Counseling

The trained staff at COBYS Family Services offer professional psychotherapy and support to individuals, couples, and families at locations in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties. COBYS therapists are providers for several insurance companies, and uninsured clients may qualify for an affordable sliding scale, based on income and family size. Here are the types of issues that our therapists address:

• Marital and couples’ therapy
• Relational issues
• Family therapy
• Depression, anxiety
• EMDR
• TF-CBT (children ages 3 – 18) – see below for more information on this type of therapy.

 

Unfortunately, we are not taking new referrals at this time. Please contact your insurance company for other referral sources.

 

COBYS Counseling phone number is 717-661-3548.

For an overview of COBYS Counseling Center and the State of Mental Health in Lancaster County click here.

 

Touchstone Foundation provides funding to COBYS to support our efforts in equipping therapists to become licensed in their professional field.

 

Specialized Services

We also provide some specialized services:

Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

TF-CBT is a short-term treatment intervention for children who exhibit behavioral or emotional symptoms as the result of having experienced a trauma. Both children and parents are involved in the treatment process.

TF-CBT primarily reduces symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is characterized by problems with managing trauma-related negative emotions and physical reactions caused by memories or reminders of the trauma that may lead to maladaptive coping such as avoidance of reminders. These reactions often interfere with functioning at home, in school, and in interpersonal relationships.

The specific components of TF-CBT are summarized by the acronym PRACTICE:

• Psychoeducation is provided to children and their caregivers about the impact of trauma and common childhood reactions.
• Parenting skills are provided to optimize children’s emotional and behavioral adjustment.
• Relaxation and stress management skills are individualized for each child and parent.
• Affective expression and modulation are taught to help children and parents identify and cope with a range of emotions.
• Cognitive coping and processing are enhanced by illustrating the relationships among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This helps children and parents modify inaccurate or unhelpful thoughts about the trauma.
• Trauma narration, in which children describe their personal traumatic experiences, is an important component of the treatment.
• In vivo mastery of trauma reminders is used to help children overcome their avoidance of situations that are no longer dangerous, but which remind them of the original trauma.
• Conjoint child-parent sessions help the child and parent talk to each other about the child’s trauma.
• Enhancing future safety and development—the final phase of the treatment—addresses safety, helps the child to regain developmental momentum, and covers any other skills the child needs to end treatment.

Learn more about the effects of trauma on children and TF-CBT at:
nctsn.org/resources/audiences/parents-caregivers
nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/tfcbt_general.pdf

 

Educational Support Groups

Seeking Safety

Seeking Safety is an evidence-based group therapy program that focuses on coping skills in the present moment.

Many people affected by trauma may turn to addictive behaviors to try to manage difficult feelings. Seeking Safety discusses tools to help you manage these symptoms and to cope effectively.

Learn to navigate triggers and successfully build a life of safety, security and wellbeing.  People do not share stories of their traumas, but instead look towards the future and practice new ways to cope, safely.

Topics include: safety, stress and trauma, healing from anger, grounding, when substances control you, recovery thinking, community resources, healthy relationships, and boundaries.

Seeking Safety is an open-enrollment, mixed gender group.  Participants may join the group at any point and receive a certificate after participating in 10 complete sessions.

Please see our Family Life Education page for more details and to register.

 

Cooperative Parenting and Divorce

Divorce is a reality for millions of families.   

Co-parenting is an intentional commitment to put the children first.

Join other co-parents in this free skill building program as you navigate the challenges of co-parenting. Learn about tools that are proven to help parents:

• Shield your children from parental conflict
• Disengage from the former relationship
• Manage anger
• Establish a cooperative, long-term relationship with each other as co-parents
• Develop effective communication skills
• Negotiate agreements in a business-like manner
• Increase co-parenting respect

Please see our Family Life Education page for more details and to register.

 

Incredible Years Autism and Language Delays Program

 

Kinship