When families are thriving, children bring joy and deeper meaning to life. They help to remind us to stop and pay attention to the present moment and to enjoy the simple pleasures in the world. They may be a reminder for us of more carefree times in our own lives. Challenges will rise and fall while families continue to grow and develop together.
At times families can become disrupted from this naturally supportive and adaptive state. They may find their loving moments being replaced by increasing numbers of frustrating battles. Parents can find themselves in a place where they love their children, but they just do not enjoy them as they had envisioned. Worsening oppositional behavior in children can result in difficulty finding child care further compounding family stress and creating obstacles to children’s continued learning and development.
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) has been proven by numerous studies to be an effective therapy with children and families. Through Parent-Child Interaction Therapy children experience a significant reduction in oppositional behavior and the relationship between caregivers and child is enhanced. Often children who previously met criteria for a diagnosis of ODD Oppositional Defiant Disorder no longer meet criteria for this diagnosis following treatment.