Strengthening Parent-Child Relationship Using Filial Play Therapy

Parents are often the most significant adults in children’s lives and are likely to have a greater impact on their children than any other people could. Filial play therapy is developed to strengthen parent-child relationship through play. It is a form of family therapy which is based on a psychoeducational model.

Filial play is an empirically derived and evidence-based approach. Numerous studies have been done to prove that filial play is not just to improve parent-child relationship, but also to provide parents with effective parenting skills, promotes healthy psychosocial development and improve social and emotional and behavioural issues in children. Filial play is most frequently used with children aged 3 to 12 years old.

In filial play, parents are trained by a certified Play Therapist to conduct a play session at home with their own children. The object of focus is the parent-child relationship, not the the child nor the parents. The process is truly collaborative, open and friendly.

Critical benefits of parent-child play include:

• Parent-child play sessions allows the parents to grow their connection with their child and foster a more nurturing and positive bond.
• Play sessions provide a safe space for children to express their emotional struggles nonverbally.
• Play is sensory and kinesthetics, offering a valuable avenue, especially for children who have experienced trauma.
• Play sessions provide a metaphorical platform where children can communicate their pain indirectly, thus facilitating greater emotional expression and understanding.
• Parents and caregivers can learn how to set boundaries to create a safe environment for children.
• Parent-child play sessions can break down resistance barriers and create a more receptive environment.
• Especially for children with trauma or are in crisis, the guided but non-directive play sessions provide the self-space for them to explore and regain control and empowerment.

This workshop introduces the concept of filial play therapy and provides participants with necessary skills to conduct child-centered play sessions with their own children at home.

Through this workshop, parents can hope to see the following changes in the family:

1. Children are able to recognize and express their feelings fully and constructively.
2. Reduce or eliminate children’s maladaptive behaviours.
3. Increase children’s self confidence and self-esteem
4. Develop positive interactions, attachment and relationship between parents and their children.
5. Increase parents’ understanding of their own children
6. Parents will develop a variety of skills that are likely to yield better child-rearing outcome, thus increase parents’ confidence in parenting.

This practical workshop is delivered in a multi-modal format including immersive and experiential training via role-play, expressive and experiential activities, and observation in addition to traditional teaching strategies.

Target Audience

This workshop is suitable for:

• Counsellors and social workers who wish to understand filial play therapy in order to appreciate its power and recommend it to their parent-client.
• Parents who are interested in supporting their own children’s emotional needs or reducing their children’s negative behaviours through play at home.
• Parents who want to understand their children more and strengthen their parent-child relationship through play at home.

Duration
1 full day (9 to 5 pm) 

Workshop Topics:

1. Research underpinning filial play therapy
2. Theories and essential features of filial play therapy
   • Axline’s 8 principles of nondirective, child-centered play therapy
   • Theoretical Integration
3. Starting filial play at home
   • Selection of toys
   • Recommendation for time, frequency and location for filial play at homeBasic skills of filial play therapy (Structuring, empathic listening, child centered imaginary play, limit-setting skill)
4. Common scenarios during home play sessions and how to handle them:
   • Testing boundaries
   • Aggression
   • Repetitive play
   • Play themes
5. Experiencing the power of play through experiential class activities
   • Mock play sessions
   • Role plays
   • Skills practice
6. Closing filial play therapy
   • Why is it important?
   • When to close?
   • How to prepare for closure of therapy
   • What’s next?