BONDING PROGRAM @The Play Therapies Centre

Our Baby Bonding program is a playful therapeutic intervention that has been developed to help parents and carers learn relaxing, fun techniques to help them get off to the best possible start with their babies.

The focus is on building a secure attachment bond, which has been proven to be hugely beneficial to a child’s physical, mental, social and emotional development, assisting them in the early years and throughout life.

This program was designed by Debi Maskell-Graham  a Play Therapist and expert in the field of infant mental health. It is based on decades of research into child development which has shown that in addition to love and sensitive caregiving, emotional attunement is essential in helping babies to form secure attachments.

This unique program incorporates all these elements and teaches skills and techniques that help to enhance the infant-carer relationship.

An attachment bond is the emotional relationship between an infant and primary caregiver, and the success of this relationship enables the child to develop fully and optimises the way in which he or she will interact and form relationships throughout life.

A secure bond provides a baby with the best possible foundation for life: a healthy self-awareness, trust, consideration for others and an eagerness to learn. In fact, new research suggests that providing a secure attachment may well be the most important thing you can do for your child.

The Program

What to Expect

Classes are very relaxed and although we are trained therapists with knowledge of relevant theory and years of experience working with parents and children, we are also mother's who understand exactly what those first few months and years are like!

Each group will be made up of 6-8 parents or carers (mums, dads, grandparents and carers welcome) with their babies or young children, meeting once a week for 8 weeks.

Sessions will last 1 hour with time available afterwards to chat to the therapist and the other parents or carers. We run groups for pregnant mums, babies (0-6 months), crawlers (6-12months) and walkers (12 months - 3 years)

During the course you will...

🌻 learn how to understand your baby’s emotional states, thoughts and feelings and how this awareness enhances his attachment

🌻 receive information on infant brain development and ideas on how best to support your baby’s learning

🌻gain knowledge about how babies communicate and how you can support their social interactions

🌻have the opportunity to practice skills which will help to improve bonding, including baby massage techniques

🌻learn methods of regulating your own and your baby’s emotions, particularly in times of stress

🌻 be emotionally supported by other parents as well as a therapist specialising in infant mental health

🌻 have the opportunity to relax as each session finishes with a relaxation exercise and a chance to chat with  other parents over a cup of tea

If you are from an organization and would like to find out more or would like to book us please get in touch with us on ☎️ 028 90 92337