Reunification Therapy

Reunification Therapy (or reconciliation therapy) is a specialized form of family therapy with the goal of reunifying an estranged parent and his/her child. This therapeutic approach sees the divided family as a unit supporting the child through a complicated process of building or rebuilding trust with an absent caregiver.

All children come to the reunification process at varying stages of readiness. For children with heightened feelings of anxiety, worry, anger, or resistance to the process, reconnecting with an estranged parent through Parenting Time visits can be challenging as a child's readiness for reunification and a parent's readiness for reunification are often different. It is here that a parent must exercise a great deal of patience while the therapist works with the child so that he or she feels safe, supported, and ready to meet. In the absence of such readiness on the child's part, the Parenting Time visits are often met with tension: the child refuses to leave the primary caregiver, the visit is rife with arguments, both child and parent feel defeated, and the child's willingness to participate in future visits decreases.

Renew, therefore, adopts a child-centred model, which means the needs and concerns of the child(ren) involved must be understood and addressed by the therapist before Parenting Time visits can be arranged.

As an outline, Renew offers:

• A 15-session therapeutic approach, contingent on the child’s readiness and active participation by the visiting parent in the therapeutic process.
• Therapist meets with each parent individually to gain a better understanding of each parent’s hopes and expectations for reunification
• Assessment and Reunification Plan: working with the primary caregiver and child(ren) to support and prepare the child(ren) for the first visit
• Psychoeducation: assessing and building upon parenting skills (attachment, developmental stages, separation anxiety, positive parenting skills)
• Parenting Time: Renew’s team of Parenting Time supervisors document visits and provide notes to all parties including the therapist
• Post-Parenting Time Follow-up: therapist meets with all parties after the initial visit to ensure the child(ren) are feeling secure, to ensure the agreed upon reunification plan is being implemented, and to make adjustments when appropriate
• Ongoing psychoeducational support continues for visiting parent until routine is established and healthy bonds are forming

Reunification Counselling, like any therapeutic approach, does not guarantee the successful reunification of child(ren) and parent. Rather, it is a supportive process, providing psychoeducation and counselling support. Success is driven by the parents’ ability to work together and put the needs of their child first.

*Based on the Group Benefits Plan, fees for service may be covered under Social Work