PARENT-CHILD INTERACTION THERAPY (PCIT)
Overwhelmed by your child's tantrums?
Tired of getting messages from your child's school/daycare about your child's behaviors?
Avoid taking your child in public places because of his/her behavior?
Frustrated that your child doesn't listen to you?
Concerned about your child's aggressive or destructive (e.g., breaking things on purpose) behaviors?
Love your child but feel like you don't always like being around him/her because of these challenging behaviors?
If you answered "YES" to any of these, then PCIT might be the right therapy for your family.
PCIT is an evidence-based therapy for young children (ages 2-6) with challenging or disruptive behavior problems. PCIT is a unique therapy because it involves live observation and "coaching." In PCIT, you and your child are in a playroom while I observe from a separate room. I use a "bug-in-the-ear" device to "coach" you to use PCIT skills to improve your child's behaviors.
PCIT has two phases of treatment. The first phase focuses on positive skills to help strengthen the parent-child relationship. These skills will help your child calm down and feel secure in his/her relationship with you, but the skills will also help you enjoy being around your child and will help strengthen your already positive relationship with your child.
The second phase of PCIT focuses on teaching you skills to manage challenging behaviors. These skills allow you to remain calm, confident, and consistent as you use proven methods to improve your child's compliance, acceptance of house rules, public behavior, and other challenging behaviors.
When families attend sessions consistently (e.g., every week) and regularly practice "homework" between sessions, treatment typically lasts 16 to 20 sessions. PCIT is not time-limited, however, and sessions continue until caregivers become proficient with the skills, their child's behavior has improved, and they feel confident in managing their child's behaviors.
I have been practicing PCIT for over 10 years and I love working with families in this therapy. I am a certified PCIT therapist and within agency trainer by PCIT International.
Please contact me below if you would like to learn more about my practice and whether PCIT is right for your family.
For more information about PCIT, including educational videos, please click on the PCIT International link below.