This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Family Psychotherapy on 22 Feb 2017, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08975353.2017.1283143?scroll=top &needAccess=true. Author Note Thanks to Jennifer H. Foss-Feig, Ph.D. for her careful reading and comments on various drafts of this paper. Special thanks to Liat Ornan and Orel Fattal for their diligent and thoughtful work in analyzing the interviews’ manuscripts. Engaging fathers in parent training: A qualitative study Naama Gershy Ph.D., & Haim Omer, Ph.D. Abstract Numerous studies have described fathers’ low participation in child psychotherapy. Few studies, however, have explored the clinical challenges involved in the process of engaging fathers effectively. The present study sought to address this gap by assessing the clinical process that takes place when the father joins therapy. Treatment supporters in a counseling program for child behavior problems were interviewed about clinical cases involving attempts to engage fathers. Qualitative analysis of the interviews revealed three main themes: the father’s initial suspiciousness, the father's prior involvement at home, and the mother’s perception of the father’s help. Based on study results, a new model for fathers’ engagement is proposed. Keywords: ‘Child Behavior Problems’, ‘Fathers’, ‘Engagement’, ‘Parent Training’, ‘Qualitative Research’