Parent guidance is a structured therapeutic intervention designed to support parents in understanding their child's emotional and behavioural needs, improving communication within the family, and developing practical strategies for navigating the challenges of parenting.
Parent guidance is not parenting advice or general consultation. It is a goal-directed clinical process led by a trained specialist, grounded in child development theory, attachment research, and evidence-based therapeutic approaches. It works directly with the parent — not only with the child — because the quality of the parent-child relationship is one of the most significant factors in a child's emotional wellbeing and development.
Parent guidance begins from the recognition that parents are not simply observers of their child's difficulties — they are active participants in the therapeutic process. A parent who understands what their child is experiencing, why certain behaviours occur, and how to respond effectively becomes a therapeutic resource within the family system.
The process is individualised. Each parent guidance process is built around the specific child, the specific family, and the specific difficulties being addressed — whether these are behavioural challenges, emotional dysregulation, school difficulties, family transitions, or the parenting of a child with a diagnosed condition.
Children with emotional or behavioural difficulties — anxiety, emotional outbursts, withdrawal, aggression, sleep difficulties, and school refusal. Parent guidance provides a framework for understanding what underlies these behaviours and how to respond in ways that support rather than escalate.
Children with ADHD, learning difficulties, or autism spectrum presentations (ASD) — practical strategies tailored to the child's specific profile, as well as emotional support for the parents themselves, whose own wellbeing is often significantly affected.
Families navigating significant transitions — divorce or separation, arrival of a new sibling, bereavement, relocation, or school change. Parent guidance supports the family in managing the emotional impact of change and maintaining the stability the child needs.
Communication breakdown — where conversations consistently escalate or the child has become withdrawn or difficult to reach. Parent guidance works to rebuild the relational foundation.
When a child is receiving individual therapy — working with the parents alongside the child's therapeutic process significantly improves outcomes, because the gains made in therapy need to be supported and reinforced at home.
Parent guidance sessions are conducted with the parent or parents — not the child. The therapist and parent work together to build a shared understanding of the child's inner world: what drives their behaviour, what their emotional needs are, and what is and is not effective in the current patterns of response.
The process typically includes:
Psychoeducation — providing parents with developmentally appropriate understanding of their child's condition or stage.
Reflective work — helping parents become more attuned to their child's emotional signals and their own responses.
Skills development — building practical tools for communication, limit-setting, and emotional co-regulation.
In some cases, brief observation or direct work with the child deepens the clinical picture.
Parent guidance may be conducted individually with one parent, with both parents together, or in alternating formats depending on the family's situation and goals.
Parent guidance at IsraClinic is provided by Lihi Givol — a parent guidance specialist and expressive arts therapist with over 15 years of clinical experience working with children, adolescents, and families. Lihi holds an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Child Development from the University of Haifa, completed with highest honours, and is completing a Master's degree in Art Therapy (MAAT) at Tel Hai College. Her training also includes couples counselling and family therapy at the Barkay Institute.
Sessions are conducted in online, in Hebrew and English.
Parent guidance at IsraClinic is delivered within the framework of the Psychoergonomic Method — ensuring the work is coordinated where relevant with any individual treatment the child is receiving at the clinic.
Parent guidance is indicated when a child's emotional or behavioural difficulties are affecting family functioning; when parents feel stuck, overwhelmed, or uncertain about how to respond effectively; when a child is in individual therapy and parental involvement would strengthen the process; and when family transitions are creating significant stress for the child and family system.
Appropriate for parents of children and adolescents across a wide age range — from early childhood through late adolescence.
IsraClinic accepts patients for in-person consultation in Tel Aviv and online, in English, Russian and Hebrew. No referral is required.
Lead Therapist: Lihi Givol — Parent Guidance Specialist & Expressive Arts Therapist | IsraClinic | Last reviewed: 2026
Parenting is challenging — and sometimes the most effective support for a child starts with the parent. Our team is available in English, Russian and Hebrew.