I came across Ibu Astrid and Theraplay when my daughter was in Kindergarten.
We had a couple of traumatic preschool experiences, and she was exhibiting separation anxiety well into the 2nd half of the school year. She would have to be pulled off me during morning drop-offs, and if she couldn’t see me at home, she would scream and cry hysterically. I have to admit, I entered Theraplay somewhat hesitantly.
I couldn’t understand how these simple activities would help my daughter with her separation anxiety. In 8-12 weeks, we started to see a significant improvement, and while I can’t explain how it worked, I could only exclaim, “Bu, it’s like magic!” I consider the results we saw as the byproducts of “Theraplay Magic.”
Even though I was the adult in the relationship, I, too, benefitted from Theraplay; the abandonment issues I grew up with were unearthed during the sessions and activities. My heart and soul began to heal, and right after our last celebration session, I reconnected with my mother, who I had not seen in 30 years.
While I am still on a journey of restoring and rebuilding my relationship with my daughter, Theraplay was our early intervention. Its magic was two-fold, working on a mother-daughter relationship that crossed two generations.