In pediatric therapy, it is important to not let the initial symptoms guide you, because they involve a behavioral description that is often not indicative of the experiential flow within the child. Therefore, child-friendly practices are used to assess the child’s level of affective-relational development in the present therapeutic relation. Based on those results, the therapy goals are reformulated together with the parents. We depart from a positive image of the child, i.e. the affective-relational skills that it has already mastered, instead of taking the negative route of ‘dealing with the symptoms’. In the individual therapy sessions with the child, normal development is then used to restore the congruent functioning of the child.
client-centered pediatric therapy, Co.D.A.E-treatment (focused on Conflict, Dynamics, Attitude, and Evolution)
The tPeP (Journal Person-centered experiential Psychotherapy) is the scientific journal for Dutch and Flemish psychotherapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists, that work from, or are interested in a client-centered perspective.
