Parent/Caregiver Consultations: The Foundation of Healing
For therapy treatment to be effective it’s important that parents/caregivers understand the process of therapy and the value & effectiveness of play therapy.
As play therapists, we are trained to speak a child’s language, so it’s our job to translate what’s arising in our sessions with you. Our partnership is the foundation of where healing can begin in your family.
Creating a safe working alliance with caregivers allows us to learn the knowledge and insight you have on your child’s behaviors outside of the counseling room, helping us to work as a team to meet your child’s unique needs and goals. Your feedback coupled with our learnings in the playroom helps us create a personalized, research-based treatment plan that includes our observations on strengths and areas of growth, progress on goals, and caregiving recommendations.
Caregiver involvement in the therapy process is an important component of systemic and long-lasting positive changes. When children experience their caregivers' involvement and motivation to make changes in their own behavioral patterns, they are often more willing to try new ways of interacting in their different environments.
Some caregivers might feel that bringing their child to therapy suggests that they have failed in their caregiving practices. These feelings of inadequacy or previous ideas of how you might have thought caregiving would be like bring up a vulnerability that might feel uncomfortable at first.
We live in a society where asking for help isn’t always seen as a strength, although it takes tremendous strength to take responsibility for how you are feeling and seek help. Through active involvement in the therapy process, parents or caregivers will feel more in control of themselves, experience smoother communication and cooperation with their child, and bring confidence into the caregiving skills that are effective with their child.
What happens in a parent/caregiver consultation?
Parent/Caregiver consultations take place between the child's therapist and caregiver(s) every 4-6 sessions and last 45-60 minutes.
Our therapists inform caregivers of the child's progress towards their treatment goals within the context of therapy.
Our therapists check in on the child's behaviors outside of the session: What behaviors are new? What has stayed the same? Where is the parent/caregiver seeing progress? Has anything become worse?
Our therapists assess a child's additional needs for support: How can the child be supported at school? How is their physical health? How is their social well-being? Are there additional skilled professionals in the community that would be beneficial to include?
Our therapists assess a caregiver's additional needs for support: How is the caregiver being supported by their family, partner, and friends? How can the therapist support the caregiver's learning through offering readings, workshops, or counseling referrals?
As your child's therapist, we want to make sure you feel supported and prepared to join us in this important work with your child. We want you to know that you are an integral part of your child's healing process. We value how you experience your child and also how your child experiences you. It's helpful for us to understand both sides of the relationship so that we may strive to support you and your family more fully. Click to learn more information on the stages of play therapy, our additional caregiving offerings, and the importance of a connected parent/caregiver-child relationship.
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WRITTEN BY JACLYN SEPP, MA, LPC-S, RPT-S™, NCC, RYT® 200 (SHE/HER/HERS)
Jaclyn believes that all human beings, no matter how small, deserve a place to be accepted for who they are, which drove her to establish Ensemble Therapy in 2015 with the mission to bring high quality therapeutic services to children, teens, and their families in Central Austin. Jaclyn is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S), Registered Play Therapist Supervisor™ (RPT-S™), National Certified Counselor (NCC) and Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT® 200). She received her Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling from Texas State University (CACREP Accredited Program) and her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a Minor in Applied Learning & Development from The University of Texas at Austin.
