filial THERAPY
A Relationship Based, Emotion Focused, and Skill Training Approach
“Filial therapy is a unique approach to therapy that emphasizes the parent-child relationships as a means of alleviating child and/or family difficulties and is used to strengthen the parent-child relationships in order to prevent problems. ”
— Vanfleet, 2022
what is filial therapy?
Filial Therapy engages parents as partners in the process of strengthening their own families to benefit the children, the parents and the family as a whole.
Parenting is one of the hardest 'jobs' out there. Filial Therapy is designed to help you find and build on the strengths that you already have so that you can feel even more confident and connected as a parent.
how can it help?
Overall, Filial Therapy is designed to:
Reduce or eliminate any existing problems
Help the family prevent future problems
Strengthen the parent-child attachment and relationships within the family
Improve the family's communication abilities
Improve the family's coping abilities
Develop more flexibility within the family
Increase the family's ability to have fun together
Provide the family with tools and ideas to use in the future
(VanFleet, 2022)
“Filial Therapy was developed in the early 1960's by Drs. Bernard and Louise Guerney, since that time extensive research has found it to be an extremely effective intervention to help children and strengthen families.”
Why use play?
Why use play?
To some, using play as a therapeutic family intervention may seem trivial to others maybe a little bizarre. As adults, when we encounter problems we tend to think about them, talk about them, assess them, view them from different angles and consider different options. Oftentimes, we will also talk them through with someone we trust or feel safe with.
Young children do this too, but with toys and play instead of words.
Play is the therapy, as it is the primary way that children:
Learn about their world and understand how things work
Express themselves and develop new physical skills
Develop new mental skills, social skills and bonds
Benefits of Filial Therapy
Benefits for the parents
Develop an increased understanding of their child's development
Develop an increased understanding of their child's feelings and motivations
Learn about the importance of play and emotion in overall adjustment
Learn additional childrearing skills and ideas to bring positive results
Open up their communication with their children
Develop their self confidence as parents
Increase their feelings of warmth and trust toward their children
Benefits for the child(ren)
Develop an understanding of their own and other's feelings
Express their feelings in appropriate ways to meet their needs better
Develop their problem solving skills
Reduce their problematic behaviours
Work through their conflicts and dilemmas to improve their adjustment
Make better choices and take responsibility for them
Increase their trust in their parents
Increase their self confidence and self esteem
What TO EXPECT?
The therapist will gather as much relevant information as possible to understand the family dynamics and ensure filial therapy will be a good fit
1. intake
2. assessment
The therapist will use this time to sit beside and get to know the family through play observations and discussion
3. demonstration
The therapist will conduct a therapeutic play session with each child whilst the parents observe and jot down any observations for later discussion
4. skills training
The therapist will teach the parents four main therapeutic skills that will be learnt and practiced in the next phase of therapy to use with theirchildren
5. supervised practice sessions:
The parents will carry out therapeutic play sessions with their child(ren) which will be observed and supervised by the play therapist. The therapist will make some notes which will be provided to the family and there will then be a chance for a debrief
6. planning to finish
The therapist will meet with the parents to discuss and reflect on the intervention and consider how the skills may have generalised into every day life.
