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• Share important
information with the therapist after your child’s session. Only share
information with the therapist before the session if it will directly affect
your child’s therapy for that day. Also, telling your child to “be sure to tell
your therapist” about an issue puts pressure on the child and may seem like
punishment.
• Children are allowed
more freedom in therapy than they are at home. This is okay. There is no such
thing as “bad” behavior in therapy. Children quickly learn that there are
different rules in different places.
• Remember: sometimes
the child’s behavior gets worse before it gets better. This is normal in therapy
and is a sign of progress.
• Therapy is
successful mainly because the child learns to trust the therapist never to
reveal what is said and done in therapy. However, the child knows that the
therapist will meet with the caregiver to discuss progress and general issues.
Confidence is necessary to give the child freedom of self-expression which is
essential for therapy to be effective.
• A therapist’s goal
is not to find out what happened to your child. It is to facilitate the child’s
healing, resolution of trauma, and help them learn to express their feelings.
• Children work very
hard in therapy. Please try to avoid asking your child questions about the
session unless they volunteer information. Things NOT to say…”Did you have fun?”
“Did you like it?” Things you CAN say… “I bet you are tired. You have been
working hard for an hour.” |
