Tantrums signal the distress:

• I’m overwhelmed.
• I’m trying to tell you about a need I have.
• I’m possibly hungry, tired, overwhelmed, lonely, or angry and I don’t know how to handle that yet.
• I need to learn a new way to ask you for this need when I am calm.
• I’m new at figuring out big feelings.
• My brain can’t understand you when I’m feeling this much emotion.
• I need you to be calm so I can figure out these feelings.
• I don’t want to be acting this way.
• I’m watching how you respond to my big feelings so I know how to respond next time.
• I love you and feel safe with you.

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Understanding Tantrums Systemically

In ESFT, a child’s tantrum is not viewed as an isolated behavioral problem, but as a signal of relational and systemic distress within the family. The therapist’s task is to uncover what the behavior is communicating about the family’s functioning, emotional regulation, and attachment patterns. To do that, ESFT clinicians rely on family assessment tools that help organize both data and hypotheses about family structure, meaning, and context.

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1. Structural Map

A structural map helps the therapist visualize family hierarchies, subsystems, and boundaries.

• Question: Who holds power in this system? Who regulates whom?
• Application: A child’s tantrums may reveal an inverted hierarchy—perhaps the child has taken on a leadership or caregiving role due to weak parental alignment. The therapist uses this map to target parental leadership as a treatment goal.

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2. Genogram

The genogram offers a multi-generational view of patterns, roles, and emotional themes.

• Question: How has emotion been managed across generations?
• Application: If a parent grew up in a family where emotional expression was punished, they may struggle to tolerate their child’s big feelings. This insight helps the therapist reframe the tantrum as a learned systemic response rather than defiance.

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3. Ecomap

An ecomap situates the family within their broader social ecology—schools, community supports, stressors, and resources.

• Question: How do external systems impact the family’s capacity to regulate and connect?
• Application: Chronic financial stress or social isolation might amplify dysregulation. The therapist identifies potential supports and incorporates them into the treatment plan.

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4. Critical Events Timeline

This tool tracks significant family stressors, transitions, and traumas over time.

• Question: What events preceded the escalation of tantrums? What strengths exist to help caregivers maintain self regulation and leadership?
• Application: If tantrums increased after a loss, move, or separation, the therapist links behavior to attachment disruptions and works to strengthen co-regulation and caregiver attunement.

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5. Negative Interactional Patterns ( NIP) & Positive Interactional Pattern (PIP)

These patterns identify how members respond to one another based on the structural map at admissions and how the members respond when the family is unbalanced and second order change occurs.

• Question: What is the pattern that binds the family in crisis? What is the pattern that frees the family from crisis?
• Application: A tantrum might trigger parental withdrawal, reinforcing the child’s fear of disconnection. The therapist works to interrupt this sequence through enactments that promote repair and attachment, alliances, co parenting, parental leadership and co-regulation.

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In Summary

Using these tools, the ESFT therapist doesn’t just describe a child’s tantrum—they contextualize it. The behavior becomes a portal into understanding family structure, attachment, and emotional organization. The treatment goal shifts from stopping the tantrum to restoring relational balance so the family can regulate together.

Come to our free CE workshop

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.

🌟 Honoring a Legacy, Celebrating a Community 🌟

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.

#MLGAward #ESFT #SystemicFamilyTherapy #RelationalHealing #FamilyTherapy #PCFTTC #TherapistRecognition #LegacyOfHealing #MLG2025

At the Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center, we are thrilled to recognize Kim D. as a nominee for the 2025 Marion Lindblad-Goldberg (MLG) Award. This award honors professionals who demonstrate exceptional clinical skill, a commitment to systemic family therapy, and a deep dedication to strengthening families through relational healing. Kim embodies these qualities in every aspect of her work.

A Systemic Thinker and Team Supporter

Kim plays a pivotal role in group supervisions, offering her insight to help teams view cases through a systemic lens. She consistently highlights systemic barriers and influences, ensuring that cases are understood beyond the individual level and within the context of larger relational and structural dynamics. Her ability to support and challenge her colleagues fosters a culture of growth and deeper understanding.

Balancing Boundaries with Compassion

Over the years, Kim has shown tremendous growth in her ability to balance professional boundaries while maintaining strong collaborative relationships. With a genuine and caring heart, she is always willing to support those in need. However, what sets Kim apart is her ability to model boundaries in a way that is both kind and respectful, teaching families how to create healthy relationship dynamics within their own systems.

Connecting Families to Their Communities

Kim understands the power of social ecology and actively works to connect families to their communities and available resources. By helping families tap into their natural support networks, she ensures that they are not only receiving clinical support but are also building sustainable connections that will continue to benefit them long after therapy concludes.

Guiding Families Through Crisis and Change

Kim’s ability to support families through crisis is one of her most defining strengths. She remains calm and grounded during difficult moments, guiding families toward stability and healing. She encourages families to identify and strengthen their positive interactional patterns, fostering long-term change and resilience.

