Faculty Type: Director

Professional Experience

Area of Expertise in Systemic Family Therapy: Life-threatening behaviors, risk assessment, crisis planning, session preparation, program implementation, and professional development.

Current Position

Associate Director, PCFTTC

Additional Information

Area of Expertise in Systemic Family Therapy: Life threatening behaviors, risk assessment, crisis planning, session preparation, program implementation, and professional development.

Dr. Jennifer Benjamin received her doctorate degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Capella University in 2018, and a masters degree in Counseling Psychology from Immaculata University in 2007. She is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) an independent practitioner and organizational consultant in the greater Philadelphia Region. Dr. Benjamin started her ESFT certificate process in 2008 and worked in the field doing FBHMS until 2012. In 2011 she started providing training instruction intermittently. Since 2019 she has been a part of the development and implementation of the center’s training experience. Additional roles at the training center include clinical trainer, training development/implementation, production of trainings across media platforms, and furthering the development of evidence based assessment in ESFT.

Dr. Benjamin has several specialty certificates, and additional evidence based practices, including Accelerated Resolution Therapy, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and a rating of Global Adherence in Standard Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Dr. Benjamin led a comprehensive Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) program for 11-18 year old clients in Pennsylvania, and a Family Base Mental Health Program in Delaware for at risk youth as a former Clinical Director of a community mental health clinic for children and adolescents. While in this role she oversaw the doctoral student practicum program, treatment outcomes, DBT master trainer for South Eastern PA, clinical supervision, sustainability and fidelity processes, and was the onsite manager of the clinical research. She developed several clinical expertise working with emotional disturbed youth with life threatening behaviors, trauma in family systems, and parent training. Finally, Dr. Benjamin spent 10 years as an experiential corporate trainer, game designer, and training manual developer for Action Centered Training.

Dr. Benjamin has taught previously, as an adjunct professor, for the Graduate Counseling Program and the Undergraduate Psychology Program at Rosemont College.

Professional Experience

Clinical practice (since 2011) and supervisory practice (since 2015) in ESFT

Current Position

Assistant Program Director, Family Based Mental Health Services (Montgomery, Berks, and Chester Counties, PA); Director, PCFTTC

Additional Information

Ms. Pinky Mehta is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and an approved AAMFT supervisor.

She is the Director of the Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center, FBMHS Program Director at Creative Health Services, and formerly, the Director of the COAMFTE Post Graduate Certificate Program.

She has a QPR Gatekeeper Instructor Certification. 

Professional Experience

Clinical practice, teaching, and supervision.

Current Position

Executive Director, PCFTTC

Additional Information

Dr. Steve Simms is a licensed psychologist, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and an approved AAMFT supervisor.

He is the director of the Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center and an independent practitioner in Media, Pennsylvania. He specializes in helping caregivers free children, adolescents and young adults trapped in self-defeating, life altering, life threatening patterns.

He has extensive experience in teaching and consulting with in-home family therapy programs, public and private mental health/alcohol and drug treatment programs, and public children and youth services.
He is a former staff psychologist at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic and the Division of Oncology, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, as well as, a former Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

He has authored and co-authored scientific papers, clinical papers, and chapters in pediatric oncology, pediatric psychology, family therapy, and clinical supervision. His book, Breaking the Cycle: How to Turn Conflict into Collaboration When You and Your Patient Disagree with co-authors Dr. George Blackall and Dr. Michael Greene was released in April, 2009.

Professional Experience

Research, teaching, publications, and clinical practice.

Current Position

Clinical Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Director Emeritus, PCFTTC

Additional Information

Background

She was born on March 1, 1943 in Akron, Ohio, United States. Daughter of Alvar Willard and Marion Mitchell Lindblad.

Introduction

Marion Lindblad-Goldberg, Ph.D., LMFT, was a clinical associate professor of psychology, department of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia. She is also Director Emeritus of PCFTTC, formerly known as the Family Therapy Training Center at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Center of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Impact

The Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center offers Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT), a practice-based model developed by Dr. Marion Lindblad-Goldberg. ESFT aims to support families dealing with emotional and behavioral issues to prevent out-of-home placement. Therapists work closely with families in their home and community settings, helping them identify interaction patterns and develop new responses. The approach involves reframing problems, fostering hope, and connecting families with community resources for continued support.

Beliefs

She emphasized seeing families in context and dealing with patterns of relating that are serving a purpose, although symptomatic. She strives to see all caregivers as capable, competent and caring. She had the belief that understanding the connections individuals have is crucial in providing effective support. To make a difference in someone’s life, it is essential to engage with the people they are linked to. And all her work was guided through “every family is their own best resource for change.”

Influential Citations

Lindblad-Goldberg, M., Dore, M.M., & Stern, L.S. (1998). Creating Competence from Chaos: A Comprehensive Guide to Home-Based Services.

Lindblad-Goldberg, M., Dukes, J.L., & Lasley, J. (1988). Stress in black, low-income, single-parent families: normative and dysfunctional patterns. The American journal of orthopsychiatry, 58 1, 104-120 .

Lindblad-Goldberg, M., & Northey, W.F. (2013). Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy: Theoretical and Clinical Foundations. Contemporary Family Therapy, 35, 147-160.

Lindblad-Goldberg, M., Jones, C.W., & Dore, M.M. (2004). EFFECTIVE FAMILY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR YOUTH WITH SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE IN PENNSYLVANIA The Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy Model.

Lindblad-Goldberg, M., & Dukes, J.L. (1985). Social support in black, low-income, single-parent families: normative and dysfunctional patterns. The American journal of orthopsychiatry, 55 1, 42-58 .

Lindblad-Goldberg, M. (2019). Training Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapists and Supervisors. Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy.

Lindblad-Goldberg, M., & Northey, W.F. (2013). Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy: Theoretical and Clinical Foundations. Contemporary Family Therapy, 35, 147 – 160.

Lindblad-Goldberg, M. (1985). Reaching Inward: A Way of Training in Human Systems Thinking.