Therapy

Healing Hearts, Building Hope

Healing starts here. We specialize in helping children and families overcome emotional, behavioral, and relational challenges of trauma and adversity through individual, family, caregiver support, child and adolescent groups and summer camps.

Our therapy team has a wide range of certifications and mental health expertise allowing them to effectively support biological families, children within the foster care system, and those who have been domestically or internationally adopted, and their families.

We Practice Family-Focused Therapy

Caregivers are active participants in the child's therapy, providing valuable insights and working toward shared goals. Caregivers may be involved in role-playing, communication techniques, and learning strategies to support their child's progress.

We Increase Understanding of Trauma Experiences in Families

We equip families to understand how early trauma experiences impact child development. This knowledge empowers them to support the child's ability to navigate intense emotions, relationships, school, and behavior.

We Build Safe Relationships between Caregivers and Children

FamilyForward builds and supports positive, predictable, and safe relationships between caregivers and children through effective communication tools, fostering trust and understanding.

Image of a young boy laying on a bean bag and smiling

What to Expect

Therapy typically begins at the Developmental Trauma Center with individual caregiver meetings. Therapists gather information, create a "brain map" of the child's development impacted by early trauma, and collaborate with families on a personalized treatment plan. Sessions often use play therapy activities to build safety, express emotions, and strengthen caregiver-child bonds.

Program Information

Eligibility

Therapeutic Certifications and Specialties

Therapeutic Youth Groups

Our therapeutic youth groups occur every fall and spring and run for 10 weeks. These groups are designed to create a fun and healthy environment for youth ages 8 to 19 who have experienced abuse and/or neglect in the formative years. We utilize art, mindfulness, group games and music to help members develop a positive sense of self, grow as leaders, build self-regulation skills and connect with peers.

In June and July, we offer weeklong day camps for existing or past clients of FamilyForward services. These camps expand upon our group programming and offer a unique space for youth to further connect.

Caregiver support groups occur in person or virtually and run throughout the year. If you are interested in learning more about our groups or camps, please email us at groups@familyforwardmo.org.

*At this time groups and camps are solely for families formed through adoption, foster care or kinship.

Caregiver Groups

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Helpful Links

Resources for Caregivers

Get Started

Call 314.534.9350 and ask for Intake or email intake.dept@familyforwardmo.org to learn more about FamilyForward’s services.

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Select Locations

Developmental Trauma Center

11358 Van Cleve Ave
Saint Louis, MO 63114-1131
314.968.2350

News and Resources

FamilyForward’s Occupational Therapy Program

Agency Updates
November 10, 2022

By Ashley Wagner, FamilyForward Director of Occupational Therapy What’s the most common question you get when you tell someone about your...

Resources
November 8, 2022

Learning about and healing from collective trauma Much research has been published about how individuals’ trauma impacts communities, but what happens...