Louise and Bernard Guerney developed filial therapy in the 1960s and Risë VanFleet continues to progress this modality to this day. Filial therapy involves a trained filial therapist to coach and empower parents, through therapeutic play with their children. The skills that are focussed on in the training are:

• Structuring

• Empathic listening

  Imaginary play

• Limit setting

Research has proven that when parents gain confidence in these skills and are able to provide a safe space in which they can apply their newly acquired non-directive therapeutic play skills during 1:1 “Special Play Time” with their children they are able to:

• Model appropriate social constructs and boundaries

• Encourage their children to express themselves

• Aid their children to use play for self-expression

• Forge strong attachments within their parent/ child dyads and support healthy sibling dynamics

• Encourage their children to develop appropriate social skills

The Filial therapy program is unique in its delivery as it can be provided flexibly for each family and can be delivered partially or solely online.

A commitment of 12 weekly sessions for the initial parent/ child training is required and then fortnightly/ monthly home visits and follow-up consultations can be arranged for the subsequent three-month period to ensure the family feel supported throughout their implementation of the intervention in their home.