Tuesday, January 9, 2018

New Therapist Option in Seattle and how to find a post Placement Adoption Competent and Trauma Informed Therapist

Hello All!

You survived another year!  Welcome to 2018!  I know it has been a long-time sense I have posted. 

Bethany NOW Offers Therapy in Seattle

I wanted to share that Bethany Christian Services has re-opened our ADOPTS (Addressing Post Adoption Stress in Adoptive Children) and post-placement and adoption therapy program here in the Seattle area!!  Finally, after 4 years, we are small but mighty!  Erica Shutes-David, LMHC and Emily Visser, LMHC are our launching team.  We will also be adding Amy Schaller, LICSW as soon as her license is approved (it is pending) --hopefully in the next couple of months (if not sooner).  All will be working part time in the program. To inquire for Bethany’s counseling programs.  Please go HERE.           

*Bethany is looking for 10 families NOW to start the ADOPTS program.  Are you ready?

What is ADOPTs: https://www.bethany.org/other-services/ADOPTS      
ADOPTS offers an evidence-based, specialized, trauma-focused treatment for adopted children with or without PTSD symptoms. It addresses the impact of traumatic experiences on children prior to adoption and gives them the tools to develop healthier coping skills in a post-traumatic stress situation. Bethany’s therapists support children and their parents with education and caring intervention to help each family thrive—not just survive.
 ADOPTS can help your child cultivate skills to: 
·        Develop healthy expressions of emotions 
·        Understand the effects of past trauma 
·        Increase capacity to form healthy attachments 
·        Build personal strengths and self-identity 

Services will currently, only, be offered in one location, an annex to our Shoreline office, located in Phinney Ridge.  We take Regence, Primera, Most Medicaid covered HMOs (including Coordinated Care) and other private insurance plans. 
If you are interested in learning more about any of our counseling services, please go here: https://www.bethany.org/other-services/family-counseling
Other offices that offer therapy within Bethany:  Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, and Wisconsin.

Other Adoption Competent Therapists in Washington State:
Northwest Family Life: Amy Barker, LMHC (Lake City/Tacoma), Barbara Tantrum, LMHC, (Lake City/Tacoma), Lisa Jeffries, LMHC (Bellingham), Chris Cochran, LMHC (Bellingham), Kelli Hall, LICSW (Kirkland/Bellevue), Lindsay Dye, LMHC (Kennewick), Cindy Ridgeway, LMHC (Tacoma), Lesley Joy Ritchie, LMHCA (Lake City)

A Place for Home (List of therapists Trained by Deborah Gray, LICSW and trained in Foster care and Adoption Therapy) (Washington: Bremerton, Vancouver, Seattle, Kennewick, Lynnwood, Bellevue, Vashon, Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island, Kirkland, Renton, Puyallup, Oregon:  Hillsboro, Portland, Astoria, Canada: Vancouver, BC)

Finding the Right Therapist for you
Looking for an adoption competent Therapist can be hugely challenging.  A couple of things to keep in mind.  Not all therapists are created equal and you need to find one that understands you and your child.  Any adoption competent therapist needs to include you, as the parent in the therapy.  Therapy for youth under 12 just is not effective without a parent helping to implement the strategies.  Think about it this way, would your child learn to do math problems if they only had one hour of math a week and never practiced at home, never did homework?  It is the same with therapy.  Would your child do their homework if you were not there to prompt them and guide them and sometimes even help them?  It is the same with therapy.  Do you need to treat your children differently in how you approach them with chores or even homework?  Therapy works the same way, you need to learn about your child and what works best for them. That is part of how a trauma competent, adoption competent therapist should help you and your child, and your family.
According to Dr. Judith Cohen, MD Medical Director, Center for Traumatic Stress in Children & Adolescents at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Any form of child intervention related to anxiety/trauma need to involve parent—the best interventions include the following: PRACTICE

·         Psycho-education of parents-increase parents’ knowledge/awareness
·         Relaxation Skills-for child and family.
·         Affect Modulation-Identification of feeling using words to describe emotions
·         Cognitive Coping Skills-understanding the thoughts behind the behavior
·         Trauma Narrative-having the child share their story-as best they can
·         Invio-Mastery of Trauma Reminders-being able to handle the triggers.
·         Conjoint Sessions with Parents
·         Enhancing Safety

Do your homework-  your time has value so take the time to research
      Find a licensed mental health therapist in your area—be sure they are fully licensed (not in training/associate). Psychologist, Social Worker, LMFT, LMHC
      Research their web page.  What does it say?
      Do they specialize in children? Do they appear to have certification in what your child needs?
      What is their treatment approach or training in?  Does it say?
      Are they convenient enough that you will be able to get there in your busy life and make it work for your family?
      Do they take your insurance? Or can you afford to pay for their cash pay fees?

