Parent Consultation vs. Therapy

Parent consultation focuses on coaching, education, and collaboration between a psychologist or behavior specialist and the parent(s).
Instead of direct therapy with your child, the focus is on helping you learn strategies to support your child’s development at home.

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Parent consultation often includes:

• Understanding your child’s strengths and needs

• Learning how to support communication and social skills

• Creating routines and visuals that build independence

• Reducing challenging behaviors through proactive strategies

• Coordinating care and advocating for school supports

Think of it as guided coaching—you’re equipped with tools and insights to help your child thrive in everyday settings.

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What Is Therapy?

Therapy involves direct services for your child, where a licensed professional works with them individually or in small groups to build specific skills.

Examples include:

• Speech Therapy: Building communication and language

• Occupational Therapy: Supporting sensory processing, motor skills, and daily living

• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA): Teaching adaptive behaviors and social skills

• Play or Counseling Therapy: Supporting emotional regulation and coping

Therapy is hands-on and child-focused—sessions target skill development through structured activities.

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Parent Consultation vs. Therapy: Key Differences

Parent consultation involves direct support to the parent which focuses on education and coaching. At AATC, it involves either virtual or in-person meetings between the professional and parents with the goal of empowering parents to create consistent support. It is best for parents seeking guidance, structure and early support. It also requires hands on and active participation from parents. Therapy is done directly with the child and is focused on skill building and intervention. Sessions for therapy are usually in person. The goal of therapy is to improve specific skills and is best for children needing targeted skill development. The parent role is supportive and collaborative. Both approaches can complement each other—many families start with parent consultation and add therapy as needed.

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​When Parent Consultation Is the Best Fit

Parent consultation may be ideal if:

• Your child is very young (toddler or preschool age)

• You’re waiting for therapy services to begin

• You want to learn ABA-based strategies for daily routines

• Your child is anxious or resistant to traditional therapy settings

• You’re seeking clarity after an autism diagnosis

Through coaching, you’ll learn how to embed developmental strategies into daily life—mealtimes, play, transitions, and more.

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