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By Jennifer Brewer
Massachusetts-based Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Institute
of New England (PCFINE) has grown steadily since its 1993 inception
to become a significant pro bono educational institute for clinicians
and the public.
Founder and president Kenneth Reich, Ed.D., puts PCFINE's founding
principal like this: "The fact is that whenever someone is in analysis,
it's essential to have some understanding of how individual work
is related to family interactions. There had to be a way to have
a bigger couch - to understand the reciprocal impact families and
couples have on each other."
The group consists of a board of 14, an advisory board of seven,
and 22 additional faculty, all working on a strictly pro bono basis.
PCFINE offers education in three forums: professional training and
one-time workshops for clinicians, public conferences, and outreach
consultation among those who come into contact with at-risk families
(such as probation officers and social workers).
Clinicians have the option of one or two year training programs.
This year, 13 first-year and eight second-year participants are
enrolled, and Reich says that many have already signed up for next
year's training. Although PCFINE's current maximum enrollment is
14, they are looking at ways to increase that number in future years.
Through PCFINE's program, participants earn continuing education
credits and the program includes clinical supervision. Meetings
are held on Sunday mornings, a convenient time for busy professionals,
says Development Committee Co-Chair Emily Gordon, Psy.D. She describes
participants as "very cohesive, and interactive."
PCFINE's outreach endeavors included working with Quincy Community
Action Programs, Inc., Child Witness to Violence Project at Boston
Medical Center, Cambridge Family & Children's Services, Tufts New
England Medical Center, Boston Court Clinic, Norfolk County Probate
Court, Visiting Nurses Association, and the South End Mental Health
Center.
The goal of the outreach programs is to increase understanding
of family issues among those who come into regular contact with
at-risk families, such as caseworkers or judges. "Our model is that
you can reach so many more people by working with a probation officer
or a judge or a nurse," says Gordon. "Think about how many families
and children they encounter."
In public conferences, PCFINE aims to bring together professionals
from a variety of disciplines, such as medicine, spirituality and
education, in order to offer a broader perspective of the issues
at hand. Its current offering is a Nov. 15 conference, titled "War,
Terrorism and Children: Supporting Family Strengths and Resilience."
"In a society where terrorism is a reality, it is essential to
the healthy development of children that families and parents understand
the serious impact of war and terrorism in their children's lives,"
says Reich.
For more information, visit www.pcfine.org.
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