How do you as a therapist manage relationships with parents? It's not easy for a parent to bring their child to therapy, and it's our job to try to put parents at ease. Bringing your child to therapy involves acknowledging that they need some kind of support or assistance, and that they would benefit from the input of an adult outside of the family. This can be difficult, and it's a big step for parents to do this. It's useful to remember that just as we as therapists might feel scrutinised, parents might feel the same! I found it helpful to hear Cheryl's experiences as an occupational therapist, as she reflects on how just giving the parent a home programme without the parent actually seeing how this is implemented in the room is not as helpful as finding a way to bring the parent into the therapy. My experience as a psychologist is that is is really useful for parents to learn how to talk to their children about feelings, and to observe how the therapist engages the child's emotional world. Even though the therapist may feel a bit 'watched', it's a good way of allowing things to get messy and real, and to collaborate with the parents and help them experience you as a non-threatening figure who is in fact an ally in thinking about their child. If you're interested in Cheryl's fascinating overview of the DIR:Floortime model, including how to gauge where a child is at emotionally and how to intervene accordingly, please see here for more information about this CPD-accredited talk.
CalabashArticlesPartnersContributorsSpeakersTalksSign upSign inProfileMedical ProfessionalsDieticiansSpeech TherapistsManaging Parent CounsellingUnderstanding sensory processing disorderPoints of Consideration for Post-Graduates Seeking EmploymentBipolar Mood DisorderCOVID-19Jungian AnalysisSensory & Emotional Regulation 3: Sleep & ArousalCBT with Children and Adolescents: Generalized Anxiety DisorderUse of low-tech tools and devices in Hand Therapy: The Wrist and ForearmHow It WorksFrequently Asked QuestionsUploading an ArticleCalabashArticlesPartnersContributorsSpeakersTalksSign upSign inProfileSpeech TherapistsMedical ProfessionalsOccupational TherapistsGoogle Ads for Health Care ProfessionalsThinking about BullyingMedication for AnxietyApraxiaUnited KingdomGenderThinking about Race in the Therapeutic EncounterCognitive Behavioural Therapy for Anxiety: Clinical Understanding and TechniquesAn Introduction to Infant Mental Health for Psychologists, Therapists and Health ProfessionalsUploading an ArticleHow It WorksTerms of UseCalabashArticlesPartnersContributorsSpeakersTalksSign upSign inProfileDieticiansPsychologistsOccupational TherapistsCBT: Band-Aid Solution or Sufferer's Balm?Using a Process to Drive Language DevelopmentShape Shifters and the Vascular LabyrinthUnited StatesNew ZealandCoachingConfidentiality in SchoolsBuilding Brains: The cortex and cerebellumPreparing Clinical, Counselling and Educational Psychologists for the Board ExamHow It WorksFrequently Asked QuestionsAbout ContributorsCalabashArticlesPartnersContributorsSpeakersTalksSign upSign inProfileDieticiansAudiologistsSpeech TherapistsGoing Deeper Than Diets: Rethinking Relationships with Food and WeightTips for New Therapists by Shanna LouwrensIs Psychotherapy a Spiritual Endeavor?Human RightsNeuropsychologyNote TakingPhobia: Putting Exposure into PracticeAssessment & Treatment for sensory modulation difficulties in children with Cerebral PalsyAn Overview of Sex TherapyPrivacy PolicyHow It WorksUploading a TalkCalabashArticlesPartnersContributorsSpeakersTalksSign upSign inProfilePsychologistsSpeech TherapistsOccupational TherapistsApps, Language & Learning: What you need to knowTips for New Therapists by Dr. Anusha LachmanCOVID-19 and StigmaUnited StatesUnited StatesVona du Toit Model of Creative Ability: Theory and BackgroundPerspectives on the Oedipus Complex: Freud, Klein & LacanNeurodevelopmental Disorders are plural: Exploring co-occurring difficultiesAbout PartnersAbout CalabashUploading an ArticleCalabashArticlesPartnersContributorsSpeakersTalksSign upSign inProfileAudiologistsPsychiatristsRegistered CounsellorsHelpful Lifestyle Changes for Patients with TinnitusMaking Peace with FoodWhen things seem to be falling apart, just go to the bathroom: Insights and Tools from sports and performance psychologyDizzinessGeneticsInsomnia: Causes, Features and ManagementThe Frontal Lobes: Anatomy, Function & DysfunctionExtreme/Pathological Demand Avoidance: Theory and UnderstandingAbout ContributorsUploading an ArticleAbout Partners gearbox repairs, Johannesburg Makeup Artist, Johannesburg Psychologist, Sydney