The Chat with Dr.

Dave
Therapeutic Thoughts of the Week
David P. Sanchez, Psy.D., LMFT

This weeks Dr. Daves Therapeutic Thoughts of the Week is a clinical review on the research
article Clinical Considerations for Conducting Child-Parent Psychotherapy with Young Children
with Developmental Disabilities Who Have Experienced Trauma (Ippen, Norona, & Lieberman,
2014). Dr. Dave intends to highlight key elements necessary to take into consideration as a
therapist when facilitating Child-Parent Psychotherapy with children with developmental
disabilities.
Ippen, Norona, and Liebermann (2014) examined the case study of James (a 14-month old
Latino boy) and Juan (a 6 year old, 2 month old boy diagnosed with Autism) completed by
Harley, Williams, Zamorea, & Lakatos (2014) to assess the utility and application of ChildParent Psychotherapy for working with children with developmental disabilities. Child-Parent
Psychotherapy (CPP) is an evidence-based treatment for children 0-5 who have experienced at
least one traumatic event and/or are experiencing mental health, attachment, and/or behavioral
problems.
Ippen, Norona, and Liebermann (2014) identify four key topic areas when conducting ChildParent Psychotherapy with children with disabilities: 1) the importance of addressing risks tthat
present within the caregiver-child relationship, including caregivers unresolved grief; 2) the
potential for the caregiver or childs history of trauma to contribute to challenges in the child and
caregivers functioning; 3) the importance of working as part of a multidisciplinary team to
coordinate care and better address the complex needs of families; and 4) the importance of
applying a socio-cultural lens in every aspect of the work. Liebermann et al, (2005)
acknowledged that the model of CPP has purposefully incorporated specific relationship-based
interventions in order to address how trauma to the child, the caregiver, or the cultural group
affects the interactions and functioning of the family members.
Oppenheim and colleagues (2007) suggest that many parents who receive a diagnosis of a
developmental disorder for their child have likened this experience to a metaphorical loss of the
child: It is as if the wished for typically developing child has been lost, and instead parents are
faced with many questions, anxieties, and fears regarding their childs development (p. 109).
As the treating therapist supporting these children and their primary caregivers it is vital for the
therapist to take into consideration the need for taking time to assist the primary caregivers to
integrate and understand their childs capacity as well as their newly altered parental role. The

The Chat with Dr. Dave

Therapeutic Thoughts of the Week
David P. Sanchez, Psy.D., LMFT
role of the therapist is to assist the primary caregivers in gradually identifying, understanding,
and accepting their conflicting feelings regarding their childs development and to assist the
primary caregiver into accepting their new reality (present and future). Research indicates that
parents who are capable of resolving their negative feelings related to their childs
developmental delays are more capable to remain attuned and responsible to their child which
directly impacts the childs experience of feeling more understood, accepted, and secure. This
research highlights the need to implement early on relationship-based interventions designed to
promote adjustment and resiliency in families with young children with developmental
disabilities (Oppenheim et al, 2006).
This weeks Dr. Daves Therapeutic Thoughts of the Week is a clinical review on the research
article Clinical Considerations for Conducting Child-Parent Psychotherapy with Young Children
with Developmental Disabilities Who Have Experienced Trauma (Ippen, Norona, & Lieberman,
2014). Dr. Daves intent was to highlight key elements necessary to take into consideration as a
therapist when facilitating Child-Parent Psychotherapy with children with developmental
disabilities.
References
Harley, E. K., Williams, M. E., Zamora, I., & Lakatos, P.P. (2014). Trauma treatment in young
children with developmental disabilities. Applications of the child-Parent Psychotherapy
(CPP) Model in the Cases of "James" and "Juan". Pragmatic Case Studies in
Psychotherapy, 10(3), 156-195.
Ippen, C. G., Norona, C. R., & Lieberman, A. F. (2014, November). Clinical Considerations for
Conducting Child-Parent Psychotherapy with Young Children with Developmental
Disabilities Who Have Experienced Trauma. Pragmatic Case Studies in Psychotherapy,
10(3), 196-211.
Liebermann, A. F., & Van Horn, P. (2005). "Don't hit my mommy!": A manual for child-parent
psychotherapy with young witnesses of family violence . Washington, DC: Zero to Three
Press.
Oppenheim, D., Dolev, S., Koren-Karie, N., Sher-Censor, E, Yirmiya, N., & Salomon, S. (2007).
Parental resolution of the childs diagnosis and the parent-child relationship: Insights
from the reaction to diagnosis interview. In D. Oppenheim & D. F. Goldsmith (Eds.),
Attachment Theory in clinical work with children: Bridging the gap between research and
Practice (pp. 109-136). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.