Play Therapy

PLAY THERAPY – Since 1954, Tri Sigma has funded over $2,000,000 in play therapy/child life programs. In 2011, the Foundation granted over $15,000 each to major play therapy/child life programs at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina for fellowships. Supporting major teaching hospitals where therapists are trained to make an impact in the field has been a priority of Tri Sigma since 1954.  
                                    
Ask anyone on C10, the Hematology-Oncology floor at Children’s Hospital in Dallas, TX, and they’ll tell you that Jayla Cooper is a social butterfly. She loves to visit with patients, doctors and nurses. 
 
When she was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, Jayla fell into a depression and wouldn’t leave her room. Neither the nurses, child life specialists nor her parents could coax her out of bed.
 
Then Jayla met Lisa Jones, one of three music therapists at Children’s. Shortly after Jayla’s diagnosis, Lisa, who works with oncology and trauma patients, recorded a CD of Jayla singing songs such as “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
 
“When Jayla makes CDs and hears herself singing, that just gives her confidence and makes her stronger to fight the cancer,” said her mother, Lisa Cooper.
 
Tri Sigma’s support of Children’s play therapy generates stories like Jayla’s every day.

Play Therapy is...A technique in the treatment of children in which the child's play is a medium for expression and communication between patient and therapist. The therapist uses play to help the young patient relieve stress, understand illness, communicate fears, undergo treatment. Hospital situations using play therapy range from helping a child learn to swallow medicine to helping her learn to live with her illness and prognosis.

For more information on Play Therapy see Local Grants.