Reinforcement is one of the most powerful tools that parents can use to help improve their child’s behavior. Positive reinforcement is particularly helpful and can help you and your child establish routines, build healthy habits and life skills, and strengthen your bond. With time, patience, and practice, positive reinforcement can help shape desirable behaviors, especially, when used in conjunction with other parenting strategies.
When used in therapy, games can be a powerful tool to help improve motivation, increase levels of engagement, and strengthen the therapeutic relationship. Using play as a strategy in therapy can help you and your child find success in treatment and have fun as you work toward your goals.
When it comes to psychologists (PhD or PsyD), licensed professional counselors (LPCs), licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), psychiatrists, and more, there are a few similarities and differences to keep in mind to help you better understand what types of mental health providers are available to work with. There are dozens of unique specializations, credentials, and titles that you may come across when researching your options. Learn more about the education and training that different therapists go through to determine which type of mental health provider can best help you meet your treatment goals.
When your child doesn’t follow instructions, those moments when you have to enforce expectations can feel like a battle. There are some key tips you can keep in mind as part of an effective parenting approach. Each of these tips can help you decide what to enforce, when to enforce it, and how. Taking a balanced approach can help you promote the types of behaviors you want to see and strengthen the relationship you have with your child.
Choosing an evidence-based treatment (EBT) approach to therapy has a big impact on the quality of the services you receive and the results you see. Evidence-based treatments are research-supported approaches that are shown to be effective in addressing specific needs. Choosing to work with a provider who offers cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), or another tested method can help you meet your therapy goals.
Interpersonal effectiveness skills are a set of strategies taught in DBT which include the FAST skill to maintain self-respect. When you are faced with a challenging social interaction, the DBT FAST skill reminds you to be fair to yourself and others, not apologize for feeling how you feel, and stay true to your values. Practicing the DBT FAST skill can help you learn to act in a way that makes you feel positively about yourself and maintain a sense of self-respect.
