'The propensity to  make strong emotional bonds to particular individuals  [is] a basic component of human nature' ​(John Bowlby)

What is Heart to Heart?

Heart to Heart is a therapeutic play-based attachment intervention for children and parent/carers to attend together over 6-8 sessions. Heart to Heart can be delivered in small groups or with individual adult-child dyads. Heart to Heart draws upon the latest neuroscience and attachment research to strengthen attachment security between children and parent/carers through enjoyable, low-key collaborative games, creative activities and psychoeducational content.

Heart to Heart is a gentle, playful approach which focuses on the quality of the parent/carer-child relationship. Parent/carers learn and practice reflective functioning skills (the capacity of humans to make sense of one another), using play as children's natural means of communication and connecting, whilst the Heart to Heart Practitioner ensures emotional containment and regulation for parent/carers and children.

Who is Heart to Heart for?

Heart to Heart is suitable for parent/carers to attend with children aged 3-11 years. Heart to Heart can be delivered to small groups, or with individual parent/carer-child dyads. Heart to Heart can benefit any parent/carer-child relationship and can act as a preventive measure as well as helping parent/carers who are struggling with their child due to difficult relationships or challenging life experiences. Heart to Heart is also recognised by the Adoption Support Fund under 'Therapeutic Parenting' and Time for You Therapist Claire, is an approved provider of Adoption Therapies for Dorset's Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) Aspire Adoption.

Heart to Heart can also be adapted for parent/carers in pregnancy (28 weeks onwards), for those with babies and toddlers, or tweens and teens.

Do you know a parent/carer who...

  • had difficult or traumatic experiences of being                   parented themselves, and wants to do things                     differently with their own child
  • is struggling to bond with their child
  • wants to learn more about understanding and                   communicating with their child
  • wants to learn more about their child's stage of                 development
  • wants to strengthen their relationship with their               child
  • is a foster carer or special guardian (SGO)
  • is an adoptive parent (minimum 6 months ago)
  • is caring for a child/young person who has                           experienced unpredictable care-giving or trauma
  • wants to have fun and spend more time with their           child

Time for You to Contact Us - call, email or complete the online form for more information