Child Parent Psychotherapy

Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) is an evidence-based practice for children from birth to age five and their families. It improves the quality of caregiver-child relationships by helping families heal and grow after stressful or traumatic experiences.

CPP can be helpful when:

• Children have been through scary or painful events such as the loss of a loved person, separation, serious medical procedures, abuse, or violence at home or in the community
• Children show difficult behaviors
• Children have a change in placement or caregivers
• Family members have physical health or mental health difficulties
• Caregivers would like help with parenting and improving caregiver-child relationships

What to Expect

• First, we meet with parents or caregivers to understand the family’s needs, challenges, strengths, values, history, and experiences.
• During weekly meetings, we talk and play through past experiences and how to respond to difficult feelings and behaviors.
• We help parents or caregivers and children understand each other and create a family story that leads to healing.
• In the final stage of therapy, we recognize and celebrate changes families have made, discuss plans for the future, and connect families to resources and services.