Friends and Family University

What types of topics are discussed?

Members of the treatment teams will discuss subjects specific to your loved one’s treatment. For child and adolescent programs, you will learn parenting strategies and guidelines that impact your child’s mental health recovery. Some examples include:

• Effectively communicating with your child, including validating, listening, being mindful, and emotion coaching
• Distinguishing between parenting styles and how they can impact behavior
• Behavior modification
• Understanding that kids need parents to do their best in order for kids to do their best
• Family symptom accommodation
• Parenting practices to avoid
• Identifying what’s important for children to be happy and successful in their recovery
• Thought challenging and other cognitive skills
• Knowing when it’s time to ask for more help
• What support or tools will I get from Friends and Family University?

Depending on your child's care, parents will receive copies of the treatment teams’ presentations as well as supplementary handouts to guide you in better understanding the skills discussed.

What do our past patients’ parents say about Friends and Family University?

“We learned so much and were immediately able to apply what we learned to our entire family. They empowered us. We met weekly with Mary Lee and she answered all emails immediately. She came up with individual ideas for treatment for our daughter and really listened to us.”

“At Rogers, my son found a group of peers who ‘got it.’ And I found a group of parents who understood the struggles of balancing other children, work, bad days, good days (would they last?). Even though these are most likely transient relationships, they gave validation and compassion (and sometimes just a hug and an ‘I understand’) to us as we walked this PHP/IOP road.”

What programs include Friends and Family University as part of treatment?

For children and adolescents, Friends and Family University is offered in our treatment for depression and other mood disorders, eating disorders, OCD and anxiety for children through age 12, and the Nashotah Center for DBT for adolescents. Each session is tailored to the specific treatment. Note that for adolescents, depending on particular state laws, family involvement may depend on approval by the patient.

For adults, contact your loves one’s treatment team to learn about availability.

Hear Dr. Peggy Scallon, medical director of Focus Depression Recovery for adolescents in Oconomowoc, explain what loves ones can expect in our video blog.