Child Therapy

We Can Help Child With: 

•      Attachment Issues

•      Big emotions

•      Constant worries 

•      Defiance

•      Feeling sad and alone 

•      Poor communication/social skills

•      Trauma

Frequent Treatment Models: 

Parent Child Interaction

Play Therapy

Theraplay

1. Parent Child Interaction

What is PCIT?

Parent-child interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an empirically supported treatment for conduct-disordered young 

children that emphasizes improving the quality of the parent-child relationship and changing parent-child 

interaction patterns. In PCIT, parents are taught specific skills to establish a nurturing and secure relationship with 

their child while increasing their child's prosocial behavior and decreasing negative behavior. This treatment 

focuses on two basic interactions: Child Directed Interaction (CDI) is similar to play therapy in that parents engage 

their child in a play situation to strengthen the parent-child relationship; Parent Directed Interaction (PDI) 

resembles clinical behavior therapy in that parents learn to use specific behavior management techniques as they 

play with their child. PCIT is evidenced-based treatment highly effective in treating children aged 2.5 - 6 

oppositional defiant disorder.   For more information, please visit www.pcit.org

2. Play Therapy 

What is Play Therapy?

... toys are the child's words!

First developed at the turn of the 20th century, today play therapy refers to many treatment methods, all 

applying the therapeutic benefits of play. Play therapy differs from regular play in that the therapist helps 

children to address and resolve their problems. Play therapy builds on the natural way that children learn about 

themselves and their relationships in the world around them (Axline, 1947; Carmichael, 2006; Landreth, 2002). 

Through play therapy, children learn to communicate with others, express feelings, modify behavior, develop 

problem-solving skills, and learn various ways of relating to others. Play provides a safe psychological distance 

from their problems and allows expression of thoughts and feelings appropriate to their development. APT 

(Association for Play Therapy) defines play therapy as "the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an 

interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent 

or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development."

3. Theraplay 

Theraplay® is an interactive, directive attachment-based play therapy. Having theoretical roots in Attachment 

Theory (Bowlby 1969, 1973, 1988) and interpersonal theories of human development, especially Self Psychology 

(Kohut, 1971, 1977, 1984) and Object Relations theory (Winnicott, 1958, 1965, 1971), Theraplay was at first 

known to be effective in treating parent-child relationship problems (Jernberg, 1979) and has currently used to 

effectively treat most of children's mental disorders including but not limited to emotional and behavioral 

disorders, complex trauma, autism, regulatory disorder, sensory integration disorder, etc (Booth & Jernberg, 

2010; Wetting, Coleman, & Geider, 2010). By helping children enhance attachment, self-esteem, and trust in 

others through fun, physical, interactive, and healthy relationships in treatments, Theraplay often brings drastic 

changes in child's concerned behaviors. The parents are always involved in becoming a co-regular or co-therapist 

in alleviating concerned behaviors.