Episode Details

In this week’s episode, Amrit interviews Dafna Lender, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified trainer and supervisor in both Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Theraplay. She specializes in helping children with serious psychological problems caused by histories of abuse, neglect, trauma and/or multiple placements and she focuses on a secure attachment of children with their caregivers while resolving their traumatic history.

She is the training director at The Therapy Institute, the co-author of the book “Theraplay: The Practitioner’s Guide” and co-author of two chapters in the 3rd Edition of the book “Theraplay, Building Better Relationships Through Attachment-Based Play”.

For those who work with kids and want to enhance the connection, trust and joy between a child and a parent interactive, using playful activities and simple face-to-face reciprocal interactions operating with all the senses, including rhythm, movement and touch, please go to: https://amz.run/4Gpu 

Amrit and Dafna have a deep conversation about the power of play and laughter in parenting. A rich conversation about the power that play has to connect and have a harmonious relationship, to find a moment of hope and heal past trauma, and to live in this world as our own true self.

They talk about Dafna’s journey into the profundity of play and her beautiful definition of play.

They converse about what happens to a baby when their caregiver is not responsive or is abusive and how parents can approach a child that is damaged or has been rejected.   

Furthermore they cave into a dialogue around parents expectations and how they can handle them, how just one moment of play and connection can heal an extended period of disconnection, qualities of a parent that can help a disconnected child, what is the symptomatic of a healthy functioning relationship, the importance of repair and reconnecting, and how to deal with discipline.

In this chapter of Inspired Evolution you will discover why we tend to play less as we get older, what attachment means to Dafna, which is the most formative period of a child, whether to embody or not the values of pace in babies, and advice to those who are parents for the first time. 

You will learn to play with your child in a way that establishes felt safety, increases social engagement, expands arousal regulation, and supports the development of positive self-esteem for both your child and yourself.

You also will have access to different fun and caring parent/child games and activities that build attunement and understanding of each other, replicating early relationship experiences that are proven to lead to secure attachment.

You will find ways to help your child discover his/her true self and ways to approach,  connect and start healing your child's past trauma. 

You will learn how to be responsive and create a safe and secure attachment for your baby, how to repair, reconnect and restore the relationship with your child, and in moments of trouble and disagreements, you will discover the best way to accompany your child in a receptive way.

“It is never too late to restore the relationship with your child”

“To see your parents laughing and enjoying you, is like a lightning ball of energy”

About Dafna Lender:

Dafna Lender is a trainer, supervisor and consultant in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Theraplay. She is the training director at The Therapy Institute , the co-author of the book “Theraplay: The Practitioner’s Guide” and co-author of two chapters in the 3rd Edition of the book “Theraplay, Building Better Relationships Through Attachment-Based Play”

She earned a Bachelor degree in Political Science from University of Illinois a