What Happens in the Initial Parent Coaching Sessions at Child and Teen Solutions
Parent coaching sessions are highly customized to the needs of each individual family. That said, families can expect the process to involve several key elements at the outset:
1. History Gathering
2. Data Gathering
3. Treatment Planning
1. History Gathering
The history-gathering process is foundational to any intervention. Rather than follow a set curriculum, our parent coaching services are highly tailored to the specifics of the situation that your family brings to us.
History of the concerns
The first step is for the skilled parent coach to gain a thorough understanding of the concerns that led you to reach out for help. We want to understand when the problems started and how they have evolved over time. You’ll be asked to describe the various strategies that you’ve tried, what’s worked, and what hasn’t worked. We may ask you to describe your parenting philosophy. We will want to know your hopes for your child, as well as any fears that you may have about your child’s future. Most importantly, we will ask you to describe specific instances of the problem behavior that brought you to us. Our perspective is that “the devil is in the details.” By understanding even the smallest details, we can design a treatment plan that is most likely to be effective.
Developmental history
It’s critically important that we understand the developmental context. Before the first session, you will be asked to complete a developmental history form about your child or teen. In session, we will follow up with additional questions as needed. For some children, there can be a neurodevelopmental basis to the current problems. Understanding your child’s developmental profile will help inform you on how to best support your child and achieve treatment success. In some cases, we may suggest a more comprehensive developmental assessment for your child.
Family and social history
It is also important for us to understand the family and social context. For example, it can be helpful to understand how you were parented as a child. We may ask to hear about the various influences on your parenting today. We will ask about any adverse events that have impacted your family or that have specifically involved your child. We adopt a trauma-informed lens to care, where sensitivity to stressors that have impacted you or your child is paramount.
2. Data Gathering
Data gathering helps us to identify details about the problem that will inform the intervention. It also helps us to understand the intensity and frequency of the challenges. With this information, we can be deliberate and focused in our work together. The initial data gathering also allows us to better track progress.
Behavior logs
Your provider may ask you to complete a log of problems as they occur. The behavior log allows us to explore the chain of events and specific points in the chain where intervention may be helpful. The log also helps to gather details when the event is fresh in the parents’ mind, rather than relying on memory a week or two after the problem occurred.
Rating scales
You will also be asked to complete rating scales about your child’s or teen’s behavior. These tools help us to assess whether a problem might be within the normal range versus signaling bigger concerns. The rating scales also help us to conceptualize the nature of the challenges.
Informants
We might ask you to connect us with other adults that are involved with your child. Informants may involve other healthcare providers, teachers, and childcare providers. The role of school-based informants is especially important when problems are occurring at school. In these situations, we might also ask if we can arrange a school observation.
3. Treatment Planning
Treatment planning is an ongoing process that is repeatedly fine-tuned. Within about the first month of care, or when enough information has been gathered, your provider will walk you through the treatment planning process. Even though the treatment planning can take a few weeks to accomplish, the initial interventions may happen concurrently. Your provider will likely have tips to try out from the outset. Your child’s response to these new strategies is part of the assessment process.
Hierarchy of problems to address
Often, there are multiple problems occurring at once. Perhaps there are sleep issues, aggression, mealtime challenges, and school problems. Your provider will guide how to prioritize the focus. Usually, behaviors that involve aggression, self-harm, or any kind of violence need to be addressed first. We also like to equip parents with ways that they can feel more confident and regulated, even while their child is dysregulated. Often, sleep problems will need to be prioritized. We will also want to address any parenting responses, such as over-punishment or criticism, that might be accidentally inflaming the situation.
Define the parenting skills to target
Identifying the parenting skills to target is our favorite part of the process. Even the most savvy and competent parents can benefit from exploring new skills. Common targets might include strategies to reduce crisis, support the child’s or teen’s self-regulation, and address tantrums. Strategies to address conflict around tech use are often a target. We also work to empower parents to avoid common parenting traps and be more effective in the requests of the young person. We might need to develop a detailed protocol to address bedtime problems, anxiety, or “PDA” presentations. These are just a few examples of the many options for parenting skill development.
Explore alignment in the treatment plan
Of course, alignment between the parents and the provider is key. As part of the treatment planning process, your provider will talk through whether our recommendations align with what you envision as helpful. We also explore what feels realistic to you and consistent with your parenting philosophy. The treatment plan is a “living document” that is updated as needed in order to achieve the best therapy outcomes.
Parent Coaching at Child and Teen Solutions
Interested in learning more? Send us a message through our Contact Page. We are here to answer your questions about our services and whether our offerings are right for you. You can also read more about Child and Teen Solutions parenting services on our services page. We have more information on how our parenting services work, as well as loads of parenting tips on our Child and Teen Solutions Blog.
Improve Your Parenting Skills With Parent Coaching in Seattle, WA
Parenting can be challenging, but with the right support, you can build a stronger, more connected relationship with your child. At Child and Teen Solutions, our parent coaching in Seattle, WA provides practical guidance to help you navigate tough moments with confidence and compassion. Gain the skills and strategies you need to foster a healthier, more fulfilling bond with your child. Follow these three simple steps to get started:
1. Contact us and we will gather information and answer any questions you may have about parent coaching.
2. Our Client Care Coordinator will walk you through the steps for scheduling and preparing for your first appointment with a skilled parent coach.
3. Begin improving your parenting skills!
Additional Mental Health Services Provided by Child and Teen Solutions
CATS provides personalized support designed to meet the distinct needs of each family member. Along with enhancing parenting skills through parent coaching, our expert services address ADHD, autism/PDA, emotional regulation, defiance, and anxiety. For families with young children, we offer Theraplay, fostering meaningful parent-child connections during therapy. If your child or teen could benefit from individual therapy, explore our dedicated service pages. In some cases, the same therapist guiding parent coaching may also work with your child, while in others, a different CATS specialist may be a better fit. We also offer neurodevelopmental evaluations for families seeking deeper insight into their child or teen’s learning and development. Our practice is inclusive and affirming of all family structures and LGBTQ+ identities. Visit our blog for more insightful articles!
