facilitator and child. Play Therapy’s focus is for children to explore their emotions and work through unresolved trauma by better processing their experiences and developing effective strategies for better understanding their worlds. Unlike Theraplay, Play Therpay does not include the parent, in these sessions the focus in on the child and their emotions so parents are not included in Play Therapy sessions.
- Structure
To achieve its goal of strengthening the parent-child relationship, Theraplay sessions are parent-led and follow a more structured formula, with sessions following an agenda of activities with varying goals. Some activities may focus on play and nurturing the joy between the two, while other activities may focus more on grounding and regulating emotions. Play Therapy can be facilitator-led, child-led, or a combination of the two. Play Therapy often involves much less structure or rules and instead focuses on letting the child explore their emotions through play. Play is an excellent way for children to express their feelings.
Radiance is proud to offer Play Therapy and Theraplay to our families in-house and at no cost. Having the necessary supports to heal under one roof helps our clients make the most of their time Radiance and eases the burden of having to access and travel to the supports necessary to address trauma.