Author: Jennifer Benjamin

  • Work-Life Balance & Burnout: How Systemic Therapists Can Reclaim Their Energy

    Burnout is real—but it doesn’t have to be inevitable.

    As systemic family therapists, we dedicate ourselves to supporting families through some of their most difficult challenges. We hold space for pain, navigate complex relational dynamics, and work tirelessly to create meaningful change. But in the process, we often forget one crucial factor—ourselves.

    Burnout and compassion fatigue are alarmingly common in our field. The emotional demands of therapy, coupled with long hours and the pressure to “fix” problems, can leave even the most passionate therapists feeling drained. And when burnout sets in, not only do we suffer—our clients do, too.

    So how do we protect our energy while still showing up fully for the families we serve?

    1️⃣ Set Boundaries & Honor Them

    Many therapists struggle to set limits around their work, feeling guilty if they’re not constantly available to clients. But the truth is, a burnt-out therapist is not an effective therapist. Set clear work hours, avoid taking calls or answering emails outside of those times, and give yourself permission to say “no” to extra obligations that don’t serve you.

    2️⃣ Prioritize Work-Life Balance

    A fulfilling personal life is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation, whether that’s spending time with loved ones, exercising, or engaging in hobbies. Remember: Your well-being is just as important as your clients’.

    3️⃣ Build a Strong Peer Support Network

    Isolation makes burnout worse. Surround yourself with other systemic therapists who understand the unique challenges of this work. Whether through supervision groups, professional organizations, or casual meetups, connecting with others in the field provides validation, support, and fresh perspectives.

    4️⃣ Keep Growing Through Professional Development

    Burnout can sometimes stem from feeling stuck or stagnant in our work. Engaging in continued learning—whether through workshops, consultation groups, or advanced training—can reignite our passion and remind us why we love this work in the first place.

    5️⃣ Remember: A Healthy Therapist = Better Therapy

    When we take care of ourselves, we show up more present, engaged, and effective in the therapy room. Prioritizing our own well-being is not selfish—it’s a necessary part of providing the best possible care for the families who trust us.

    🔥 Therapists, how do you protect your energy and prevent burnout? Share your strategies in the comments!

  • Transforming Ineffective Methods: How Professional Development Creates Positive Outcomes

    As systemic family therapists, we are deeply invested in the well-being of our clients. However, every therapist faces moments of doubt—wondering whether their interventions are effective or if they are truly facilitating change. The fear of ineffectiveness can be daunting, but professional development provides the tools and confidence needed to refine our methods and improve client outcomes.

    The Challenge of Stagnation

    The evolving nature of family dynamics and mental health challenges means that therapeutic approaches must also evolve. Without continuous learning, therapists risk falling into patterns that may not fully address the complexities of their clients’ needs. Ineffectiveness can stem from outdated techniques, a lack of new insights, or difficulty adapting to diverse family structures and experiences.

    How Professional Development Bridges the Gap

    Engaging in ongoing training, workshops, and peer consultations allows therapists to:

    • Stay Updated on Best Practices – Evidence-based approaches are always advancing. Professional development ensures therapists stay informed about the latest techniques, such as Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT) or trauma-informed care.
    • Enhance Clinical Skills – Through supervision and training, therapists can refine their interventions, improve their assessment strategies, and apply systemic principles with greater precision.
    • Boost Confidence in Treatment Approaches – Learning from experienced professionals and engaging in case discussions help therapists feel more assured in their ability to navigate complex cases.
    • Increase Positive Client Outcomes – When therapists grow, so do their clients. A well-trained therapist is better equipped to foster meaningful change in families, leading to improved relationships and emotional well-being.

    Making Professional Growth a Priority

    Therapists should seek out continuing education opportunities, participate in peer networks, and remain open to feedback. Investing in professional development not only enhances therapeutic effectiveness but also ensures clients receive the highest quality of care.

    At PCFTTC, we offer training programs designed to equip therapists with the skills needed to succeed. Let’s commit to lifelong learning, so we can continue to create positive, lasting impacts on the families we serve.

    How do you stay engaged in professional development? Share your experiences below!

