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Research in filial therapy has provided strong support for its efficacy in improving parent-child relationships. While studies have extensively examined the impact of filial therapy training on parent and child participants, to date, no study has examined the training experiences of filial therapists. Using a mixed methodological approach, we examined the impact of supervised filial therapy training on graduate counseling students' play therapy attitudes, knowledge, and skills. Twenty-three students voluntarily participated in the study. We conducted paired-sample t-tests to evaluate the impact of a filial therapy course on students' scores on the Play Therapy Attitude-Knowledge-Skills Survey. From pretest to posttest, there were statistically significant improvements and a large effect size on students' scores in the knowledge and skills subscales. To gain a deeper understanding of participants' experiences and explore their perceptions of the supervised filial training, we also utilized individual interviews. Participants discussed their reactions to leading a filial therapy group and participating in supervision. They also described the impact of the training on their beliefs about parents, children, and the dynamics of parent-child relationships. We discuss limitations and implications of the study.

The current study examined the effect of children's positive relationships and interactions with their teachers and the development of executive function (EF) skills in first grade. A primary objective was to examine externalizing behaviour problems (EBPs) as a potential moderator of the link between teacher–child relationships and interactions and EF skills. Participants for the study included 1,364 first‐grade children (48.3% female, M age = 7.02 years, 80.4% White) drawn from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. There was limited evidence suggesting the EBP moderates the relation between teacher–child relationship quality and EF skill development in first grade. Specifically, simple slope trends indicated that teacher–child closeness was positively related to gains in sustained attention for typically developing children but negatively related to sustained attention for children exhibiting borderline to clinical levels of EBPs. Implications of the findings are discussed. Highlights We examined externalizing behaviour problems as a potential moderator between teacher–child relationships, teacher–child interactions, and EF skills. Counterintuitively, teacher‐reported closeness is negatively related to EF gains for children with externalizing behaviour problems. Teachers may have a positive relationship with an externalizing child but need more support and resources to establish expectations for the child's EF skills.

After defining potentially spiritually transformative experiences (pSTEs) and reviewing empirical research on the contents and aftereffects of 2 well‐researched pSTEs commonly disclosed by clients, the authors summarize research on client harm due to counselors’ lack of knowledge, attitudes, and skills to address these experiences appropriately. The authors contend that clients with pSTEs meet criteria for multicultural difference and advocate for including the topic of clients with pSTEs in counselor education diversity course curricula so that counselors are empowered to provide ethical, culturally sensitive, and clinically appropriate services. The authors conclude with suggested content for this curriculum.

The authors conducted a randomized controlled trial study with 56 elementary school children to test the effectiveness of 16 sessions of individual and group child‐centered play therapy (CCPT) in improving social‐emotional assets, including self‐regulation/responsibility, social competence, and empathy. Parent reports indicated that treatment in both CCPT conditions was correlated with substantial gains in overall social‐emotional assets and in the constructs of self‐regulation/responsibility and social competence.