Child and Family Therapy

At times, families experience traumatic events such as the death of a spouse or parent, the sexual abuse of a child, or a natural disaster. 

Alternatively, some families experience ongoing, daily stressors or hassles such as parental drug or alcohol misuse, physical or emotional violence or mental health issues which can also impact on a family’s capacity for resilience. 

If the demands on the family outweigh their resources, the family may need specialist assistance to work through their issues and to integrate the experience into the fabric of their lives.

Child and family therapy  provides a structured way of assisting clients to deal with  specific issues in ways that  honour their individuality; their family, community and cultural memberships; acknowledge the depth of their struggles through adversity; and supports the seeking of solutions that lead to resiliency.

Child and Family Therapy programs include:

• Sexual assault counselling for children, available at Brisbane (Logan), Ipswich and Caboolture
• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), available at the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane
• Family Therapy, available at Toowoomba.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is a treatment program for families and children aged 2 to 8 years who are experiencing a broad range of behavioural problems.

PCIT has dual goals of behaviour management and relationship building. It is designed to help parents/carers to develop stronger, more positive relationships with their child and to equip them with the discipline strategies for managing their child’s problematic behaviour more effectively.

PCIT uses direct coaching of the parent/carer via an earpiece and one way mirror to positively influence the parent/carer’s interactions with his or her child and to communicate effective parenting strategies.

Skills taught in PCIT include:

• Specific ways to praise your child’s appropriate play and to ignore their undesirable behaviours
• Ways to provide consistent, appropriate positive and negative consequences following your child's obedience and disobedience that focus on positive reinforcement rather than punitive measures to gain child compliance
• Ways to give clear, age-appropriate instructions
• The PRIDE skills - Praise, Reflection, Imitation, Description, and Enthusiasm

One session per week is conducted until ‘mastery’ (that is, results) is achieved.
          
Parents report high satisfaction with the program - research and practical experience has consistently demonstrated the following outcomes of PCIT:

• Improvements in child disruptive behaviours and non-compliance
• Increased positive interactions at home and lower levels of parental stress
• Parents/carers have more confidence and exhibit increased positive parenting skills
• Children get along with others at home and at school
• Children more often comply with parent, carer and teacher requests
• Families are less distressed and have better communication
• Reduced risk of child abuse

PCIT programs operate in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast and as part of the Family Focussed Support programs in South Burnett, Toowoomba and Logan/Beenleigh.

For more information contact your local office.