  • March 2025 Newsletter

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  • Honoring Excellence in Family Therapy – Denise S. Nominated for the 2025 Marion Lindblad-Goldberg Award

    MLG Award- Supervisor

    The Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center is proud to announce that Denise Stoneroad has been nominated as a supervisor for the 2025 Marion Lindblad-Goldberg (MLG) Award. Denise’s nomination is a powerful recognition of her unwavering commitment to systemic family therapy, her leadership in guiding clinicians, and her dedication to fostering resilience in families.

    With a deep appreciation for systemic perspective, Denise challenges the traditional view of adolescents with “bad” behavior being seen in isolation. Instead, she ensures that her teams assess family interactions as a whole, seeking to understand the root causes of behaviors rather than focusing on a single identified client. During the challenges of the pandemic, she demonstrated exceptional leadership, guiding her team to grow stronger, adapt, and collaborate rather than becoming isolated—just therapists encourage families to do in therapy.

    As a supervisor, Denise embodies the balance between professional boundaries and collaboration. She has cultivated a culture where clinicians build their own competence and resilience rather than relying on her to “rescue” them. By reinforcing patience and preparation, she helps clinicians and families develop the confidence to tackle challenges independently.

    Denise also engages in social ecology with a keen sense of self-awareness. She encourages her teams to explore their own lived experiences and how those experiences shape their professional growth. A strong proponent of deliberate practice and videotaping, she fosters an environment of continuous learning—both for herself and for those she supervises.

    Where others might see chaos as overwhelming, Denise sees opportunity. She remains calm and courageous in the face of crises, guiding her teams to help families make meaningful, lasting changes. Whether supporting caregivers in shifting family dynamics or helping clinicians navigate their own professional challenges, she instills the mindset that struggle is a stepping stone to transformation.

    Denise’s ability to assess with complexity while acting with simplicity makes her an invaluable mentor. She helps her teams synthesize large amounts of data, break it down into meaningful insights, and use it to engage families in treatment planning. Through her guidance, clinicians help caregivers see problems in a new light and build stronger, child-centered, caregiver-led plans for family success.

    Denise Stoneroad’s nomination is a testament to her extraordinary impact on systemic family therapy. Her leadership, insight, and commitment to second-order change embody the very essence of the MLG Award.

    Please join us in celebrating Denise and her remarkable contributions to the field. Stay tuned as we continue to highlight the incredible nominees shaping the future of family therapy!

  • Protected: Ted Lasso’s Leadership Lessons for Systemic Family Therapists: Part 3 – Accountability, Adaptability, and Collaboration

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  • Protected: Ted Lasso’s Leadership Lessons for Systemic Family Therapists: Part 2 – Leading Change in Families

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  • Ted Lasso’s Leadership Lessons for Systemic Family Therapists: Part 1 – Foundations of Connection

    When working with families, systemic therapists know that the foundation of change isn’t built on interventions alone—it’s built on relationships, trust, and belief in the family’s ability to grow. Ted Lasso, with his unshakable optimism and human-centered leadership, provides the perfect framework for approaching therapy with warmth, curiosity, and connection. In this first installment of our Ted Lasso Leadership Lessons for Systemic Family Therapists series, we explore three core principles that set the stage for effective therapy: Be Curious, Not Judgmental; Believe in Your People; and Build Relationships First.

    1. Be Curious, Not Judgmental

    One of Ted’s most memorable quotes comes from an impromptu game of darts: “Be curious, not judgmental.” This mindset is critical in family therapy. When families enter the therapy room, they often expect to be judged—by society, by professionals, even by each other. Our job as systemic therapists is to replace judgment with genuine curiosity.

    🔹 Instead of assuming why a caregiver reacts a certain way, ask about their experience.

    🔹 Rather than labeling a child as “oppositional,” explore the relational function of their behavior within the family system.
    🔹 Shift from seeing a family’s struggles as resistance to seeing them as adaptations to their environment.

    Curiosity opens doors to deeper understanding, allowing us to join with families instead of positioning ourselves as distant experts. It also models a relational stance that caregivers can adopt in their interactions with their children.

