Client Services

Therapeutic Services:

Family Therapy: All of our clinicians are trained as family therapists, in addition to other modalities of mental health treatment. Family therapy is an inclusive model that recognizes the importance of interconnections and strengths within a family. 

Group Therapy: The Family Center staff runs a number of groups for children and adolescents. The focus of these groups are varied and include traditional methods of group work, expressive and dramatic arts (e.g. drumming, arts, role plays) and movement to help youth address their goals.

Couples Therapy: As a branch of family therapy, couples work is intended to help adults through issues related to intimacy, communication, childrearing practices, lifecycle challenges and more.

Individual Therapy: We provide individual therapy to adults and adolescents in order to address a variety of concerns including: anxiety, depression, trauma, attachment difficulties, intimacy problems and lifecycle challenges. Even when we work with adults or adolescents individually, we retain a strong family framework as clinicians. It is often important to recognize the influence of one’s family and childhood, as this helps shape an individual’s relational style, strengths, personality, and decision-making ability.

Clinical Models That Influence Our Work:

Our clinical work is strongly informed by a number of evidence-based treatment models, as well as many highly influential practitioners in the field of mental health:

Family Therapists: There are many excellent family therapists including: Dan Hughes, Salvador Minuchin, Jay Haley, Michael White, Virginia Satir, Murray Bowen, Carl Whittaker, Cloe Madanes, and Lynn Hoffman.

Schools of Family Therapy: Some of the most well-researched and effective forms of family therapy include:

  • Structural Family Therapy
  • Systemic Family Therapy
  • Strategic Family Therapy
  • Bowen Family Therapy
  • Narrative Therapy
  • The Milan School
  • Psychodynamic Family Therapy
  • Attachment-focused Family Therapy
  • Trauma-informed Family Therapy
  • Social Constructionist

Some other well-researched models that we hope to study in the future:

  • Multi-systemic Family Therapy
  • Internal Family Systems

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP): This attachment-based family therapy model was developed by Dan Hughes, Ph.D. The DDP model is one of the most integrative practice models available to help children and adolescents who have been exposed to chronic trauma recover and heal. Many of our staff have trained directly with Dr. Hughes, and use his practice methods to help guide our work.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)/Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): CBT is one of the best researched approaches to working with anxiety, depression and other emotional challenges. DBT is a specific form of CBT intended to help people who are struggling with powerful feelings, self-harm, trauma and addictions. All of our staff members are trained in various components of CBT and DBT.

Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency (ARC): This model was created by staff at the Trauma Center at JRI in Boston. This treatment framework has been used by many mental health centers throughout Vermont, and endorsed by the Vermont Department of Mental Health. Tina is currently on NFI’s training team.

Interpersonal Neurobiology: This is a newer field of study and has been highly influential within mental health and related fields. Pioneered by Dr. Daniel Siegel and others, interpersonal neurobiology is an integrative concept that examines “the ways in which relationships and the brain interact to shape our mental lives” (from Daniel Siegel, Pocket Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiology). The field of social work has similarly been focused on understanding the “biopsychosocial” model of human functioning, and the interplay of various influences on individuals, groups and families.

Child -Parent Psychotherapy (CPP): Developed by Alicia F. Lieberman, Ph.D. and Patricia Van Horn, Ph.D., JD, CPP is a mental health intervention model designed for children up to the age of six who have experienced trauma. The central goal is to support the child-parent bond and restore the “child’s sense of safety, attachment, and appropriate affect and improving the child’s cognitive, behavioral, and social functioning” (www.nrepp.samhsa.gov). Tina and Kate are currently pursing certification in this model and we are developing strong partnerships throughout the state of Vermont with other professionals interested in early childhood mental health.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR “is a psychotherapy treatment that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories” (www.emdr.com). Dave and Tina are Level 2 trained, and both incorporate EMDR into clinical practice. The rest of the staff is expected to be trained in EMDR.

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP): Developed by Pat Ogden, Ph.D., SP is a body-centered treatment approach used for a variety of clinical symptoms and challenges. At the forefront of integrative psychotherapies, this approach has been shown to be particularly useful for helping people exposed to trauma. Mike is beginning a three year training certification in this model.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: This is one of the oldest and most accepted schools of psychotherapy; the psychodynamic approach has its roots in many traditional psychological concepts, and focuses on insight, self-awareness, and the unconscious and changing relational patterns.

Evaluative Services:

The Family Center offers a variety of evaluative services to families, individuals, schools, the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Mental Health and others.   These include:

Trauma Evaluations: Children exposed to chronic trauma (also referred to as toxic stress) often struggle in a number of profound ways. They may suffer from health problems, have difficulty integrating sensory information, struggle to regulate powerful feelings, feel insecure with others and have difficulty with decision making and problem solving. In order to help with treatment, IEP and case planning, the Family Center staff offer comprehensive trauma evaluations.

The goals of each evaluation are twofold:

  1. To help families, youth, and treatment team’s develop individualized trauma-informed intervention to address challenges associated with toxic stress, and
  2. To help professionals develop the therapeutic and educational resources necessary to better address the needs of youth who have experienced chronic trauma.

The process of a trauma evaluation includes:

  1. A Records review.
  2. Clinical interviews with the family, youth, treatment team and other collateral supports.
  3. Administering standardized measures and the Neurosequential Method of Therapeutics (NMT) clinical planning tool.
  4. The Findings Meeting: this is one of the unique components of our trauma evaluations. Family Center staff meets with the treatment team to discuss findings and recommendations, and to talk collaboratively about interventions. Treatment Teams consistently report that the Findings Meeting is amongst the most helpful forum to understand the impact of chronic trauma.
  5. A comprehensive written report that provides clear assessment information and strategies to promote healing and growth.

Psycho-educational and Psychological Evaluations: There are many reasons why a family, school, or professional might request a psychological evaluation. This process allows for a unique and comprehensive understanding of an individual in the context of their family and community. Areas of examination may include cognitive ability and style, memory, mental status, emotional style and behavior. The goals of each evaluation are:

  1. To provide a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s cognitive, psychological, emotional and relational strengths and challenges.
  2. To help caregivers and Treatment Teams develop informed plans to support the child within the context of their family and community.

The process of each evaluation is:

  1. A Records review.
  2. Clinical interviews with the family, youth, treatment team and other collateral supports.
  3. Administering standardized measures and other evaluative tools.
  4. A comprehensive written report that provides clear assessment information and strategies to promote healing and growth.
  5. Follow-up to IEP team’s as needed for implementation.

Please contact us at FamilyCenter@nafi.com for more information, or to make a referral.

 

Email: FamilyCenter@nafi.com

Phone: (802) 951-0450
Fax: (802) 652-2008
45 San Remo Drive, South Burlington, VT, 05403