A piece of advice that I always make sure to give my clients with young children is that family therapy is not a substitute for daycare. By that, I mean that parents cannot expect to drop off their children at therapy and have all their problems solved. It is almost never that simple. I’ve found that this expectation can arise from parents’ assumption that their child (or children) is the only member of the family that therapy can help, so it can be quite a shock for some to hear that I require equal involvement from the parent(s) in order to manifest any meaningful change in the home environment.
Children are just one piece of an intricate dynamic of relationships within a family household. As a parent, you hold the most power within these systems and so your involvement is the most critical. Parents should attend sessions whenever possible with their child (or children) so that we can keep track of you and your family’s goals. But fear not. As your therapist my duty is to instill the knowledge and wisdom I’ve gained to help you overcome the obstacles that are getting in your family’s way.
By attending therapy with their children, parents send the message that their family is working as a team. Children require love and support above all else to initiate meaningful change, so seeing their parents’ involvement instills a feeling of hope, trust, and care. These characteristics help cultivate a stronger parent-child bond that, with time and effort, will build resiliency for all family members. So to the parents reading this – buckle up, grab your child’s hand, and let’s start the exciting journey of therapy to help reach your goals – together.