As a parent seeking child therapy services, sometimes you can be so close to the situation, it's hard to see clearly.
Our job as therapists is to see with new eyes and bring in insights about development, temperament, social and family dynamics.
You are the expert when it comes to your child, so you are very important to the success of your child's therapy.
The first couple of weeks in therapy are focused on getting a clear picture of concerns, strengths and history. This process may include meeting with parents separately, child separately and parents/child(ren) together.
Once a picture is starting to form, your therapist will meet with you to discuss observations and devise a plan with you about how to move forward.
Your therapist may use the art and play with your child to understand what's occurring in their world, as long as these are modalities that are helpful to your child. Usually, this is a little more engaging for your child than sitting on a couch answering 20 questions!
**It is our practice to involve you regularly in your child's treatment. If your child is older than 5, this may include scheduling a parent check in session every 4-6 weeks outside of your child's session or checking in with you for a short time during your child's session, depending on what your therapist determines is indicated.
*If your child is 5 years old or younger, it is required that you are a part of each session. There may be times when your therapist works with your child on their own, but it is important that you are in the waiting room as that happens so you are available to support your child or return to the session as the therapeutic work occurs.*
The purpose of parent check-ins are to provide an opportunity to:
- share skills your child in learning in session so you can practice at home
- allow the therapist to share observations or progress in treatment
- you can share your observations of what is helping/not helping or any new concerns that come to light
- allow the therapist to answer any questions you might have about how to support your child successfully reach treatment goals