Touchstone Counseling Services, Inc.140 Mayhew Way, Suite 606
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
925-932-0150
therapy@touchstonecounseling.com
Families In Transition - Services
The Families In Transition Program incorporates many services to help families during transitions:Counseling Programs
Assessment Programs
Courtroom Support
Groups and Classes
Counseling Programs:
Family Restructuring Counseling - The goal of Family Restructuring is to create lasting positive change within the family. The entire family participates so that everyone can be heard and help to create the new family structure. There are four key points to Family Restructuring Counseling that make this process rapid, convenient, and effective:
- We understand that families do not end with divorce. We view both parents as remaining part of an expanded legal and social system that is in the process of change. This view contrasts with standard treatment that sees families and parents as being cut off from both one another and the larger context.
- We focus on the family as a single unit, even after separation. While we also work with individuals, research shows that family therapy gets results and costs less when compared to the multiple fees and time spent in individual counseling.
- We believe that it is vital that both separated parents participate. Children thrive when parents learn to shift their past attitudes towards a team approach that reflects their love for their children.
- We target action and change. We target change that supports healthy families. This differs from simply talking about problems and feelings. In addition, Restructuring is typically short-term (brief) therapy.
Co-Parenting Counseling - The goal of Co-Parenting Counseling is to address the anxiety and anger that stop parents from acting as a team in raising their children. Parents learn and practice skills that reduce conflict as they begin to problem-solve. Topics include accountability, setting limits, showing respect, giving up control and revenge, and other concerns that arise during the separation process and beyond.
Individual Counseling - The goal of Individual Counseling is to change ones behavior in order to promote healthier family relationships.
Assessment Programs:Parenting Needs Assessment (PNA) - The goal of a Parenting Needs Assessment is to help resolve the concerns of parents who believe that their ex is a neglectful or dangerous parent. A PNA evaluates the parent's skills. Specific problems are identified and a program is created that is tailored to the unique needs of that parent. Follow-up testing measures the parent's ability to safely parent their children. PNAs occur over three-eight sessions and include home visits.
Supervised Wrap-Around Assessment For Visitation -The goal is to create a safe bridge between supervised and non-supervised visitation. Parent and child meet with a therapist for a half hour to plan the outing and talk about standards of conduct. Parent and child then have their visit, which can last from one to six hours. They then return to the therapist for a follow-up interview. After meeting with both parent and child, the visiting parent leaves and the therapist talks with the child alone. The child is helped to feel comfortable talking about the visit and is observed for bruises, hygiene, mood, neglect, "keeping secrets," and other signs of abuse.
This process is helpful to the entire family because:
- The custodial parent gains the confidence of knowing that the visiting parent is being closely monitored by a trained professional.
- The child is protected through two evaluations at each visit.
- The visiting parent is kept safe from the custodial parent making new accusations hours or days after the visit.
- Wrap-arounds also teach parents how to be attuned to the child's needs and create visits that the child looks forward to.
- Wrap-arounds offer a step-by-step means of being able to spend more time with one's child and be more involved with their life.
Mediation - The goal of mediation is for both parents to learn and practice negotiation skills with one another. Using these methods reduces the tension and costs that result from using the court to resolve problems. Parents are coached in negotiation skills using topics such as creating custody exchange routines, redefining holiday visits and family traditions, setting parallel house rules, and more.
Court and Mediation Coaching - The goal of this brief coaching program is to reduce the stress involved in going to court, and to increase one's knowledge of courtroom procedures and standards. Topics include stress-busters, role rehearsals for being cross-examined, paperwork, safety plans, dress codes, body language, voice coaching, self-care, and more.
Groups and Classes:
Co-Parenting Class - The goals are to master the skills and attitudes needed to cooperate with the other parent. The class addresses the parental anxiety and anger that limits parents' teamwork in raising their children. Parents learn and practice skills that reduce conflict and solve new or ongoing problems within the family. Topics include accountability, setting limits, showing respect, giving up control and revenge, and other concerns that arise during the separation process and beyond. Parents also benefit from the support and empathy of many other parents.
Singles Parenting Class - The goal is to help parents be better prepared for solo parenting. Parents also gain support from connecting with other singles in a relaxed setting. Each class deals with weekly problems and teaches how to balance household tasks with one's career and parenting. Topics include stress management, setting limits, self-care, how to talk with children about the ex, and more.
16-52 Week Parenting Class - This class meets or exceeds the educational standards set forth in PC 1201.73 and the Welfare and Institutions Code 16507.7. The course includes units on the impact of domestic violence on children, the impact of substance abuse on the family, anger management, non-violent discipline and communication, developmental needs of children from birth to age 18, protecting kids from predators, ADHD, nutrition, money management, and more.
Anger Management Groups - The goal is to teach self-management skills. Students learn to better manage the stressors that result from a divorce and to remain calm and focused while under pressure.
