Child Parent Relationship Therapy is a structured intervention where we teach parents to therapeutic play skills to strengthen their relationship with their child. Parents then engage in play sessions with their children at home on a regular basis with supervision and guidance from a skilled play therapist.
Otherwise known as Filial Therapy, it was developed by Bernard and Louise Guerney in the 1960s in USA to empower parents in being therapeutic agents of change for their children. It was recognised that there was limited interventions at that time that directly worked with children, fewer still that worked on strengthening the parent:child relationship.
Skills that are taught include:
- understanding and empathising with their children's feelings and emotions
- responding empathetically and communicating effectively
- setting age appropriate limits for children to provide safe boundaries
- building self esteem
For parents, it is an empowering process that equips them with practical skills that they can use at home to respond to their child's emotions and behaviours, and to enhance their parenting skills. Often parents who attend training concerned about one child end up using their newfound therapeutic skills with all of their children!
Contact today to further discuss whether this intervention would be suited for your child's needs and your family.
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