5 Point Plan for Parents with Children in Therapy

First of all – congratulations for being a proactive parent and seeking extra support for your child! We know how challenging the journey can be. As a heads-up from us, these are the things you’ll want to know when your child engages in therapy. 

1.    Your child is the client, not you

Ok there’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to come out with it. I know, I hear you, you’re the one paying for sessions. But here’s the thing. Unless your child trusts us and feels comfortable and safe talking to us, we’re not going to get anywhere. 

2.    You’re on a need-to-know basis

(At least initially). You will always be informed if there is any risk to your child or anyone else. 

3.    We want you involved

Let’s face it, we might be with your child for one hour a week for a while, but you’re doing the long hours day in, day out. We want you trained as the therapist at home. Involvement can take different forms, depending on what works for you and your child. 

4.    Change doesn’t happen overnight

Think about how long it has taken to train your partner (or is that still a work in progress?). Behaviour is complex and takes time and practice to change. 

5.    You can’t fix this for your child

Now this is the hard bit. Take a breath and hold yourself gently. You can’t take away their pain. Sometimes the most you can do is be with your child in their distress, tell them you love them, and listen to them. That’s tough to accept. But think of it this way – pain is an inevitable part of life. This is an opportunity for your child to develop the resilience to manage difficulty, increasing their capacity to cope.

You’re the expert in your child, we have expertise in the skills that can take them towards wellness. Together, we can form a powerful team.