In family therapy, often a parent calls with an issue related to their child (either they identified it or school did). Good child therapy cannot happen without actively engaging the parent/s and sometimes the whole family. The therapy then involves usually a combination of work with the child (through play, movement, yoga, games, drama, and sandtray therapy) and then collaboration with the parent. Sometimes the parent is even invited into the play with the child in the room. The parent is actively communicating with the therapist about progress and/or regression both at home and at school. The therapist also collaborates with school which is essential (if the child is school-age).

While Sharon maintains a strong alliance with the child, she always tells the child up front that she will talk in general terms with the parents about the kid’s progress, not exactly the content of the session but the overview so that the child knows that the therapist and her/his parent are in partnership to best help her.