What do you think are the essential child-centered skills that should be taught in filial therapy, and in what

sequence? Support your choices with research and the course readings. How important is it to videotape play sessions

and training sessions in terms of evaluation of skill development?

Case Scenario Background: Meet the Families
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Name Jared
Gender Male
Age 4
Heritage African American-Scottish
Spirituality Baptist, Practicing
Presenting symptoms Hitting and cussing in pre-kindergarten
Strength areas Loves rap music, loves to dance to rap music, very close to his mother’s younger sister; relationship

strong and positive, Sorita and mother are doing well in school
Developmental Moderately delayed in several developmental areas: social skills, awareness of feelings, slightly lagging

in large and fine motor skills
Diagnosis NA
Family of Origin —
Mother Malita
Father Not present, not involved
Caregivers Living with mother and grandmother
Siblings None
School Public pre-kindergarten
Socio-economic status Making efforts to transitioning to working class
Interests / hobbies Loves to dance and sing
Pets None
Other Jared hits and cusses at pre-kindergarten. He presents as a very angry little boy. He has never met his father

and he and his mother have lived with his grandmother and his mother’s younger sister, Sorita (who is 15) all of his

life. His mother Malita has recently graduated from a community college and is in training to become a registered

nurse. His grandmother has cared for him with his aunt, while his mother has worked and attended college since his

birth.

Jared’s mother is working and attending school and reports that she feels terrible about not spending enough time with

Jared. Jared spends a lot of time with Sorita, who is an, highly motivated student, like her older sister Sorita enjoys

her time caring for Jared although she wishes she had more time to go out and see her friends. Jared’s grandmother

reports that she regrets her daughters did not have relationships with their fathers, and she thinks that this is the

root of Jared’s problems. She Grandmother has sought some help from their church minister, who has suggested that he

spend time with a male mentor from their congregation. The grandmother is experiencing some chronic physical problems

that sap her energy.

Grandmother also reports that men have not been present in the family going back as far as she can recall. She feels

both angry and helpless about this history. She herself reports that her own mother was an alcoholic and that in spite

of this history, She has improved her life from that of her siblings (three brothers and two sisters), whom she has

little or no contact. Two of her brothers have been imprisoned, and the third died in gang violence as a teenager.

Mother, Auntie, Grandmother
Landreth, G. L., & Bratton, S. C. (2006). Child parent relationship therapy (CPRT): A 10-session filial therapy model.

New York, NY: Routledge. ISBN: 9780415951104.
VanFleet, R. (2000). A parent’s handbook of filial play therapy: Building strong families with play. Boiling Springs,

PA: Play Therapy Press. ISBN: 9781930557062.
VanFleet, R. (2014). Filial therapy: Strengthening parent-child relationships through play (3rd ed.). Sarasota, FL:

Professional Resource Press. ISBN: 9781568871455.
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