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Regardless of what makes a child complex, adults are part of their recommended treatment. It doesn’t matter what chronic condition a child has—ADHD, anxiety, juvenile diabetes, or obesity, for example—when medication, remediation, or behavior changes are recommended to manage a child’s particular challenges, behavior-therapy training provides essential support for adults to help kids learn to manage themselves.
Behavior therapy is a confusing term. According to the CDC website, “Parent Training in Behavior Therapy is also known as Behavior Management Training for Parents, Parent Behavior Therapy, Behavioral Parent Training, or just Parent Training.” According to HealthyChildren.org, “There are many forms of behavior therapy, but all have a common goal—to change the child’s physical and social environments to help the child improve [their] behavior.” No matter how you define behavior therapy, its purpose is clear: to create environments in a child’s life so that the child can “learn or strengthen positive behaviors and eliminate unwanted or problem behaviors.” (CDC).
Whether done in classes, groups, or private sessions, parent or teacher training in behavior therapy should help adults learn how to “better understand their child’s behavioral issues and learn … skills specific to these problems” (CDC). Training in behavior management is generally provided by coaches, educational therapists, counselors, psychologists, and social workers. Sometimes professionals are trained to provide behavior therapy directly to children, which may bypass the important role of parent education.
In my opinion, one of the best (and often most affordable) options is working with a parent coach. Because anyone can “call themselves” a coach, it is important to select professionals who adhere to established professional standards and ethical guidelines. Additional training is also recommended for working with families or teachers whose children have complex needs. A parent coach should be certified by the International Coach Federation (ICF) and well educated about the range of conditions facing complex families. Many parent coaches work on the phone or video, significantly reducing costs and increasing access to services. When location is not a limiting factor, parents can get support at a time that works for their schedule, without having to drive long distances.