Parents often wonder what their role is after putting their child in therapy. They do not want to overstep or interfere with their child’s therapy. Research has proven that parent involvement in their child’s therapy increases positive outcomes for the child.

What is Parent Involvement in your Child’s Therapy?

Parent involvement is having a positive relationship with your child’s therapist. The parent can meet with the provider and touch base between appointments such as with a phone call or take the opportunity to join their child in sessions. This allows parents to share their perspectives about any progress they have seen or new concerns that have arisen.

How is Being Involved Useful for My Child’s Therapy?

• The parent helps their child continue treatment outside the therapy setting. The parent sees their child daily, while the therapist only sees the child for a short period of time. The child’s therapist can teach the parent skills that the child is working on in session. The parent now has an essential role in making sure the skills are translated out of the therapeutic setting.
• The child can view their parent as a support. The child can realize that they have a whole team that supports them, not just their therapist. A supportive parent can also increase an attachment or positive relationship with the child.
• The child and parent can also address any relationship issues they may uncover. The parent may notice an increased understanding of their child’s difficulties and behaviors.

What Child Therapies Can I Be Involved In?

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This therapy is used for addressing anxiety and/or depression if the child is working on that. The parent can be asked to learn CBT skills and help guide their child to practice those skills at home.
• Play Therapy: This therapy utilizes toys, dolls, drawing, and other skills for a therapeutic intervention. Which can help the child identify and express emotions and experiences without using talk therapy. This therapy is facilitated more for younger children. The parent involvement would be touching base with the therapist to set goals and provide consultation. The parents do not participate in these sessions.
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): This therapy is used for addressing older adolescents who are experiencing suicidal thoughts or self-harm. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy can help teach your child coping skills and strategies when experiencing overwhelming emotions. The therapist will teach the parent those skills to help practice them with their child and strengthen their relationship. The therapist will reach out to the parent and ask how the client is doing at home and school.
• Family Therapy: If the therapist thinks that family therapy will benefit the client, they may recommend family therapy. Some examples of things addressed in family therapy include the birth of a sibling or family dynamics in the home.

Did You Know That Parents Are Already Involved In Their Child’s Therapy By:

• Consent: minors can’t consent to their own mental health services. A parent is legally obligated to be involved with their child’s therapy.
• Intake appointment: The parent attends the intake to learn more about concerns for their child and any other behaviors that are present. The parent is the expert of the child. The parent is also involved with taking part in creating goals for their child with the therapist.
• Weekly Sessions: The parent may not be involved in the session weekly, but the therapist lets the parent know before or after the session about progress or skills to work on.
• Separate Collateral Sessions: A parent may be asked by the therapist to have a session without their child, in person or virtually. The sessions are more of a touch base for the therapist to discuss with the parent the client’s progress in therapy and may include teaching the parent more skills to help their child’s progress.

Source:

Parent Involvement in Child Therapy: Dos and Don’ts | Psych Central