The Methodist Family Health Counseling Clinics in Batesville, Hot Springs and Jonesboro now offer Child Parent Psychotherapy.
Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) is counseling for young children (birth to age five) and their parents or caregivers, which supports family strengths and relationships by helping families heal and grow after experiencing stressful incidents while respecting their values and culture.
“When children this young experience a troubling or traumatic event, it’s difficult for them to express their feelings or what they need,” said Cyndi Coleman, outpatient administrator for Methodist Family Health’s counseling clinics and school-based therapy. “Through CPP, we can help these young children and their families and caregivers recover and heal after stressful and traumatic events.”
CPP may help when a child has been through a scary or painful event such as the loss of a loved one, separation, a serious medical procedure, abuse, or violence in the home or his or her community. It also can help if the child is showing difficult behaviors, has a change in his or her home placement or caregiver, or has a family member with physical or mental health issues. Regardless of the relationship, CPP can help parenting a child and improving the caregiver-child relationship.
“We have seen improvements in both the child and parents’ mood, behavior, learning ability, stress, and trauma symptoms,” said Coleman. “The way CPP works is we get to know you and your child, address your needs and help you plan for your future. It helps the child and his or her family understand each other through talking and playing, and that helps them work together to respond to the difficult feelings and behaviors around a stressful or traumatic incident.”