Parent Reconnection therapy may be needed after a prolonged separation of a child from their parent due to the conflict of separation and divorce. Even if there have been no actual separations, sometimes in high conflict situations, children may feel confused, reluctant, or even scared about spending time with one parent. If the court has mandated parenting time for that parent, the child may need support to feel comfortable with their parent.
At Sand Story Psychology Services, we take a child-centered approach to reconnecting parents and children after estrangement. This means we do not bring the parent and child together until we have met with each family member separately to determine the child’s readiness. After a long conflict, a parent is often anxious to move forward, while a child needs support and encouragement before they are ready. These conflicting agendas can lead to further upset for both the parent and the child if they are pushed too soon. As such, child readiness and parent support are pivotal to successful reconnection.