Unlocking Parental Resistance: 6 Reasons and Strategies for Overcoming

Feb 13, 2024

In today’s episode, we delve into the topic of engaging resistant parents, a common frustration among child-centered play therapists. From discussions in the Six Figure Play Therapist Coaching and the CCPT Collective that I host, it’s clear that many therapists face the dilemma of parents who express resistance in various forms, such as threatening to withdraw their child from therapy or limiting session attendance. As child-centered play therapists, we find ourselves in a unique situation where we must navigate relationships with both the child, our client, and their parents, who are crucial to the therapeutic process. I share my insights into the top six reasons behind parental resistance and offer strategies to address these challenges effectively.

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References:

Cochran, N., Nordling, W., & Cochran, J. (2010). Child-Centered Play Therapy (1st ed.). Wiley.
VanFleet, R., Sywulak, A. E., & Sniscak, C. C. (2010). Child-centered play therapy. Guilford Press.
Landreth, G. L. (2002). Play therapy: The art of the relationship (2nd ed.). Brunner-Routledge.
Bratton, S. C., Landreth, G. L., Kellam, T., & Blackard, S. R. (2006). Child parent relationship therapy (CPRT) treatment manual: A 10-session filial therapy model for training parents. Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
Benedict, Helen. Themes in Play Therapy. Used with permission to Heartland Play Therapy Institute.

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