FILIAL THERAPY
Strengthening Parent-Child Relationships Through Play
Second Edition
A Practitioner's Resource Series book

BACKGROUND

Principles Underlying Filial Therapy
Core Values of Filial Therapy
Goals of Filial Therapy

FILIAL THERAPY RESEARCH

CHILD-CENTERED PLAY SESSIONS

Principles of Child-Centered Play Therapy
Selection of Toys

CHILD AND FAMILY ASSESSMENT FOR FILIAL THERAPY

Appropriate Uses of Filial Therapy
The Assessment Process
The Recommendation for Filial Therapy
Case Study: The Taylors

PARENT TRAINING PHASE OF FILIAL THERAPY

The Basic Skills of Filial Therapy

• Structuring Skill Entering the Playroom / Bathroom Breaks / Playroom Departure
• Empathic Listening
• Child-Centered Imaginary Play
• Limit-Setting Skill Stating the Limit / Giving a Warning / Enforcing the Consequence

The Filial Therapy Training Process

• Play Session Demonstration
• Initial Parent Training
• Mock Play Sessions

Common Problems in the Training Phase
Case Study

PARENTS' INITIAL PLAY SESSIONS

Preparing Parents
Supervising Initial Play Sessions
Common Problems During Initial Play Sessions
Case Study

CONTINUING PLAY SESSIONS UNDER DIRECT SUPERVISION

Thematic Play
Dealing With Dynamic Issues

• Children's Issues
• Parents' Issues

Common Problems During Later Supervised Play Sessions
Case Study

THE TRANSFER OF PLAY SESSIONS TO THE HOME SETTING

Acquisition of Toys
Location for Play Sessions in the Home
Schedule of Play Sessions
Handling Interruptions
Commitment
Changes in Children's Play

HOME PLAY SESSIONS AND GENERALIZATION OF SKILLS

Therapist Supervision of Home Play Sessions
Generalization of Play Session Skills
Additional Parenting Skills
Common Problems During Home Play Sessions

• Problems Implementing Home Play Sessions
• Therapeutic Issues

Case Study

THE CLOSING PHASE OF FILIAL THERAPY

How Discharge Is Determined
The Discharge Process
Case Study

ALTERNATIVE FORMATS FOR FILIAL THERAPY

Format for Filial Therapy With Individual Families
Filial Therapy Groups: The Original L. F. and B. G. Guerney Model
Filial Therapy as a Home-Based Intervention
Use of Filial Therapy With Other Interventions
Filial Therapy as a Prevention Program
Very Brief Formats for Filial Therapy

APPLICATIONS OF FILIAL THERAPY TO SPECIALIZED POPULATIONS

Children of Divorce
Children With School Problems
Depressed Children
Adoptive and Foster Children
Children With Chronic Illnesses
Anxious and Perfectionistic Children
Children With Elimination Problems
Children of Addicted or Recovering Parents
Children With Attention Deficit Problems
Abused and Neglected Children
Children With Attachment Disruptions and Disorders
Children Exposed to Domestic Violence
Children With Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Military Families
Children of First Responders
Families Experiencing Traumatic Events

MULTICULTURAL APPLICABILITY OF FILIAL THERAPY

SUMMARY

REFERENCES