ABSTRACT
In many dysregulated children, a course of Regulation-Focused Psychotherapy (RFP-C) will result in symptomatic improvement as a result of the development of an increased tolerance of painful emotions. In addition, the problem of premature termination from child psychotherapy is a significant problem and can be as high as 60". Time-limited therapy has been shown to be one of the strategies to avoid premature termination. This chapter makes it clear that children do not necessarily verbalize their understandings about themselves as adults do. The transformative power of the therapeutic relationship is ultimately derived from the unequal relationship between patient and clinician. A very bright, nine-year-old boy, Sam, responded effectively to RFP-C as his dramatic reactions to frustration came to the fore of his psychotherapeutic work with the clinician. As a result of Regulation-Focused Psychotherapy, the child can master painful emotions more effectively and has less need for the use of aggression as his/her main coping device.
