Filial and CPRT Therapy

Filial therapy is a closely related form of child-centred play therapy that involves the parents or carers directly as the agents of therapeutic change. One of the most important factors is that the parent focuses exclusively on the child without interruption for 30 minutes, the child gets to lead the play, not the parent , and the parent puts the child’s feelings, thoughts and even actions into words, without questioning, instructing or praising! Most parents find this very strange at first. The important thing is that the parent learns a simple method to set limits on the child’s behaviour. Parents practice these skills in mock play sessions during training with the therapist. Filial therapy can help parents and children to form closer and happier relationships. Elements of filial therapy are included in the Individual child play therapy sessions and reviews

Filial therapy can help children to express their feelings and fears through the natural activity of play. Over time, children may:

• Understand their own feelings better
• Become able to express their feelings more appropriately
• Be more able to tell parents what they need, what is worrying them
• Become more confident and skilled in solving problems as well as asking for help when they need it
• Reduce their problem behaviours
• Feel more secure and trust their parents more
• Have a more healthy self esteem and increase their self-confidence.

Filial therapy can help parents to :

• Understand their child’s worries and other feelings more fully
• Learn new skills for encouraging co-operation from their children
• Enjoy playing with their children and giving them positive attention
• Increase their listening skills and develop open communication with their children
• Develop self confidence as parents
• Become more able to trust their children
• Deal in new ways with frustrations in family life

Child parent relationship training 10 week program

This follows a set 10 week program suitable for all ages to enhance what parents already know using outcome measures, parent handouts, and worksheets The parent comes to the therapist to learn new techniques and ways of empowering the family. Each week a small target will be set and feedback will be given to strengthen the child parent relationship and form a lasting bond. Examples of skills learnt and practiced:

• Teach Parent listening skills
• Teach Parent responding skills
• Teach parent ACT limit setting
• Select appropriate toys for CPRT play sessions
• Structure CPRT parent child play /sessions
• Identify supportive elements that enhance the relationship and rectify difficult elements that inhibit the relationship.
• Special time play sessions.