Wholeness Healing Center

Child Parent Psychotherapy

It is the mission of Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) to provide services that help young children and families recover and heal after stressful and traumatic events. CPP is therapy for young children from birth through age five and their parents/caregivers. CPP may help when children have been through scary or painful events such as loss of a loved person, separation, serious medical procedures, abuse, or violence at home or in the community. It may also help children when they exhibit difficult behaviors, have a change in placement or caregivers, when their family members have physical health or mental health difficulties, or their caregivers would like help with parenting and improving parent-child relationships. An anonymous caregiver shares, “In time we started to see . . . it’s ok we can trust people, to be honest in therapy, to talk about the bad things that happen, to feel our sparkle inside that we thought we lost; with help we are finding out just how bright our sparkle really is”.

CPP studies involving diverse families have shown improvements in children’s moods, problem behaviors, learning, trauma symptoms, and biological stress responses. These same studies have also shown improvements in parents’ mood, stress, trauma symptoms and partner relationships. Overall, there is an improvement in the parent-child relationship quality. During CPP we work together in three stages.

1. Getting to know the child and family
We spend time meeting alone with parents/caregivers to understand the family’s needs and challenges, strengths and values, history and experiences. If needed we can connect families with resources and services. We make a plan for how CPP will help your family.

2. Address family’s needs
We typically meet once per week with the parent/caregiver and child. If the child is old enough, we first help the children understand who we are, why they are coming and what we will do together, often using toys. During this time, we may meet along with adults as we help parents/caregivers to understand each other, talk and play about difficult experiences, respond to difficult behaviors and feelings and create a family story that leads to healing.

3. Wrapping up and planning for the future
We celebrate changes the family has made, talk about how the parents/caregivers made changes happen, consider how endings and goodbyes may bring up different feelings, and talk about what is needed in the future.

“He knows that he can talk to me, he can come to me, he can trust me . . . and he really truly believes that; in the beginning he didn’t. Big difference to the little boy who was afraid.” Anonymous Caregiver in discussing progress made in CPP.
If you or your family is interested in scheduling a CPP session or wanting to hear more, please contact Wholeness Healing Center at 308-382-5297.

Works Cited
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2012). Supporting Infants, Toddlers, and Families Impacted by Caregiver Mental Health Problems, Substance Abuse, and Trauma: A Community Action Guide. HHS Publication No. SMA-12-4726. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC). (n.d.). Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare. Retrieved from https://www.cebc4cw.org/program/child-parent-psychotherapy/detailed
Nebraska Resource Project for Vulnerable Young Children. (n.d.). Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). Nebraska Babies. Retrieved from https://www.nebraskababies.com/iecmh/services/cpp

Tags: Child Parent Psychotherapy, CPP, Options for therapy for young children