Contact Therapists who have promise-ASK

      What type of therapeutic intervention do they offer and where were they trained? In what evidence-based treatments have they been trained?
      What is your experience with complex trauma in children (or whatever it is your child’s needs are).
      Who do you do clinical supervision or consultation with?
      What will be expected of me for the treatment to work the best?
      How long should we plan the treatment to take?
      How do you decide when the treatment has worked or has been successful or when it may need to be changed because there is not enough progress?
      What are your fees and how to you take payment?
      How long is your waitlist?

RResources

Adoption Medicine Clinics Search Tool:

Selecting and Working with a Therapist who is Skilled in Adoption  

Choosing Therapy for Adopted Children and Youth 

Finding and Using Post Adoption Services  



Friday, April 28, 2017

Trainings for Adoptive Families


I know many families try and find trainings that are good when parenting their children and other resources.  Parenting kids from hard places is though.  Finding time to gleam information is even harder.  Bethany's Global team does such a good job of finding great trainings out there for families.  Here are a few they have dug up and a couple I have found over the past few months.

Trainings:

 Adoption Learning Partners (ALP) “Raising Black Girls” a Live Webinar on Thursday May 18 at 8pm CT. $18. To learn more and register for the webinar, following the link here: http://www.adoptionlearningpartners.org/catalog/webinars/raising-black-girls.cfm

FASD: Training for Parents Webinar (Bethany store) Many children adopted internationally and from foster care  are alcohol exposed in utero. This webinar will help you better understand indicators that may suggest a child has been prenatally exposed to alcohol, the range of effects that can result of prenatal exposure and resources and services to provide support to children

 Adoptive Families: “Television Shows That ‘Get’ Adoption.” Watching an engaging TV series that features a relevant storyline is a fun, low-pressure way to get your child talking about adoption. Here are five shows that mostly get it right. https://www.adoptivefamilies.com/talking-about-adoption/childrens-television-shows-that-get-adoption/?utm_source=eletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Mar17

The Adopted Life, Episode #1-3 - created& hosted by: Angela Tucker; Produced by: Angela Tucker, Bryan Tucker. This YouTube series follows perspectives of adoptees on all subject areas in cities across the United States.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNH71bnLjxA Episode #1 Washington D.C.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMm_OXmKAUY Episode #2 Los Angeles, CA



Adoptive Families: The How-to-Adopt and Adoption Parenting Network: “25 Children’s Books That Showcase Diversity.” Seeing characters who look like them—and the adults they’ll grow into—in the pages of a book is powerfully affirming for our children. Here are some of Adoptive Families’ favorites to add to your shelves at home and donate to your child’s school or teacher. https://www.adoptivefamilies.com/transracial-adoption/25-diverse-childrens-books/?utm_source=eletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Oct16


Bethany Christian Services’ Adoption Education Webinar: “Same Family, Different Stories” Are you interested in learning helpful tips for parenting biological children alongside children who were adopted or are in foster care? In his 90-minute webinar, therapist and post-adoption specialist Kimberly Reist will explore: What it's like for a typically developing child when a sibling--who may have a history of early childhood trauma and/or neglect--joins your family through foster care or adoption. How parents can help children navigate the changes in your family. Specific ways parents can help provide the safe space and care children need to thrive in an adoptive family. https://www.bethany.org/resources/adoption-resources/adoption-education?utm_source=exact-target&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2016-national-webinar-series


The Liturgists Podcast EPISODE 34 - BLACK AND WHITE: RACISM IN AMERICA Michael Gungor and Science Mike talk with Propaganda and William Matthews about race, racism, white privilege in America.  http://www.podcasts.com/the-liturgists-podcast-67/episode/episode-34-black-and-white-racism-in-america)           

Treehouse Educational Advocacy Training: A guide to working with Schools: http://www.treehouseforkids.org/our-services/academic-resource-center/educational-advocacy-training/     

Treehouse Educational Advocacy Training:  Guide to Special Education Services: http://www.treehouseforkids.org/our-services/academic-resource-center/educational-advocacy-training/

I know it has been a while sense I have posted. The life of a director is VERY busy.  I am hoping in the next few months Bethany can announce we have re-opened our foster care only program in King County.  It will be so exciting. 

