Engaging with the dyad

Dyadic art therapists find ways of engaging with their clients to bring them on board with the therapeutic tasks ahead. This also helps to forge a therapeutic alliance.

The therapists aim to build a sense of safety that will enable the child to engage with therapy and make use of the sessions.

At the same time, the therapists need to make the therapy sessions feel safe enough for the carers to engage with the process, without feeling exposed or criticised.

Balancing the needs of the adult and the child is important. If this balance is lost, the therapeutic engagement could be jeopardised.

Achieving the goal

Details about the steps therapists take to achieve this goal, can be found in the next stage of the manual, Steps.

Steps specific for this goal include

• balancing the needs of adult and child

• safety building