Therapy offers time to support you in your role as a parent. In a professional and understanding space we work together to understand and build the bond between parent and child.
Therapy can be beneficial for both parent and child to build bonds and aid communication. Therapy provides a holding space for the parent-child relationship to grow. This is a unique time where both parent and child experience each other at a therapeutic level, learning how to be in each other’s presence without disruption.
What does Parent and Child therapy entail?
Congruency
The process involves discussing your thoughts and feelings on parenthood, your child, and the parent-child relationship, and observation of parent and child interacting in a non-judgemental and nurturing environment.
Reflection
When we become a parent often memories and associations are recalled from our own childhood. Our own up-bringing and experiences as a child influence how we ourselves parent. The thoughts and emotions that arise as a parent are an important part of understanding our relationship with our child and in processing feelings and experiences which we had thought had been long forgotten. As part of parent-child therapy, reflection and understanding of the parents’ experience is also incorporated.
Communication
Communication between child and parent, whether verbal or behavioural, is unique to the relationship and essential for both parties to build a healthy relationship. Therapy enables both.
Play
Play can take many forms, it is how a child learns, practises and processes their experiences. A child uses their primary care giver to help them understand their feelings and the world around them. Playing with a child, whether this is in talking, playing with toys, food or in movement, a parents’ interaction with their child builds bonds, generates learning and enriches the child’s experience of the world. Therapy provides the time, space and understanding where play can develop.
Understanding
Parent-child sessions look to understand the child’s emotional and psychological development and with understanding comes empathy, influencing how one approaches challenging moments. A professional space allows the parent and child to decompress in a supportive and nurturing environment. In containing the anxiety and stress of the relationship, therapy provides a facilitating environment in which one can understand and learn from the relationship dynamic.
Benefits
f,Establishes boundaries to the relationship, providing structure and stability in times of stress.
Encourages healthy communication between parent and child.
Encourages the development of the parent-child bond in providing a facilitating environment where parent and child can talk, play and be, with understanding and without judgement.
Enables and develops play between parent and child.
Brings understanding of the child and the parent-child relationship, enabling new approaches to how one relates to their child.
Reflection and evaluation of the relationship dynamic and attachment behaviours of both parent and child and the parent as a child.
Active support of the parent in their role, creating a space for the child in the mind of the parent, especially in times of emotional stress.
Meet Sophie Barrett MSc, BA (Hons), Dip, CertHE
As a Child and Adult Counselling Psychotherapist I have extensive experience working with a variety of issues and presentations in short and long term therapy.
I work integratively as a therapist, combining elements of different types of therapies depending on the client’s needs and to ensure the most effective approach is chosen. I am analytical in my thinking and integrative in my approach. I adapt to the person as they are presented to me in the room and adjust the therapeutic approach depending on the needs of the client to ensure the time offered continues to be safe and effective.
The therapy works at the pace of the client not the therapist, enabling you to be of optimum mind set and open to new understandings and perspectives.
For more information on how I work and the benefits of therapy please email me at Sophie.barrett@lifestudiobysb.com.