HELPING FAMILIES GROW STRONGER TOGETHER

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Parent Child Interaction Therapy - also known as PCIT - is a specialized treatment program designed for caregivers and their young children (2 to 7 years old) who are experiencing social, behavioral, and/or emotional difficulties.

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PCIT is regarded by national expert panels as a gold standard treatment for children who have any of the following challenges:

• Frequent temper tantrums
• Defiance - refusing to follow directions
• Verbal and/or physical aggression
• Destruction of toys and/or family belongings
• Backtalk or sassing adults
• Whining or crying for no apparent reason
• Constantly seeking attention
• Hyperactivity
• Interrupting others
• Short attention span
• Difficulty with behaviors at school, preschool, and/or daycare​

Seeking therapy services for your child is a major decision. Families who participate in PCIT services often report the following during initial sessions:

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• Feeling overwhelmed by their child
• Feeling frustrated or angry with their child
• Feeling like their child is out of control
• Feelings of embarrassment, especially in public places
• Feeling lost because current behavior management strategies are not working
• A desire to learn skills or tools to deal with behavior challenges

During the first phase of PCIT (Child-Directed Interaction), children are encouraged to lead a play activity while their caregivers observe and comment on their child’s positive behaviors (and ignore inappropriate behaviors). 

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Benefits of the first phase of PCIT include:

• Increased feelings of security, safety, and attachment with caregiver(s)
• Increased attention span
• Increased self-esteem
• Increased pro-social behaviors (sharing, taking turns)
• Decreased frequency, severity, and/or duration of tantrums
• Decreased hyperactivity
• Decreased negative attention-seeking behaviors (whining, bossiness)
• Decreased caregiver frustration

In the second phase of PCIT (Parent-Directed Interaction), caregivers learn how to deliver clear, direct commands to reward child compliance, and utilize effective strategies for child noncompliance.  

Benefits of the second phase of PCIT include:

• Increased compliance with caregiver requests
• Decreased frequency, severity, and/or duration of aggressive behavior
• Decreased frequency of destructive behavior
• Improved behavior at home, and in public
• Increased caregiver confidence
• Decreased caregiver stress reduce stress and anxiety, and improve your overall well-being.