    2. Believe in Your People

    One of Ted Lasso’s defining qualities is his unwavering belief in his team—even when they don’t believe in themselves. Families coming into therapy often feel defeated and stuck, weighed down by patterns they can’t seem to break. Therapists must hold the hope for them, even when they’ve lost sight of it themselves.

    🔹 Instead of focusing solely on deficits, highlight family strengths—even the small ones.

    🔹 Normalize the difficulty of change while reinforcing that progress is possible.

    🔹 When a caregiver expresses doubt, remind them of moments when they successfully supported their child.

    Believing in families doesn’t mean ignoring their struggles—it means seeing their potential for growth and resilience, even when they can’t see it themselves.

    3. Build Relationships First

    Ted Lasso doesn’t walk into a locker room and immediately start coaching strategy—he builds relationships first. Systemic therapists must do the same. Techniques and interventions are important, but without a strong therapeutic alliance, they fall flat. Families need to feel safe, heard, and valued before they’re willing to engage in change.

    🔹 Take the time to join with each family member and understand their perspective.
    🔹 Use humor, warmth, and presence to create an environment where families feel comfortable.
    🔹 Be mindful of power dynamics and subsystems, ensuring that all voices—especially those who feel unheard—have space in the room.

    Therapy is a collaborative process, and when families feel a connection with their therapist, they are more willing to take the risks necessary for change.

    Conclusion: Laying the Groundwork for Change

    Systemic therapy is about creating an environment where transformation is possible—and that starts with how we show up. When we approach families with curiosity instead of judgment, believe in their ability to grow, and prioritize relationships over interventions, we lay the foundation for meaningful change.

    Stay tuned for the next installment in our series, where we explore how optimism, vulnerability, and small actions shape the therapeutic process. Until then, remember: Believe!

  • When the Caregiver Is Hopeless, They Need a Reframe!

    As systemic family therapists, we often meet caregivers who feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and hopeless. They’ve tried everything, yet nothing seems to change. The child’s behaviors persist, stress mounts, and they begin to believe that their situation is unfixable. This is where reframing becomes one of the most powerful tools we have.

    Why Do Caregivers Lose Hope?

    Caregivers become hopeless when they no longer believe in their ability to make a difference in their child’s life. This can happen for many reasons:

    • They’ve tried multiple strategies without success.
    • They feel blamed or judged by professionals.
    • They are emotionally drained from ongoing struggles.
    • They see their child’s behaviors as permanent and unchangeable.

    When a caregiver loses hope, their ability to be an effective leader in the family weakens, making it even harder for change to happen. This is why reframing is essential—it shifts their perspective and helps them see a path forward.

    The Power of Reframing

    Reframing isn’t about ignoring a caregiver’s struggles or dismissing their pain. It’s about helping them see things differently so they can regain a sense of agency, purpose, and confidence.

    Example 1

    Caregiver: “They cut themselves again!”

    Therapist: “This is a high stakes situation…it makes sense you are scared you don’t want to lose your child to depression…you know what it takes to overcome depression…I can’t help but wonder how you did that…can you tell me about that…”

    Example 2

    Caregiver: “They have to go to the hospital they want to die.”

    Therapist: “Oh my…your child believes they have burdened you and killing themselves is the only option they have…It is tragic how they aren’t experiencing the love you have for them…”

    Example 3

    Caregiver: “The kid is the problem…not me”

    Therapist: “Can I tell you where I think we need your leadership? The unwanted guest of addiction has everyone bound to secrecy…Can you help me take stand against the addiction haunting this family?!”

    Reframing Is Isomorphic

    The way we reframe for caregivers is isomorphic to what we want them to do for their child. Just as caregivers need to see their efforts in a new light, children need caregivers who can see beyond their behaviors and recognize their underlying needs.

    Final Thoughts

    When caregivers feel hopeless, they don’t need more strategies or interventions, they need a shift in perspective that restores their confidence. As therapists, our job is to help them see their strength, their efforts, and their ability to create change—because once a caregiver believes in themselves again, hope returns, and change becomes possible.

    💡 Want to learn more about using reframing in systemic family therapy? Stay connected with our blog for insights, training opportunities, and expert guidance!

  • Protected: 2025 February Newsletter

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  • Protected: “Do the Things That Don’t Take Any Talent”

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