Child led art making with parent as witness

Some therapists encourage parents and carers to come into the sessions to witness the child’s art making.

In sessions such as these, the carers may be passive witnesses or an active helper. They do not direct activity as their role is to follow the child’s lead and to reflect upon what they have observed.

Observation and reflection may help them to gain insights about their children and a better understanding of the therapeutic process.

This approach requires preparation with the parent or carer. Preparation may focus on clarifying the different roles the adults will take.

The parents and carers may find it difficult to adopt a non-directive stance and a combination of careful preparation and separate sessions alone with the carer will help them to understand what is being asked of them.

The sessions may involve a period of reflective discussion in which the therapist ask the parent or carer, and maybe the child, to reflect on the process and the image.

Further information

• Vignettes to illustrate this approach:

  • Example five

  • Example six

• Helping parents and carers to see for themselves

• Other approaches