In family group therapy, if a parent is observing extreme annoyance toward the child, what is the recommended course of action?

• A. Report back to nurse, support both of them (parent and child)
• B. Publicly scold the parent
• C. End the session and cancel family therapy
• D. Separate the parent and child for the duration

Answer: (A)

When a parent shows extreme annoyance toward the child in family therapy, the priority is to address safety and maintain the therapeutic flow by involving the care team. Reporting the situation to the nurse and offering support to both the parent and the child keeps the environment safe while you work on de-escalation and coping strategies. The nurse can assess risk, provide immediate support, and coordinate next steps, ensuring that neither the parent’s frustration nor the child’s vulnerability goes unaddressed. This approach models constructive handling of strong emotions and helps preserve the alliance of the family in therapy.

Publicly scolding the parent undermines trust and can escalate defensiveness, so it isn’t appropriate. End­ing the session and canceling family therapy stops progress and neglects the opportunity to intervene on the dynamics in real time. Separating the parent and child for the duration may be necessary in some situations, but the standard response is to engage the nurse and support both parties, addressing the moment while keeping therapy on track.