Therapy is a powerful tool that helps children and adolescents navigate the complexities of growing up. However, it’s not a standalone solution as parents and caregivers play an important role in supporting the child’s growth and development. That’s why meeting with parents/caregivers is an essential step in the therapy process and can lead to better outcomes for the child or adolescent.
Benefits of Collaboration:
Promotes Shared Goals and Understanding
Collaboration between the therapist and parents involves openly talking about the child’s treatment goals, the progress made towards these goals, and any difficulties encountered. This process helps parents appreciate their role in the treatment process and reinforces the importance of their support to help the child succeed. Additionally, parents will gain a clearer understanding of their child’s behaviors, struggles, and mental health concerns.
Encourages Open Communication
Therapist-parent meetings offer an opportunity for open and honest communication between all parties. It’s crucial to share all relevant information with the parents, such as updates on the child's treatment, any new concerns that have arisen, and an assessment of whether or not your approach is helping the child or adolescent meet their goals. Furthermore, parents can provide valuable insights about what works best for their child and their family life and express any concerns or difficulties they may be facing.
Helps Address Challenges
Undoubtedly, some difficult obstacles may surface in the therapy process. The collaboration between the therapist and parents provides a platform to discuss these challenging issues and find workable solutions. These solutions, once put into effect, will have a positive impact on the child's progress. If emotional, behavioral, or family problems arise, combining perspectives and insights is usually more productive than working in isolation.
Builds Trust and Strong Relationships
Working collaboratively builds trust and positive relationships between the therapist, the parent, and the child/adolescent. Establishing relationships of trust provides a solid foundation that promotes cooperation toward common goals. Additionally, parents feel more invested in their child's mental health when they sense that the therapist understands their concerns, and the child feels more comfortable opening up to the therapist, knowing that their parents are supportive of them.
Improved Outcomes for the Child
Bringing together the therapist and parents in a meeting can result in improved outcomes for the child. The collaboration enables the therapist to understand the family’s values, beliefs, and preferences and ultimately to design a more effective treatment plan. Furthermore, ongoing therapy is more likely to be successful if the therapist and the parents work together to promote consistency in the child's care.
As a therapist, creating opportunities for collaboration and open communication with parents at all stages of therapy can unlock new solutions to persistent problems. Ultimately, this collaboration works to support the growth and development of the child during a challenging time, which is the ultimate goal of therapy. Download the free checklist to help make your meetings successful!