Individual and Family Therapy

Therapy services are offered to children ages 3-18 yrs. that have a presenting concern of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse and/or neglect. At intake, the therapist will meet with the parent and child (sometimes separately) to gather information about the child, the child’s special circumstances, and to discuss the needs of each child and family member, taking into account the unique needs of the child and family being served. In order for therapy to be most effective, the non-offending parent/guardian is expected to participate in the therapy process. If the child is in foster care, the foster parent and DSS case worker are expected to act in lieu of the parent.

Various therapeutic strategies are used to assist children in healing from their abuse/neglect history.  A specific type of therapy that has been proven effective, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, is often used to assist the child and family in identifying feelings, learning coping skills, processing traumatic events, and moving forward in the healing process. 

Children are typically seen in a playroom filled with therapeutic items such as toys, games, and arts/crafts to help them express themselves and work through their feelings in a safe and child-friendly environment.  Teenagers have the option of being seen in the therapist’s office where they may work on their healing in a safe and private environment.

Group therapy is offered to children, adolescents, and non-offending family members. Group participants learn that they are not alone in their recovery and are given tools to assist them in learning to cope with their abuse/neglect history. Groups are planned at various times throughout the year as time and staff participation allow and vary in subject matter based upon the needs of the children and families being served.

Parent education is offered on child abuse topics and ways to assist the child in recovering from their abuse history. Supportive guidance is offered to families and caregivers in order to help them become better equipped to deal with their own emotional responses to their child’s situation. Parents that are adult child abuse survivors may need additional individual therapy and thus may be referred to outside adult service providers within their community.