Reunification therapy can be necessary for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, a parent has not seen his/her child in a while. Other times, something has happened in the parent/child relationship that has caused tension and a strained relationship, sometimes even leading to the child refusing to see his/her parent.
Regardless of the reasons why reunification therapy is necessary for your family, it is crucial that you choose a professional that will be a good fit for your situation. Although there is no perfect way to make sure that you will be 100% happy with your reunification therapist, there are some things you can do ahead of time to try to ensure that the reunification therapist is right for your family.
- Research
Before you choose to work with a professional, be sure to do your research. Look at his/her online profile to learn a little bit about their background. You can also read online reviews, although online reviews should always be taken with a grain of salt. Keep in mind that the people who post these reviews may have a very different situation and different needs than you/your family have. If you have an attorney, ask them for their professional opinion about the potential reunification therapists.
- Interview
Call the professional and vet him/her. Try not to give any specifics about your case, but ask him/her about the reunification therapy process, goals, etc. This conversation can give you a good feel for how the professional approaches the process and if he/she communicates well and you are connecting.
- Ask The Right Questions
During the “interview” process described above, be sure that you are asking the right questions. For example, you should ask the professional how long he/she has been doing reunification therapy, if they have a safety plan in place if either the child or parent is uncomfortable with the speed, under what circumstances such a plan would/would not be followed, etc. These are very helpful questions that may help you understand if this is the right reunification therapist for your family.
- Follow Your Gut
If you have followed all of the above steps and something still doesn’t feel right about a specific professional, there is nothing wrong with saying no to them because of your instincts.
If you have any questions about the reunification process, please call me today at 952-800-2025 or reach out via our online contact form to set up your free consultation.
