What is Child-Parent Relationship Training?
Our “Play & Connect” class follows a "Child-Parent Relationship Training (CPRT) curriculum. This is a play-based curriculum to help parents improve communication and connection with their kids. You will also learn and practice important skills like limit-setting, giving choices, and esteem-building.
This course was designed by play therapists (Gary Landreth, Ed.D., LPC, RPT-S and Sue Bratton, Ph.D., LPC-S, RPT-S from the UNT Center for Play Therapy) to directly teach parents the skills so that they could best support their kids. It is an evidence-based practice that has been shown to reduce parental stress, improve parent-child bonds, and reduce problem behaviors.
Here are some questions we often get about this therapy…
What will this training actually teach?
We start by teaching you the same skills that play therapists use to connect with kids. You will learn to be fully present with them in their play and use reflective responses to help them feel comfortable and take the lead. This playtime forms the basis for this course, as you will continue with these play sessions each week.
Throughout the course, we will add in different parenting skills that you can use and practice, including limit setting, choice-giving, esteem-building responses, and others. Between each session, you can try out these skills and get feedback and support.
Wait…what’s “special playtime”? Why am I just playing with my kid?
“Special playtime” is a 30-minute dedicated playtime with just you and your kid. We will teach you specific responses and way to interact with them to make this time a place where you can really connect.
I think it’s helpful to compare this to adult interactions. You can probably imagine or remember a time when you had a great connection with a friend. You sat and talked for hours, feeling a sense of calm that they were really listening and you were seen. Of course, if you have a kid under the age of 10, you know that the idea of talking to them for hours just doesn’t work the same way. Their verbal abilities are not the same as ours, and their communication is primarly though doing, touching, and playing. To borrow a phrase from Dr. Landreth, “in play therapy, toys are like the child's words and play is their language.”
Special playtime is our opportunity to get on their level and learn to speak their language. This helps improve communication, increase our empathy and understanding of them, and improve the overall relationship. We put a lot of effort into relationship-building before jumping to skills like limit-setting and asking your to enforce consequences, because we know that kids (and—let’s be honest—adults too!) are more likely to listen to and respect others when they know that they are cared for.
Here’s an example of what “special playtime” actually looks like. For younger kids, it is set up on a blanket with special toys. For older kids, we often adapt to their interests and use activities like art, building toys, or cooking (…we also often come up with a ‘cooler’ name than “special playtime”!).
Child-Parent Relationship Therapy. Here’s an example of “special playtime” with a younger child!
Can’t I just learn all this on my own?
Of course you can! We are not trying to gatekeep any secret parenting skills. You can find many CPRT resources online or buy a book yourself (we use the treatment manual by Landreth & Bratton).
If you choose to work with us, you will get the added benefit of personalized instruction, accountability, and feedback. We will take the time to answer your questions, hear your concerns, and problem-solve with you. If you choose to join one of our groups, those benefits multiply, as you get the support of a small group of parents who are going through the same challenges you are!
How is this different from play therapy? Which one is better for my family?
The principles and techniques of CPRT are the same as play therapy! In both settings, your child will be supported with interventions that are designed to improve their self-confidence, reduce anxiety, and reduce problem behaviors. CPRT can work well as a compliment or alternative to play therapy. We are happy to discuss this in a free phone consultation, to see what is the best fit for your family.
The differences are in the structure of the intervention. If you child sees a play therapist, they will attend regular one-on-one sessions with the therapist, who will also provide parent consultations to discuss any progress, concerns, and recommendations with you.
With CPRT, you will learn many of the same skills that play therapists use, and implement them in your own playtimes at home.
Some of the things that we think makes CPRT a better fit for some families:
You and your child directly benefit from the relationship building happening in these sessions.
You can continue these interventions at home after you are done with CPRT, without continuing to plan and pay for more sessions.
Parenting is hard! We want to give you as much direct support and skills as we can.
Is this a group? Is this therapy?
Yes, it can be a group! We love to teach this curriculum in a group because parents are great at supporting each other and it’s helpful to know that others are going through similiar struggles. And we are happy to go through this curriculum with you in individual/couples sessions. Whatever you prefer!
And yes, it is therapy! We are trained therapists and conduct this training as part of our therapy practices. Of course, because we are using a set curriculum and focusing primarily on parenting goals, CPRT may have more of a feeling of coaching or a class than how you have experienced individual therapy.
Who will be teaching this training?
We’re so glad you asked! Happy to introduce ourselves…
My name is Elyse Hall. I am a therapist, educator, and mom of two preschoolers. The reason that I teach this course is simple - it works for me! I had a newborn and two-year-old during graduate school. I started practicing a lot of the play therapy skills I was learning at home with my toddler and found it incredibly helpful. I felt more confident and calm, even when the ‘right words’ didn’t work like magic and he was still throwing a tantrum. These skills have adapted with my kids, and I find that I can use them with my two-year-old melting down because I won’t give him more ice cream and my five-year-old who is learning to put away his own laundry. Parenting is hard and exhausting, and I want to do what I can to make it a little more manageable for you!
My co-teacher is Stacey Robinson-Gardner, M.Ed, LPC-Associate (Supervised by Nanci Silver-Boice, M.Ed., M.A., LPC-S, LMFT-S). She is a therapist who specializes in working with children and parents. Stacey is an early childhood educator with nearly 20 years of experience, She has supported hundreds of children, parents, and families in navigating stressful situations. I am always impressed with the wealth of knowledge Stacey bring this our groups!
So…What Other Questions Do You Have??
We’d love to talk to you and share more about this program! You can send me a message, or directly schedule a phone consultation. I look forward to hearing from you!