When parents begin therapy for their child, it’s normal to be curious about what role they should play in the process. One of the most important things to understand is that therapy isn’t something that only happens during a weekly session.
In reality, therapists typically spend about one hour each week with a child. The greatest places for growth happen outside of sessions.
That’s why parents and caregivers are essential members of the therapy team.
How You Can Reinforce Therapy at Home
Children learn best through repetition and consistency. The skills practiced in therapy become stronger when they’re encouraged in everyday situations.
Some simple but powerful ways to support your child include:
- Model healthy coping skills by demonstrating how you manage stress or frustration.
- Gently remind your child to practice techniques they’ve learned in therapy.
- Praise effort rather than perfection when they use new coping or communication skills.
- Create opportunities to practice emotional regulation during everyday routines.
These small changes and habits often make a significant difference over time.
Building a Strong Partnership With Your Child’s Therapist
Open communication between parents and therapists helps with coordinating the best route to achieve the same goals for the child.
As parents, can be helpful to share observations such as:
- Positive changes you’ve noticed
- Ongoing challenges at home or school
- Questions about how to support specific behaviors
- New stressors or major life changes
While therapists will not share every detail about sessions, many therapists do offer consultation calls with parents to discuss progress without the child being present. These meetings can be valuable to learn strategies that reinforce the work happening in therapy.
What to Avoid
Parents naturally want to know what happens during therapy, but asking for every detail can unintentionally make children feel like therapy isn’t truly their safe space. Open-ended questions about how therapy is going can encourage discussion without putting pressure on your child to disclose everything.
It’s also important not to frame therapy as a punishment. Statements like, “You need therapy because you keep acting out,” saying this can increase shame or resistance. Instead, help your child see therapy as a place where they can learn, grow, and receive support.
Preparing Your Child for Their First Appointment
If your child feels nervous before their first session, that’s completely normal as most adults and children feel nervous about their first therapy session.
For children, it can be helpful to explain how in therapy they may do some fun activities or games. Sometimes when children think of therapy, they may associate it with how it looks in the movies, where an adult is sitting there talking about their problems to a therapist. And while that may be a component of the work that we may do, that isn’t the entirety of our sessions, as sessions tend to be personalized.
A Final Thought
When you decide to seek therapy for your child, it can be a really important step in supporting their emotional well-being. Children tend to do better when the important adults in their lives are working together and supporting them.
By working with your child’s therapist, practicing some of the skills they learn in therapy at home, and creating a space where they feel comfortable talking about their emotions, you can help support them as they build confidence, learn how to cope with different situations, and develop skills that they can continue to use as they grow.
Every child deserves to have a safe place where they can grow and feel supported, and parents deserve support throughout that process as well.
Resources:
Pine, A. E., Baumann, M. G., Modugno, G., & Compas, B. E. (2024). Parental Involvement in Adolescent Psychological Interventions: A Meta-analysis. Clinical child and family psychology review, 27(3), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-024-00481-8
About The Author
Matthew Mak, M.S.Ed., works with clients ranging from adolescents to adults, helping them navigate anxiety, self-esteem, and stress management. He has particular experience supporting young clients on the autism spectrum, as well as those managing ADD/ADHD, using an empathetic, strength-based approach to help them build lasting coping skills. Matthew integrates evidence-based methods like CBT and ACT to help clients feel more grounded, confident, and understood.
