Celebrating Connection and Community: Reflections for the Fourth of July
As we gather with family, friends, and neighbors to celebrate the Fourth of July, we’re reminded that this holiday is about more than fireworks and parades. It’s a time to reflect on the values of belonging, connection, and community—values that lie at the heart of our mission at the Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center (PCFTTC).
Just like families, communities thrive when we recognize our interdependence. While independence is an important theme of this holiday, true strength comes when we honor both individual voices and collective responsibility. In systemic family therapy, we see this every day: lasting change happens when every family member feels heard, valued, and part of the process.
This same truth applies to the broader systems we’re part of—our neighborhoods, our schools, our workplaces, and our professional communities. Whether it’s a caregiver learning to lead with hope or a community coming together to support its most vulnerable members, the power of connection fuels healing and growth.
As you enjoy today’s festivities—whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a community event, or quiet time with loved ones—we invite you to take a moment and reflect:
How do you create space for every voice to be heard?
How do you foster belonging in your work with families and in your own community?
How can we, together, build systems that offer hope and healing?
From all of us at PCFTTC, we wish you a safe, joyful, and meaningful Fourth of July. May we continue to build stronger families and communities—one connection at a time.
Celebrating Connection and Community: Reflections for the Fourth of July
As we gather with family, friends, and neighbors to celebrate the Fourth of July, we’re reminded that this holiday is about more than fireworks and parades. It’s a time to reflect on the values of belonging, connection, and community—values that lie at the heart of our mission at the Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center (PCFTTC).
Just like families, communities thrive when we recognize our interdependence. While independence is an important theme of this holiday, true strength comes when we honor both individual voices and collective responsibility. In systemic family therapy, we see this every day: lasting change happens when every family member feels heard, valued, and part of the process.
This same truth applies to the broader systems we’re part of—our neighborhoods, our schools, our workplaces, and our professional communities. Whether it’s a caregiver learning to lead with hope or a community coming together to support its most vulnerable members, the power of connection fuels healing and growth.
As you enjoy today’s festivities—whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a community event, or quiet time with loved ones—we invite you to take a moment and reflect:
How do you create space for every voice to be heard?
How do you foster belonging in your work with families and in your own community?
How can we, together, build systems that offer hope and healing?
From all of us at PCFTTC, we wish you a safe, joyful, and meaningful Fourth of July. May we continue to build stronger families and communities—one connection at a time.
Both workshops provided by Jennifer Benjamin and Pinky Patel earned “Highly Attended Presentation” badges for their engaging and well-received trainings.
We left feeling inspired, energized, and with more great memories (and photos) than we can count. You’ll have to wait for the full newsletter for the complete photo recap—but until then, here’s a sneak peek:
Pinky Patel and Jennifer Benjamin had the exciting opportunity to record a podcast episode with the National Center for Innovation and Excellence. The conversation focused on all things strengths-based and context-sensitive, with a key takeaway reminding us: “You can’t psychoeducate a strength into someone… they already have them.”
Stay tuned for more highlights from this incredible event in our upcoming newsletter!
An important distinctions we make in Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT) is the difference between first-order change and second-order change. Understanding this difference is crucial for therapists committed to creating meaningful, sustainable outcomes for families.
First-Order Change: Behavior Changes in Interactions (Linear, External, and Compliance-Driven)
First-order change focuses on surface-level behavioral shifts. It’s linear, cause-and-effect in nature, and often driven by external factors like rewards, consequences, or direct instructions. The goal is to stop or start a behavior, and the motivation is frequently tied to the fear of punishment or the promise of a short-term incentive.
While first-order change can offer temporary relief, it rarely addresses the deeper relational dynamics that sustain the behavior over time. In many cases, the family’s underlying patterns remain intact because the structure is still the same. The change is often fragile—likely to regress the moment the external motivator is removed.
For example, a child might stop yelling because they’ve been threatened with the loss of screen time. But without addressing the relational patterns driving the behavior—like poor emotion regulation or lack of parental leadership—the change won’t last.
Or the professional may step in and redirect the child. This makes the therapist part of the structure. So of course the behavior changes. When the therapist leaves the unwanted behaviors signaling distress come racing back!
Second-Order Change: Relational Changes in Interactions (Internal and Transformative)
Second-order change, in contrast, happens at the level of structure, meaning, and relationship. It’s not just about doing something different—it’s about thinking, feeling, and relating differently. The structure (hierarchy, boundaries, and family culture) requires a collaborative change and active in deliberating practicing shift in roles, and new patterns/ emotional responses.
Second-order change is: ✅ Internal – driven by insight, motivation, and relational shifts ✅ Dynamic – involving multiple members of the family system ✅ Sustainable – changes are maintained because they’re meaningful and integrated into daily life ✅ Collaborative – both caregivers and children participate in creating and maintaining new patterns
In ESFT, we guide families toward second-order change by focusing on co-regulation, attachment, co parenting, alliance building, and caregiver leadership. We help families see their patterns, understand their emotional processes, and take ownership of creating new interactional cycles that are healing, not harmful.
For instance, instead of a caregiver demanding a child “just calm down,” the family works together on building emotional safety and regulation strategies that change how stress is handled systemically.
