Parenting Consultation

Psychologists and social workers regularly consult, provide support, and offer guidance to the parents of the children/adolescents they see in individual therapy.  That said, parenting consultation can also be offered as a standalone treatment.  There is significant evidence in the CBT child therapy outcome literature that parent training is effective in decreasing problematic behaviors in children, and also in increasing parent’s confidence in their own ability to manage their children’s concerns.

Frequent Child/Adolescent Topics for Parenting Consultation

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• Mild to Moderate Anxiety
• Mild to Moderate Depression
• Child/Adolescent Sleep Problems
• Excessive Video Game use
• Puberty and the Transition to Adolescence
• Grief and Loss

Depending on the area or diagnosis, parenting consultation is individualized to each child/parent’s need.  Common components of parenting therapy include:  setting developmentally appropriate expectations, establishing predictable routines, increasing positive attention, parental perspective-taking, psychoeducation about a child/adolescent’s diagnosis or developmental transition, teaching parents how to respond in the moment, behavioral training, and overall increasing parents knowledge and efficacy in how to slow down and respond calmly and effectively to their child or adolescent. This work also includes helping a parent address their own anxieties, concerns, and beliefs about their child or adolescent.  Parenting consultations are offered on both a short and long term basis.  Recommendations for treatment length are made by the therapist based on the initial evaluation and in consultation with the parent(s).