A Master of Case Conceptualization and Intervention

Kim’s clinical insight allows her to conceptualize cases at multiple levels, seeing the complexities of family dynamics with clarity and precision. She is skilled at identifying key enactments and reframes, using them to help families shift perspectives and engage in healthier interactions. Her ability to translate theory into meaningful, real-world interventions makes a lasting impact on the families she serves.

A Well-Deserved Honor

Kim DiPiazza is a shining example of what systemic family therapy can achieve. Her dedication to her clients, her colleagues, and the broader community exemplifies the very essence of Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT).

We are proud to celebrate Kim as a 2025 MLG Award nominee and look forward to seeing her continued impact in the field.

Congratulations, Kim! 🎉

The Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center is thrilled to celebrate Kathy Gasparetti’s nomination for the 2025 Marion Lindblad-Goldberg (MLG) Award. This prestigious honor recognizes professionals who embody the principles of Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT) through their leadership, clinical expertise, and dedication to strengthening families.

A Leader Among Her Peers

Kathy Gasparetti is more than just a seasoned clinician—she is a pillar of leadership within PA Mentor. With over eight years of experience in Family-Based Services (FBS), she has earned the respect of her colleagues and serves as an anchor within her department. Her influence is undeniable; when leadership introduces a new policy or initiative, her team instinctively looks to Kathy, recognizing her as both a mentor and role model.

Her leadership has only grown in her new role as supervisor. Though still early in this phase of her career, Kathy has embraced the challenge with an astonishing ability to learn, adapt, and lead with confidence. She not only upholds the integrity of the ESFT model but actively shapes the culture of her department through her guidance, wisdom, and unwavering support of her team.

A Therapist Who Inspires

Beyond her leadership, Kathy is an exceptional clinician. Those who have had the opportunity to observe her work describe it as breathtaking—a seamless blend of compassion and firmness that creates transformative change in the families she serves. She embodies the essence of family therapy, demonstrating deep empathy while holding families accountable for growth and healing.

As a supervisor, Kathy continues to “do therapy” with her teams, modeling therapeutic techniques, providing thoughtful mentorship, and offering steadfast encouragement to newer clinicians. When a struggling therapist recently needed extra support, Kathy volunteered to mentor them, a gesture that left the individual feeling honored to receive one-on-one time with someone they deeply admired.

A Well-Deserved Nomination

Kathy Gasparetti exemplifies the best of family therapy. She is a leader, mentor, clinician, and role model whose impact extends beyond her caseload to shape the future of the profession. Her journey is just beginning, yet she has already demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to systemic work and the families she serves.

We are proud to celebrate Kathy’s nomination for the 2025 Marion Lindblad-Goldberg Award and extend our deepest gratitude for her dedication, passion, and leadership. PA Mentor is lucky to have her, and so is the field of family therapy.

Congratulations, Kathy! 🎉

We are proud to announce that Danitza Ortiz-Rivera has been nominated for the 2025 Marion Lindblad-Goldberg (MLG) Award, recognizing her exceptional contributions to the family-based mental health field and her deep commitment to the ESFT model.

With seven years of experience in family-based services, Danitza has proven to be an invaluable asset to her team, families, and community. She has played a key role in supporting her newest supervisor, assisting in the incorporation of the ESFT model into supervision practices. Her strong understanding of the isomorphic process has allowed her to integrate assessment tools, apply knowledge, and continually seek opportunities for professional growth.

Danitza’s impact extends beyond her immediate team—she actively collaborates with outside agencies to ensure families receive comprehensive, systemic support. She is especially skilled in maintaining healthy boundaries and guiding families through positive changes in their Negative Interactional Pattern (NIP). Her ability to engage in the social ecology of families, while also drawing from her own lived experiences, allows her to connect deeply and authentically with those she serves.

One of Danitza’s greatest strengths is her intentionality. She deliberately engages families in therapeutic work outside of crisis moments, encouraging meaningful exploration of their Positive Interactional Pattern (PIP). She utilizes assessments as a tool for transformation, ensuring that every step of the therapeutic process is rooted in the true essence of family-based services.

Danitza’s passion for learning is evident in the way she actively seeks growth through supervision, training, and peer collaboration. She is not only committed to her own professional development but also dedicated to enhancing the field of family-based mental health as a whole.

For her steadfast dedication, systemic insight, and unwavering commitment to the ESFT model, we proudly celebrate Danitza Ortiz-Rivera’s nomination for the 2025 MLG Award. Her work has left a lasting impact on families, colleagues, and the field, and we are honored to recognize her for this well-deserved distinction.

We are thrilled to announce that Beth Anne Keller has been nominated for the 2025 Marion Lindblad-Goldberg (MLG) Award, recognizing her outstanding dedication, leadership, and expertise in the Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT) model.

With over 15 years of service, Beth Anne has been a cornerstone of the agency, beginning as a Mental Health Worker and rising to Program Coordinator. Throughout her tenure, she has played a pivotal role in training, supervision, and program development, demonstrating an exceptional ability to translate complex ESFT principles into practical, accessible learning experiences.

