Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
July 31, 2002
Local programs help families communicate
Catholic Charities' Behavioral Health Services offers plethora of programs
By Laurie Dunklee
Sometimes families need help, and Catholic Charities is here to give it.
Catholic Charities' Behavioral Health Services provides counseling to help families in trouble and those who just want to learn to communicate better with each other.
"Our philosophy is to identify the strengths and resources a family already has, and help them use those things to better meet the needs of all their members," said Dr. Lee Hockman, a psychologist and administrator of Catholic Charities' Behavioral Health programs.
Services provided include outpatient counseling, home-based therapy, school-based therapy and educational testing.
Approximately 100 families and individuals use the outpatient counseling services each month, Hockman said. Ten therapists provide counseling for families, children, couples and individuals. The therapists are licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors and psychologists. Clients may see a psychiatrist on staff if they need to have medications prescribed.
Counselors help families develop their communication skills, according to Hockman.
"We recommend families create communications rituals, like regular family meeting times," he said.
Many families have issues surrounding a challenging transition, such as a divorce or remarriage.
"We help children understand and cope with their feelings," he said, "and parents strengthen their parenting skills."
Three Spanish-speaking therapists are available to help monolingual people. Hockman said the program is in need of more Spanish-speaking therapists. "We work a lot with the Hispanic community," he said.
The program also needs the services of a part-time psychiatrist because the staff psychiatrist will be leaving soon, Hockman said.
Outpatient counseling is available at four locations in the Denver area: Catholic Charities' main offices at Alameda Avenue and Bryant Street; an office in the Cherry Creek area; and parishes in Thornton and Boulder.
Clients pay for services on a sliding scale, depending on their income. Many clients are referred to Catholic Charities by their parish or another community agency, according to Hockman.
"We try to help everyone we possibly can," he said.
The home-based therapy program sends Catholic Charities therapists to families' homes to provide counseling. It is a grant program with the Denver Department of Human Services that helps approximately 50 at-risk families and children each month.
Therapists work with families who have had problems with violence, abuse or neglect of their children.
"We help them learn about giving their children consistent structure, about setting limits," said Hockman. "And they learn how to have positive interaction with each other."
He said a goal is to keep the family together and help them work out their issues so the children won't be placed out of their home.
The school-based program provides counseling three days a week for more than 150 children at 11 area Catholic schools. Therapists help students deal with their concerns, including family issues and grades. Group and classroom counseling deals with such issues as bullying, anger management and developing good social and study skills.
"When kids are upset, or their feelings are bottled up inside, it's hard for them to learn," said Hockman. "When they get help with these things, they can devote more energy to learning."
He said a record number of children and families participated in the program last fall following the Sept. 11 disaster.
"Kids needed a place to talk about what had happened, and parents needed to know how to talk with their children about the tragedy," Hockman said.
Catholic Charities' Behavioral Health Services also offers psychiatric and educational testing and assessment. Children and adults are tested for learning disabilities, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or trouble with auditory or visual processing.
"If a child is struggling in school, testing may be the way to go. Once we identify the problem we can recommend the best way to help," Hockman said.
Families get emotionally healthy by working on communicating directly with one another, Hockman said.
"They listen to and accept each other's feelings," he said.
Children need to be in an environment where they are safe, supported and loved, he added.
"One way to help children feel safe is to set firm, loving, consistent limits on their behavior," Hockman said.
About providing support and love, he said: "It's important that children are encouraged to communicate their needs and feelings. They need to be supported in defining and pursuing their own interests."
Hockman said he enjoys seeing people benefit from counseling.
"People who come in anxious and worried leave with tools to adjust to their lives," he said. "They leave feeling a whole lot better."
To reach Catholic Charities' Behavioral Health Services, call Dr. Hockman at 303-742-0823, Ext. 622, or Dr. Deborah Fishman, director of Behavioral Health Services, 303-742-0823, Ext. 641.
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