Child Parent Psychotherapy

Q: What is Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP)?

CPP is an evidenced-based treatment for children birth to five and their caregiver(s)/parent(s) who have been impacted by a traumatic event, such as domestic violence, physical and sexual abuse, death, loss and separation, or other stressful life events.

CPP focuses on helping a family recover from the effects of trauma, while strengthening the family relationships.

Q: How do I know if my child has been impacted by a trauma?

After a stressful life event or trauma, a young child may experience a range of reactions that may interfere with their day to day functioning. Some reactions include:

• Nightmares or Intrusive Thoughts (thoughts about the scary thing that happened pop into their minds when they don’t want to think about it)

• Difficulty separating from their parent or caregiver

• Changes in sleep, eating and toiletting

• Sadness, irritability, fear, and worries

• Difficult calming down

• Tantrums or other behavior issues

• Problems concentrating

Q: Can CPP help me and my child?

If your child is experiencing some trauma reactions and you would like help in supporting him or her in recovering from a scary or painful life event, CPP can help. I strongly believe that parents/caregivers are crucial in their child’s recovery from trauma.

CPP may also be a good fit for your family if you have had trouble connecting with your child and would like to repair or strengthen your relationship with your child.

Often times a parent/caregiver has had their own painful childhood experiences that are stirred up when they become a parent. CPP helps a parent/caregiver reflect on how their own growing up experiences affect how they parent their child now in the present. It supports parents/caregivers in becoming the parent they want to be for their child, and in healing from their own painful past.