At CCS Adoption, we offer a range of therapies, these can be found below:

Theraplay®

“Theraplay® is a child and family therapy for building and enhancing attachment, self-esteem, trust in others, and joyful engagement. It is based on the natural patterns of playful, healthy interaction between parent and child and is personal, physical, and fun. Theraplay interactions focus on four essential qualities found in parent-child relationships: Structure, Engagement, Nurture, and Challenge. Theraplay® sessions create an active, emotional connection between the child and parent or caregiver, resulting in a changed view of the self as worthy and lovable and of relationships as positive and rewarding. In treatment, the Theraplay® practitioner guides the parent and child through playful, fun games, developmentally challenging activities, and tender, nurturing activities. The very act of engaging each other in this way helps the parent regulate the child’s behaviour and communicate love, joy, and safety to the child. It helps the child feel secure, cared for, connected and worthy. We call this “building relationships from the inside out”. – Phyllis Booth

Theraplay® UK, 2018

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy

“DDP is based on and brings together attachment theory, what we understand about developmental trauma, the neurobiology of trauma, attachment and caregiving and child development. DDP is family-based and involves the child with his or her parent/s. Central within DDP is PACE: Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy. Playfulness brings enjoyment to the relationship. Acceptance creates psychological safety.  When we curiously explore within a relationship we express a desire to know the other more deeply. Empathy communicates our curiosity and acceptance, as we recognize and respond to the other’s emotional experience. PACE is a way of thinking which deepens the emotional connections in our relationship with others.” – Dan Hughes

DDP Network, 2018

Non-Violent Resistance

NVR is a helpful intervention for families who are experiencing child-to-parent/child-to-child violence, and aggressive or controlling behaviours.  The approach recognises these behaviours in the context of developmental trauma. Understandably, these behaviours can often leave parents feeling helpless, humiliated, scared and angry.

Using methods which originated in the nonviolent political struggles of people such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, the therapy supports parents to remain in control and de-escalate the conflict. Parents learn how to increase their parental presence and how to reconcile with their child/ren using specific and structured methods. The approach acknowledges the challenges of parenting violent or controlling children and encourages parents to grow a community of support around them and prioritise self-care. From a position of strength, parents can begin showing their care for their child and can focus on strengthening their relationship.

Art Psychotherapy

“Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art media as its primary mode of expression and communication. Within this context, art is not used as a diagnostic tool but as a medium to address emotional issues which may be confusing and distressing.”

The British Association of Art Therapists, 2018

Play and Creative Arts Therapy

A holistic intervention for 3–16-year-olds, which allows them the space to safely explore their emotional, social, and behavioural needs. Children naturally communicate and creatively express themselves through play and the use of metaphor, which can facilitate them to make sense of a range of emotions whilst processing challenging life events or difficulties that affect their health, well-being and functioning in daily life (and the life of their family).

Within the warm and safe therapeutic space, children build a trusting relationship with their therapist, where they feel ‘held’ as they process in their own time and way, what might be going on for them. They can begin to make sense of big feelings and inner struggles. During this transforming period, they discover new ways of coping resiliently; develop self-regulation strategies; build on their self-esteem; understand themselves as a whole; and manage relationships and conflicts in more positive ways. This enables them to flourish and cope better with their future.

The sessions are based around a toolkit consisting of a wide range of play resources and art media to explore, alongside invitations to engage in more directive activities. The therapist allows the child permission to lead the play to express him or herself, as they need to, without judgement or having to provide a narrative. The therapist sensitively mirrors their play, wonders, and reflects their words, when appropriate, to help them internalise and make sense of their process.

PCAP

PCAP is based on the latest attachment research and is an empowering early intervention for parents/carers with children aged 3-16. It is a play-based approach aimed at improving and strengthening the parent-child relationship and attachment.

The therapist will sensitively work with the parents/carers to model and share the main skills of PCAP through experiential sessions. The parents/carers will learn 3 key skills to support the parent-child relationship. The skills are: Play, Containment and “Head, Heart and Hands.” Once parents/carers feel confident in the skills, they will begin a short weekly “You and Me” activity time at home with their child. The therapist will guide the parents during this process allowing them time to reflect on their experience each week. Over time, these skills can be transferred to other areas of home life and parenting.

The intervention aims to allow the parents to feel confident and flourish in embedding the key skills in their daily family life. It is ideal for parents/carers who are keen to develop existing bonds with their child or parents/carers of children with attachment difficulties.