ECOSYSTEMIC STRUCTURAL FAMILY THERAPY (ESFT)

The Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center, Inc. became a corporation in July, 1999, as an outgrowth of the Training Center founded by Salvador Minuchin, M.D. in 1975 for systemic family therapy and training, at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic. The Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center offers Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT) training, education, consultation, and research in family and couples therapy, and developmentally based approaches to child, adolescent and adult behavioral health issues. The Center has trained thousands of mental health and other human service professionals in the practice of family therapy, examining the social ecology of the home, school, and community environments.

Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT) is a clinical model also utilized throughout the state of Pennsylvania to increase child wellness/safety and reduce risk of out of home placement/psychiatric hospitalization for children with Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED). ESFT works through the relationships in the family and their ecosystem to create meaningful change for the child and their caregivers. As such, ESFT is an impactful treatment approach for disrupting Inter-generational and Complex Developmental Trauma.

Watch the high level overview of Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT), based on the logic model. ESFT guides the clinician to work developmentally, relationally, contextually and trauma informed to strengthen parental leadership, attachment, co-regulation and connection to community. The child-focused goals of treatment include reducing symptoms, preventing hospitalization or out-of-home placement, and improving the child’s ability to handle the demands of home, school, and peers. Check out of Continuing Education Store and Systemic Training Products. Email administration@pcfttc.com with questions.