Clinical Training Program
Over the past five years, the Parent-Child Center, Inc. has focused on the development of a formal clinical training and reflective supervision structure that ensures support for our staff, transfer of knowledge, and implementation of best practices for the children and families we serve. We believe that this decreases staff burn-out and increases implementation of best practices in the field of mental health. We are proud of our transformation into a learning organization, focusing on staff and community education and development. During our 2010 reaccreditation by COA, the team stated that our clinical training program could be a model for other agencies throughout the nation. We are extremely proud of this achievement and will continue to work on expanding our progam.
Achievements over the past few years include:
Development of a clinical internship program with local and online universities as partners; Training and implementation of evidence-based interventions such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents who have experienced abuse and trauma; Training and accreditation of over 25 staff in multiple levels of Triple P; and Specialized training and supervision in Infant Mental Health.
Areas of Specialized Training
Infant Mental Health
As a leading provider in the community of services for pregnant mothers and young children, Parent-Child Center has focused on developing the capacity of staff to provide quality, best practice services to this population. This year, funded by the Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County, eight of our staff graduated from the 10-month program conducted by the prestigious Harris Institute for Infant Mental Health at the Center for Early Intervention at Florida State University with Dr. Herb Quay and Anne Hogan as facilitators. Dr. Joy Osofsky, Director of the Harris Center for Infant Mental Health at Louisiana State University Health and Sciences Center also facilitated segments of the training and will be providing follow-up supervision. In addition, through our Early Childhood Wellness (ECW) program, teams of our therapists and nurses have received, hands-on specialized training, which included ongoing reflective supervision, by a team of experts in the area of early childhood development and social-emotional interventions.
Triple P
Training and accreditation in the Triple P (Positive Parenting) Program, including Levels 3 - Primary Care Triple P, 4 - Standard Triple P and 5 - Enhanced Triple P, Level 5 Pathways Triple P, and Group Triple P. We have two teams of therapists in our Primary Care and Triple P Programs that focus on providing primarily Triple P services to families. Therapists and staff in our Outpatient, Early Childhood Wellness, Infant Mental Health, and Partners for Prevention programs have also received accreditation in Triple P. For more information, visit the Triple P America website.
Conscious Discipline
In August 2010, thirty-nine of Parent-Child Center’s therapists were trained on the Conscious Discipline model developed by Dr. Beck Bailey. Conscious Discipline is a comprehensive classroom management program and a social emotional curriculum. It is based on current brain research, child development information, and developmentally appropriate practices. Conscious Discipline has been specifically designed to make changes in the adults first. The adults, in turn, change the lives of children.
Child-Centered Play Therapy
In September, 2010, the Parent-Child Center hosted a training by Dr. Garry Landreth at the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County. Dr. Landreth is internationally known for his writings and work in promoting the development of child-centered play therapy. He is a Regents Professor in the Department of Counseling and Founder of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of Texas. 60 therapists attended the training.
Dr. Landreth’s presentation focused on Healing the Hurting Child. Therapists were given the opportunity to increase their skills by learning healing messages needed by children; different techniques for therapeutic limit setting; the therapeutic process of change in play therapy; and some essentials in facilitating the group play therapy process.
Filial Therapy
In 2010, Dr. Risë VanFleet and four of her colleagues conducted an intensive four day experiential training on Filial Therapy for 30 Parent-Child Center therapists. Dr. VanFleet is the Founder and President of the Family Enhancement & Play Therapy Center, Inc. in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, an organization specializing in the training and supervision of child, family, and play therapy professionals. They also provide mental health services for children and families. Dr. VanFleet is a certified Filial Therapy therapist, supervisor, and instructor, and a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor. She specializes in strengthening family relationships through play, and has subspecialties in chronic medical illness, disaster mental health, child/family trauma and attachment interventions using play therapy and filial therapy, and the use of canines in play therapy. Dr. VanFleet brings 35 years of clinical, supervisory, and leadership experience in community mental health, health care, education, and independent practice settings to her workshops. She has trained and supervised thousands of clinicians internationally. She will be providing ongoing supervision for staff interested in Filial Therapy accreditation.
Filial Therapy is a family therapy approach that uses play as the primary means of helping parents and children communicate, work through problems, and strengthen relationships. It was conceptualized by Drs. Bernard and Louise Guerney in the late 1950’s and after 45 years of research has been empirically validated as a very effective approach. In Filial therapy, the parent is used as an ally in the therapeutic process, assumes the therapeutic role and becomes the ‘agent of change’ in the child’s life. For more information on Filial Therapy, you can visit Dr. VanFleet’s website at: www.play-therapy.com.
Upcoming Training & Workshops
In April, Parent-Child Center, Inc. will be offering a workshop by Dr. Angela Cavett, Integrating Play Therapy into Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Click here to view the brochure.
For more information about our clinical training program, please contact Christine vonBallmoos, LCSW, Director of Clinical Training.
