Two SCAN staff members, Olivya Wilson, LCSW, and Rachael Kaufman, LCSW, recently completed certification in Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). This model will help expand the support SCAN can offer to children and caregivers. PCIT is a short-term, specialized behavior management program designed for young children experiencing behavioral and/or emotional difficulties and their families. PCIT teaches caregivers to manage their child’s difficult behaviors, while increasing their positive behaviors. PCIT works with the child and caregiver together to improve behavior and reduce parenting stress.
In order to become certified in PCIT, Olivya and Rachael had to complete trainings facilitated by Duke University and participate in two hour long calls per month with their trainer and cohort to discuss and process cases and receive feedback on their PCIT clinical skills. Additionally, they have submitted weekly client notes (including progress in treatment, clinical observations and question) and recordings of various aspects of the PCIT process. Additionally, they must fully graduate two families from PCIT. Rachael shared some thoughts on her experience with PCIT below. Congratulations to Olivya and Rachael on completing this training and bring PCIT to SCAN families!
What has been the difference in implementing PCIT vs. the other models or work you do with families at SCAN?
PCIT includes more formal and structured sessions and guidelines for teaching, coaching, and practicing specific PCIT skills. PCIT also transfers well to a virtual format, which has been especially beneficial during COVID-19. This also helps children and caregivers practice PCIT skills in home environments, where oftentimes children demonstrate some of their more challenging behaviors
This model puts the caregiver in the lead role with their child, as the clinician coaches the caregiver through headphones about how to implement and use PCIT skills. This empowers caregivers to develop healthier relationship patterns and positive parenting techniques with their child without the clinician having to be physically present within the caregiver/child dynamic
The child and caregiver(s) attend almost all of the sessions together, allowing more in-the-moment practice with the clinician being able to observe and offer feedback immediately about the use of PCIT skills and the child's response to treatment. This also emphasizes the importance of the relationship between the parent and child as being crucial for developing a strong foundation for promoting positive behaviors.
What have you found rewarding about PCIT and your work with families?
It has been rewarding seeing families use play to build healthier attachments, enjoy their relationship, and recognize the strengths in their child and as a caregiver. It’s also rewarding to support caregivers in feeling confident in their parenting role with their child and establishing (or re-establishing) their parental role as a safe, nurturing, and consistent authority figure.
We also see children demonstrating more positive behaviors; delighting in the "special time" they enjoy with their caregivers, and presenting with distress around their role in their family system. This may present as decreased parentified behaviors, having more capacity to enjoy being a kid, and increased trust in their caregivers as being able to keep them safe and support them through big feelings. Children also build positive self-esteem through PCIT's focus on providing praise for positive behaviors and decreasing attention/focus on negative behaviors.
Are there any stories or examples you can share from your experience with PCIT?
One family I worked with was very afraid to take their young son to any public spaces because of his impulsivity and running behaviors. Especially during COVID-19, this young boy rarely left the home and struggled with following any directions without severe tantrums, running, or other unsafe behaviors. His relationship with his family was strained due to these challenges. Through PCIT, his caregiver was able to enjoy her play with him, see his strengths in building and creating worlds through toys, and support him in becoming more attentive and responsive to her through their healthier attachment. She used positive praise statements to build his self-esteem and confidence that he could use safe coping skills to manage strong feelings. She then was able to implement more consistent limit-setting and following through with safe and predictable consequences. We then were able to practice these skills in community settings (grocery stores, shopping center) where she saw his growth through PCIT as he stayed next to her in the store, showed more impulse control, and delighted in being out in the community with his mom.
Do you have any hopes for the future with PCIT in your work or the work of SCAN?
Now that I am certified, I would like to explore adaptations of the PCIT model to further incorporate trauma-informed approaches and regulation-skill building to meet our SCAN-specific clients' needs, expand our internal capacity for offering PCIT, (e.g. have more clinicians trained and certified), and explore how to continue to make PCIT more accessible to our families.
