Filial therapy for enhancing relationships in families.

Filial therapy is a specific mode of child-centred play therapy. The parent or carer conducts structured weekly therapeutic play sessions with the child. The therapist provides coaching, detailed feedback, and support, but does not engage directly with the child. Filial therapy empowers parents and carers to become the agents of therapeutic change. Because parent and child work through problems together, children's attachments become more secure, and family relationships are enhanced. Filial therapy was developed in the 1960s by Louise and Bernard Guerney as an innovative form of child-centred play therapy for three- to 12-year-olds. It is a flexible mode of therapy with three main models currently in use, two of which are group models. Filial therapy is evidence-based. Empirical research has shown it to be effective for intact families, blended families, adoptive families, those with children in public (local authority) care, single parent families, and those in which grandparents or other relatives are the full-time carers. Research also shows it to be effective with families of different cultures and ethnicities. Filial therapy can help parents or carers help children who have experienced difficulties such as trauma and abuse, or who for other reasons have problems with behaviour, relationships and mental health. Filial therapy provides help over the long term and after the therapist has reduced or ended contact with a family. Once parents have learned the filial skills they can continue with play sessions for months, even years. They also naturally adapt the skills for use in every day life.

Play therapy as a mental health intervention for children and adolescents.

Play therapy is a child-centred therapy for children between the ages of 3 and 16 years who have mental health and/or other difficulties. The play therapist works one to one with the child, allowing children to explore their inner emotional world in almost any way they choose in the play room. The therapist sets a few necessary behavioural limits in order to safeguard physical and emotional safety during the weekly sessions. Children from all kinds of families come for play therapy. Some have witnessed domestic violence, or experienced abuse or other trauma. Some have conflicted relationships with the parents or carers arising out of insecure attachment and/or other issues. Provided that the child has some level of symbolic play, play therapy has the potential to help. The other provisos are that the home environment is sufficiently supportive at a basic level, and that the parent or carer is willing to support therapy. Children typically have play therapy for between two and 12 months, depending on the complexity of their difficulties. Play therapists analyse sessions and track changes to determine when to plan the ending with the child. Play therapists come from a range of professions and undertake full-time or part-time training in play therapy leading to a post-qualifying diploma or Master's degree. Qualified play therapists work in, or undertake work for, Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) services, Children's Services (Social Care), schools, and voluntary sector agencies.