Youth live within families and function within group settings most of the time. Everyone is affected when a child is hurting. A family systems approach is provided at IYS. This approach allows parents/guardians/caregivers, siblings and extended family to participate in the services (with parental permission) along with the child whenever appropriate. Custodial parents/guardians will find that they are asked to attend most sessions and participate actively in the therapeutic process. It is, after all, the adults in a child's life who are in charge of the quality of that child's life and who can create an environment in which the child can function at his/her best.
Many of our parents do not feel empowered by the time they meet us. They are managing such severe problems with their child that they often feel ineffective and uncertain about what else they can do to help their child. IYS is committed to helping parents get the support they need and to providing parents with the tools to effectively address the unique needs of their son or daughter.
Typically, youth and their parents/guardians are seen individually approximately every two weeks initially. This means that the counselor will meet for an hour with both the child and the parent. The counselor may see one or the other or may meet with the parent(s) and child at the same time. During the time various approaches may be used based upon the identified mental health and developmental needs of the child. Counselors at IYS are trained in various approaches that include cognitive behavioral therapy, play therapy, sand tray therapy, dyadic developmental psychotherapy, family therapy, to name a few.
IYS offers various groups for the youth that address a range of needs. The nature and number of groups vary. Working with children on their issues in a group setting can be a very powerful approach, especially for problems that the child experiences whenever he/she are required to be in group settings, such as at school, in the neighborhoods, at family functions, etc. OYS has offered groups on social skills, life skills, mood regulation, anger management, coping skills, as well as trauma recovery.
IYS offers individualized support and education to parents through the individual counseling services but we have recently begun a parenting series for the parents/guardians of our clients. We recognize that many of our youth experience more severe symptoms, making parenting them extremely difficult. We have found that many of our parents have trouble finding support for the challenges they face due to the unique needs of their children. We are committed to assisting parents find the help and support they need within every program we run. Some parents prefer to meet with other parents and, though they continue to participate in their child's individual sessions, they enjoy the opportunity to gather and share their challenges with other parents who are experiencing the same level of problems with their children.