seeking input on Dominion PHP

[Anonymous]

The OPs child would be with the children, NOT the teens. They are separate at Dominion. An 8yo would be on the younger side for the pediatric group, but I know someone who was in it at 6/7.

That said, PHP didn’t help my son very much (11 at the time, with the pediatric dept), but being in the PHP meant that when it became clear that inpatient was needed they gave him a bed right away and he maintained some consistency with the social worker assigned to our family and the psychiatrist that he was seeing there. The inpatient program was much better and my son was much better off after that.

I’m sorry you’re going through this. It’s so hard. You’re not the only one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well this is awesome news. My kid started there today. There are so few options for kids under 12.

I’m so sorry. It’s so so hard. My son did OK at dominion. I posted just above this - my son didn’t do great in PHO but the inpatient program there was life changing for us. We have a long way to go, and we’re still working daily on a lot of things, but it can get better. Dominions inpatient program put us on the right path.

[Anonymous]

I posted above, what are the range of issues this could help with. DC's therapist says more intensive behavioral therapy needed. Seeing anger issues in particular. Lashing out mostly at home but at times at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted above, what are the range of issues this could help with. DC's therapist says more intensive behavioral therapy needed. Seeing anger issues in particular. Lashing out mostly at home but at times at school.

We’ve struggled with anger issues too (a mood disorder plus ASD), and if you need behavioral therapy, even if you need intensive therapy, it’s probably better to find a family therapist who will work with your family - parents and child - rather than a PHP. My son was both inpatient and PHP a few times in the last few years because we needed medication and could not stabilize him at home, but the best behavioral work came from doing intensive family therapy with a therapist experienced in the types of issues we were having.

It took probably a month and 50 phone calls to find our family therapist, and initially we were meeting with them virtually 3 times a week. It was super intense, but life changing. We are still working with the same therapist, but more like 3x per month now, and my son is stable and doing much much better.

Dominion was great for getting my son on medication and getting the very immediate safety issues under control (my son was so violent I had a deadbolt on my bedroom door) but what was needed long term was a therapist who works with the family system and structure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted above, what are the range of issues this could help with. DC's therapist says more intensive behavioral therapy needed. Seeing anger issues in particular. Lashing out mostly at home but at times at school.

We’ve struggled with anger issues too (a mood disorder plus ASD), and if you need behavioral therapy, even if you need intensive therapy, it’s probably better to find a family therapist who will work with your family - parents and child - rather than a PHP. My son was both inpatient and PHP a few times in the last few years because we needed medication and could not stabilize him at home, but the best behavioral work came from doing intensive family therapy with a therapist experienced in the types of issues we were having.

It took probably a month and 50 phone calls to find our family therapist, and initially we were meeting with them virtually 3 times a week. It was super intense, but life changing. We are still working with the same therapist, but more like 3x per month now, and my son is stable and doing much much better.

Dominion was great for getting my son on medication and getting the very immediate safety issues under control (my son was so violent I had a deadbolt on my bedroom door) but what was needed long term was a therapist who works with the family system and structure.

Can you please share what interventions they did to help get the safety issues under the control?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted above, what are the range of issues this could help with. DC's therapist says more intensive behavioral therapy needed. Seeing anger issues in particular. Lashing out mostly at home but at times at school.

We’ve struggled with anger issues too (a mood disorder plus ASD), and if you need behavioral therapy, even if you need intensive therapy, it’s probably better to find a family therapist who will work with your family - parents and child - rather than a PHP. My son was both inpatient and PHP a few times in the last few years because we needed medication and could not stabilize him at home, but the best behavioral work came from doing intensive family therapy with a therapist experienced in the types of issues we were having.

It took probably a month and 50 phone calls to find our family therapist, and initially we were meeting with them virtually 3 times a week. It was super intense, but life changing. We are still working with the same therapist, but more like 3x per month now, and my son is stable and doing much much better.

Dominion was great for getting my son on medication and getting the very immediate safety issues under control (my son was so violent I had a deadbolt on my bedroom door) but what was needed long term was a therapist who works with the family system and structure.

Can you please share what interventions they did to help get the safety issues under the control?

Frankly, they got him a psychiatrist and started medication. The first med tried in the hospital didn’t work, so we had to try a second one and that one worked. My son wasn’t able to control himself because (later diagnosed with bipolar disorder) he was becoming manic - which we didn’t know until his diagnosis. We needed medication and the hospital was able to get it right before he came home.

They do a lot of group therapy, and there are “family meetings” where you come up with a safety plan, and the social worker was able to speak with parents, etc, one how to handle different situations.

Our situation was very specifically one that needed medication. My son is/was unable to access any kind of coping mechanisms without it.

[Anonymous]

Any more recent experiences?

Our 10 year old is being referred to Dominion PHP as they are too young for Kellar.

We are dealing with ADHD, GAD, school anxiety, overall disregulation, and significant lack of any tolerance of emotional discomfort - part may be developmental - unable to process anything uncomfortable.

They are on meds and will be getting a check in on tuning that up.

May start a new post but wanted to check here first. We are also struggling with finding an in person therapist, telemedicine is not cutting it.

[Anonymous]

Also they have a few new SH habits, mild yet - wed like them to find better coping mechanisms., fidgets arent always enough.