Much ink has been spilled on the topic of children resisting or refusing contact with a parent following divorce or separation, and with good reason. The political and legislative landscapes related to what are now commonly referred to as “parent-child contact problems” continue to shift and evolve, developments which only add to the complexity of these already challenging family situations.
For the mental health practitioner tasked with assisting a family that is experiencing a parent-child contact problem, consulting the relevant professional literature may lead to the impression that a team approach, with a different therapist assigned to each family member, is the optimal strategy for addressing these cases. Indeed, some authors appear to be of the view that a single therapist cannot effectively work with families struggling with a parent-child contact problem. With this perspective in mind, the natural starting point is clear: Adopt a collaborative treatment approach utilizing multiple coordinated therapists to assist such families.
But what are you to do if a team approach is not possible?