Parent-Child Interaction Therapy on Long Island
“Behind every young child who believes in himself is a parent who believed first.”
–Matthew Jacobson
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
For children and their caregivers who have experienced trauma or are having challenges with overcoming behaviors or habits in the home. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy is the evidence-based answer to the questions parents, caregivers, and guardians have been looking for to help their children.
Finding positive growth for a brighter future
By helping parents to learn new skills and techniques, children are given a more stable foundation for monitoring their own behavior and relationships. PCIT is designed to support children who may experience difficulty with their feelings, behaviors, and attachments.
PCIT is a type of treatment but it’s also a gift. PCIT focuses on improving the parent-child relationship by giving parents the skills to encourage the positive behaviors their children need to learn while extinguishing dangerous or negative behaviors. Through interaction supported by a trained therapist, you’ll find new ways to connect with your child and break old habits and patterns of behavior.
Benefits of PCIT
Support positive behavioral interactions
Regulate emotional responses in children
More consistency in parenting style and responses
Gain tools for celebrations and challenges
Lower stress levels for everyone
Everyone will see success
Reduce the risk of harm or recurrence of abuse
THE RESEARCH BEHIND PARENT CHILD INTERACTION THERAPY
Stronger relationships through Intention
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy works through responsive and in-the-moment solutions to support effective relationships. You will work with a therapist for as long as you need to extinguish dangerous or undesired behaviors (in both parent and child) to create harmony in the home. The skills you learn in PCIT will facilitate a more stable and positive environment for children with acting out behaviors or those that have experienced abuse.
Certified as a trauma-informed intervention, PCIT is developed from an evidence base that spans many types of families and children. A body of research spanning globally through the experiences of hundreds of families has universally found that PCIT improves outcomes for individuals, and relationship satisfaction and increases the positive growth of behavior for children.
Invite PRIDE into your relationship!
The acronym PRIDE is an excellent resource for understanding the focus area of how we’ll work together to facilitate positive and effective interactions to support your child’s growth.
Praise specifically related to what your child is doing at that moment.
Reflect (verbally) on what your child says or does to show you’re listening.
Imitation is a great way to show approval and encourage children to participate in groups.
Describe what you do or see to give your child the vocabulary to do the same.
Enthusiasm for what your child is doing and the chance to be together.
These communication skills are the basis for time spent together during PCIT. A child who feels heard and connected to their caregiver is more likely to reach for healthy connections later in life. Building these satisfying and necessary foundational relationships is the necessary first step of PCIT that must occur to facilitate the compliance we are trying to encourage. Through these genuine and guided interactions, children and parents can benefit from consistent and positive regard for one another during play.
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve got questions, and we’ve got answers. Some of our most-asked questions are below but if there’s something else on your mind, we love to chat. Feel free to reach out and let us help you apply a laser focus to your wellness dreams.
How long does it take?
Based on play therapy that’s bridged with the support and facilitation of an expert in communicating, sessions will be responsive to the needs of the child.
Each session will be up to 55 minutes long with varying tasks or transitions used as required to best support the learning and growth goals of the families we are supporting.
Who benefits most from PCIT?
All parent-child relationships can benefit from learning how to communicate effectively, but PCIT is ideal for children with a diagnosis of ADHD, autism, or mood disorders that disrupt their ability to respond to their emotions effectively.
For children who have been a victim of abuse or experienced violence in the home, PCIT is a proven way to reduce the risk of repeated harm while helping children and their parents to heal from the traumas they’ve been through. Live hands-on support will be available to ensure everyone feels safe and confident at every step of the process.
How many sessions will I need?
Good news! PCIT is a short-term therapy with a heavy focus on sustainable solutions that will stay with you even after treatment has concluded.
While there is a time commitment of 2-12 months depending on the family, you will not always require the assistance of your therapist to use the tools you gain in PCIT.
How is this different from other therapy?
Instead of focusing on change-talk or solving future problems, PCIT brings the focus to the here and now. What you learn will happen in an organic way with the support of a therapist on hand to facilitate those lessons in an active way. You will have in-session practice for skills you can take with you with confidence from the coaching you’ve received.
Parents have homework and skills to master in order to support their children, and unlike other therapies, no one will ask you to prove anything until you’re good and ready.