Paulette Caswell, LICSW
Bethany Christian Services, Director

Friday, March 3, 2017

ReFresh: FINDING A THERAPIST WHO GETS IT




First you need to know when….

Some reasons you may need to seek professional support:

Helping your child unpack their adoption story, no matter the age.

Nurturing a positive relationship with your child’s birthparent(s), birth family or former foster families.

Advocate for any special needs for your child within an academic setting.

Addressing reoccurring trauma triggers (such as monthly caseworker visits) in your child.

Meet any special medical, learning, behavioral, emotional, or mental health needs of your child, especially if early childhood trauma was experienced.

You especially want to consider intervention if these are impacting more than one domain of their live (school, home, church, peer relationships).

Providing you (as parents) the tools to provide your child a safe and open environment where they can express some of the painful emotions or questions that can come with adoption.

Processing your own feelings of loss, grief or rejection. It is important to find a way to work through these and still be available and engaged to help your child.

There are so many……


Where do you begin the search?

Finding a good therapist can be challenging, but utilizing other resources you know can be really helpful:



oPost adoption Service Agencies

oSupport Group Participants

oOrphan Care Leaders/Ministries

oPediatric Adoption Medicine Clinics

oState/County Case Workers

oPrivate Agency Case Workers

oProfessional Organizations (listed in Resources)

oPediatricians

oSchool Special Education Dept.

oOccupational Therapist

oOther adoptive/foster Families

oReFresh Resource List

oPost Graduate Cert Programs in Adoption Therapy*

o*Portland State University, University of Denver, City University of New York, Rutgers University



Effective Evidence Based Treatments for Trauma:

oTrauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

oAddressing Post Traumatic Stress in Adopted Children (ADOPTs)

oParent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

oFunctional Family Therapy (FFT)



Other Evidence Based and Promising Practices are Listed on the Traumatic Stress Network Website (see resources for links).

Do your homework-  your time has value so take the time to research

Find a licensed mental health therapist in your area—be sure they are fully licensed (not in training/associate). Psychologist, Social Worker, LMFT, LMHC

Research their web page.  What does it say?

Do they specialize in children? Do they appear to have certification in what your child needs?

What is their treatment approach or training in?  Does it say?

Are they convenient enough that you will be able to get their in your busy life and make it work for your family?

Do they take your insurance?






Contact Therapists who have promise-ASK

What type of therapeutic intervention do they offer and where were they trained? In what evidence-based treatments have they been trained?

What is your experience with complex trauma in children (or what ever it is your child’s needs are).

Who do you do clinical supervision or consultation with?

What will be expected of me for the treatment to work the best?

How long should we plan the treatment to take?

How do you decide when the treatment has worked or has been successful or when it may need to be changed because there is not enough progress?

What are your fees and how to you take payment?

How long is your waitlist?


Intervention

According to Dr. Judith Cohen, MD Medical Director, Center for Traumatic Stress in Children & Adolescents at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Any form of child intervention related to anxiety/trauma need to involve parent—the best interventions include the following: PRACTICE

·         Psycho-education of parents-increase parents knowledge/awareness

·         Relaxation Skills-for child and family.

·         Affect Modulation-Identification of feeling using words to describe emotions

·         Cognitive Coping Skills-understanding the thoughts behind the behavior

·         Trauma Narrative-having the child share their story

·         Invio-Mastery of Trauma Reminders

·         Conjoint Sessions with Parents

·         Enhancing Safety



Resources

Adoption Medicine Clinics Search Tool:


Selecting and Working with a Therapist who is Skilled in Adoption  


Choosing Therapy for Adopted Children and Youth 


Finding and Using Post Adoption Services  




  







Professional Organizations:












District branches of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) : Click here to find your APA district branch online.

The psychiatry or psychology department at a teaching hospital or medical school in your community.

National Association of Social Workers' Register of Clinical Social Workers.

American Psychological Association (APA) for a list of psychologists in your area: Call 1-800-964-2000 or access APA's list online.


American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder.



National Child Traumatic Stress Network Evidence Based and Promise Practice Treatment Models





License Search

Washington State:    Provider Credential Search







Paulette Caswell, LICSW
Director, Bethany Christian Services 
Serving children and families throughout the Pacific Northwest
1501 N. 200th St. Ste. 103 Shoreline, WA 98133 
O – (206) 367-4604 x7972  F – (206) 367-1860

www.bethany.org/washington
pcaswell@bethany.org