Why the Difference Matters
First-order change may help in the short term—but second-order change transforms the family system. It’s the difference between managing symptoms and reshaping the emotional environment that sustains wellness over time. At PCFTTC, our focus is always on helping therapists and families work toward deep, relational, and lasting change—the kind of change that doesn’t rely on external control but grows from within.
Example of First-Order Change (External, Linear, Compliance-Based)
Scenario: A teenager is refusing to complete homework and is spending excessive time on video games.
Therapist Intervention (First-Order): The therapist coaches the caregiver to implement a behavioral consequence plan:
The caregiver tells the teen, “If you don’t complete your homework by 7 PM, you lose access to video games for the rest of the night.”
The teen complies with the homework expectation—but only because of the fear of losing privileges.
What makes this First-Order Change?
It’s linear: If you don’t do X, Y will happen.
It’s externally motivated: The change happens due to fear of consequence, not internal motivation.
It’s compliance-focused and likely temporary: If the caregiver stops enforcing consequences, the old pattern will likely return.
Example of Second-Order Change (Internal, Relational, Sustainable)
Scenario: Same teenager, same homework avoidance.
Therapist Intervention (Second-Order): The therapist works with the entire family system to explore the relational and emotional dynamics driving the avoidance through the family assessment tools. Therapist discovers:
The teen feels disconnected and overwhelmed but doesn’t know how to express this.
The caregiver tends to escalate quickly into frustration and yelling, which increases the teen’s avoidance and emotional shutdown.
The therapist guides the family to deliberately practice in session:
Improve caregiver leadership and co-regulation:
The caregiver practices giving clear, emotionally regulated instructions and checks in with the teen about emotional needs before setting expectations.
Build emotional safety:
The teen is helped to voice feelings of anxiety around schoolwork.
Develop a new relational pattern and anchor it:
Together, the family creates a homework plan that includes built-in support, positive connection time afterward, and space for emotional check-ins.
What makes this Second-Order Change?
This change is caregiver lead and therapist facilitated.
The family shifts relational dynamics and emotional responses—not just behaviors.
Motivation becomes internal and relational, not driven by fear or reward.
Caregiver leadership is strengthened, and the teen feels emotionally safer and more engaged, making the change sustainable over time.
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Zoë will be managing the learning portal, certificates, evaluation analysis, and training course access.
Zoë Rogers is a versatile and passionate wellness professional dedicated to supporting others on their journey toward health, balance, and personal growth. As the owner of 333 Divinity, she blends her expertise as a certified life coach, Reiki practitioner, licensed massage therapist, and esthetician to create personalized healing experiences for her clients.
Zoë holds certifications in Reiki (Levels I–III), Health & Life Coaching, Medical Massage, Cupping, Hydrotherapy, Clinical Massage, and Stretch Therapy. She completed her training at Cortiva Institute, earning licensure as both a massage therapist and esthetician.
With a professional background that spans wellness, customer service, and team leadership. Zoë brings strong communication, organization, and interpersonal skills to every environment she works in. Whether managing pop-up events or providing therapeutic bodywork, she leads with empathy, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to client care.
Her approach combines intuitive energy work with practical coaching strategies, helping individuals increase their quality of life and achieve meaningful personal goals.
Rachael will be managing video editing for continuing education programs and Homestudy course build outs.
Rachael Roberts, M.S., is a dedicated and compassionate human services professional with over 20 years of experience supporting children, youth, and families. She holds a Master of Science in Human Services with a specialization in Counseling Studies from Capella University, and a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University.
Rachael currently serves as a Lead Teacher at Lower Providence Presbyterian Preschool, where she designs and implements curricula and collaborates with families and mental health providers to ensure holistic care for young children. Her previous roles include Child & Adolescent Outpatient Therapist and Case Manager Supervisor at the Devereux Foundation, where she provided therapeutic services and led teams delivering critical behavioral health supports.
Known for her empathy, leadership, and deep understanding of child development, Rachael combines clinical insight with practical classroom strategies to support emotional wellness and academic readiness. She is also skilled in coordinating care, crisis intervention, and advocating for children’s mental health across home, school, and community settings.
In addition to her clinical and educational expertise, Rachael brings strong technical skills in communication, documentation, photography and digital content creation, including website design and social media outreach.
Before we announce the recipients of this year’s Marion Lindblad-Goldberg (MLG) Award, we want to pause and honor what this award truly represents.
Dr. Marion Lindblad-Goldberg’s vision shaped the foundation of Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT) and transformed the landscape of Family Based Mental Health Services. Her work reminds us that healing happens in relationships—and that our most powerful tool as clinicians is the ability to see the whole system, join with families in their distress, and lead with compassion, clarity, and integrity.
Each of this year’s nominees embodies that legacy in their own way—through their commitment to growth, their systemic insight, and their unwavering dedication to the families they serve.
This moment isn’t just about who receives the award—it’s about celebrating the collective strength, heart, and brilliance of this entire community.
💙 Please join us in recognizing the incredible nominees for the 2025 MLG Award—you are the living legacy of Marion’s work.