Beth Anne’s extensive knowledge of the ESFT model has made her an invaluable asset to both new and experienced staff. She works collaboratively with the Program Director, ensuring that the core values of systemic family therapy are upheld with integrity and fidelity. Whether in supervision, training sessions, or direct support to therapists, Beth Anne consistently provides clarity, structure, and a strengths-based perspective, fostering an environment of learning and growth.

One of Beth Anne’s greatest strengths is her ability to bridge complexity with simplicity—a skill that allows her to break down intricate ESFT concepts in a way that is both meaningful and applicable. She embraces the social ecology of families and teams, guiding staff in assessments, treatment planning, and collaborative interventions with intentionality and purpose. Her leadership ensures that the ESFT model is not only understood but effectively implemented in a way that transforms the lives of families.

Beyond her technical expertise, Beth Anne’s willingness to teach, mentor, and inspire has made her an essential force in the program’s continued success. She cultivates learning through curiosity and integrity, always encouraging therapists to explore, reflect, and refine their clinical practice.

For her unwavering commitment to systemic family therapy, dedication to staff development, and passion for advancing the ESFT model, we proudly celebrate Beth Anne Keller’s nomination for the 2025 MLG Award. Her contributions have left an indelible mark on the agency and the families we serve, and we are honored to recognize her for this well-deserved achievement.

At the Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center, we are honored to celebrate Kristen M. as a nominee for the 2025 Marion Lindblad-Goldberg (MLG) Award. This award recognizes professionals who embody the principles of Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT), demonstrating exceptional clinical skills, commitment to systemic change, and a deep understanding of relational healing.

A Master of Joining and Reframing

One of Kristen’s greatest strengths as a family-based mental health worker (MHW) is her ability to join with families in an authentic and meaningful way. Her creativity and out-of-the-box thinking allow her to seamlessly integrate reframes, helping families shift their perspectives while maintaining integrity in the natural assessment process.

Kristen understands the isomorphic process, recognizing how her own growth as a clinician shapes the skills and techniques she brings into family work. She models the same healthy relational dynamics she seeks to foster within families, leading by example and instilling hope.

A Systemic Lens for Lasting Change

With a deep appreciation for social ecology and family systems, Kristen leverages assessments throughout therapy to highlight the interconnectedness of relationships and environments. She helps families identify and strengthen their natural interactional patterns (NIP) while guiding them toward the preferred interactional patterns (PIP) necessary for long-term change. Her strengths-based approach ensures that families feel empowered rather than judged, supported rather than overwhelmed.

Her ability to find clarity within crisis is another testament to her skill. When chaos arises, Kristen remains steady and insightful, helping families navigate challenges with resilience and purpose.

A Leader in Learning and Collaboration

Kristen’s impact extends beyond direct clinical work—she is also a dedicated learner, team member, and mentor. Her attentiveness and engagement during trainings and supervisions set a high standard for professional growth. She brings fresh, innovative perspectives to discussions, enriching the learning environment for her peers.

A Well-Deserved Nomination

Kristen Melendez embodies the heart of systemic family therapy. Through her unwavering commitment to families, her creative problem-solving, and her dedication to ongoing learning, she exemplifies the very best of the ESFT model.

We are incredibly proud to recognize Kristen as a 2025 MLG Award nominee and celebrate her passion, expertise, and impact on the families she serves.

Congratulations, Kristen! 🎉

We are delighted to announce that Christi Taylor has been nominated for the 2025 Marion Lindblad-Goldberg (MLG) Award in recognition of her exceptional understanding and application of Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT). Christi’s ability to integrate systemic thinking, isomorphic process, and strengths-based approaches has made a profound impact on the families she serves and the colleagues she mentors.

One of Christi’s greatest strengths is her deep comprehension of the ESFT model. She not only applies these principles in family-based treatment but also actively incorporates them into trainings and supervisions, ensuring that the model is consistently reinforced across all levels of practice. Her ability to see the larger systemic picture allows her to guide both families and clinicians through complex relational dynamics with clarity and purpose.

Christi excels at maintaining professional boundaries while fostering strong collaboration with families. She creates an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect, allowing families to engage in the therapy process in a meaningful way. Her natural ability to join with families while upholding structure helps facilitate lasting change and growth.

A hallmark of Christi’s work is her commitment to a strengths-based approach. She encourages families to view crisis and chaos as opportunities for learning and transformation, helping them recognize and reinforce positive interactional patterns. Through her skillful use of assessment tools, Christi goes beyond surface-level treatment—she helps families understand their past, present, and future expectations and boundaries, ensuring they have a roadmap for sustained progress.

Christi’s dedication extends beyond her direct work with families. She brings fresh perspectives to supervisions, trainings, and treatment planning, challenging her colleagues to think critically and deepen their own understanding of systemic therapy. Her contributions to the family-based teams enhance the collective ability to provide high-quality, model-driven care.

For her expertise, leadership, and unwavering commitment to systemic family therapy, we are honored to recognize Christi Taylor as a nominee for the 2025 MLG Award. Her work continues to inspire both families and fellow clinicians, leaving a lasting impact on the field of family-based services.