63rd Annual Conference

Saturday, February 25

Morning Workshops

8:45 A.M.-12:00 noon

Workshop 82

Filial Therapy: A Short Term Group Approach to Work with Parents and Children

Chair:     

Michael Andronico, Ph.D., CGP, FAGPA, Private Practice, Somerset, New Jersey

Filial Therapy is a method of teaching parents to conduct play sessions at home with their children who are having emotional and conduct problems.  This workshop will demonstrate the didactic and psychodynamic aspects of a first parent group session.  Applicability to couples' therapy will also be covered in this approach which can be used as both short and long term treatment, as well as a preventative approach.

Demonstration-experiential-didactic-sharing of work experiences

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Learn basic principles of non-directive play therapy.

2. Learn how to conduct and initial parent group.

3. Learn how to balance didactic and dynamic elements in a parent group.

4. Learn how to apply this method to couples.

Course References:

1. Andronico, M. (1983).  Filial Therapy: A group for parents of children with emotional problems. In M. Rosenbaum, (Ed.). Handbook of Short Term Therapy Groups. McGraw Hill.

2.Andronico, M., Fidler, J., Guerney, B. Jr., & Guerney, L. (1967). The

Combination of Didactic and Dynamic Elements in Filial Therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 17, 10-17.

3. Guerney, L. (2000). Filial Therapy into the 21st Century. International Journal of Play Therapy.