Medical/Psychiatric Services

Clinical Overview

Group therapy is individualized and determined by the need.  All residents are enrolled in cottage groups.

Cottage Groups are held daily. They are psycho-educational in format and include such topics as self-esteem, conflict resolution, values clarification, criminal thinking patterns, drug education, sex education, assertiveness, anger management, and social skills. Groups are generally forty-five minutes long.

Cathedral Home for Children has master's licensed therapists on every cottage and at the Laramie Youth Crisis Center.

Group Therapy

In addition to our cottage groups, we offer several other therapeutic groups, which are conducted campus-wide. They include:

Individual / Family

Individual counseling is available to every resident and is designed to stimulate personal growth and strengthen emotional stability. Residents typically meet with their counselor for a regularly scheduled one hour session each week, but have the opportunity for extra time if needed. Therapy is insight-oriented and designed to increase personal responsibility, self-control and self-management, and internalization of new values and behaviors. Therapy is, however, individualized and specific strategies, such as behavioral management are employed when deemed appropriate.

Family involvement is considered a crucial part of treatment and families are strongly encouraged to participate in family therapy and in the child’s treatment program. Because family support and encouragement are essential to a child’s success, family members are asked not only for their input and help, but to actively participate in the evaluation and treatment of the family system. Treatment reviews, therapy, home visits, phone calls and letters and participation in on-campus activities are all designed to help parents and families become involved in the child’s treatment program.

Grief & Loss

This therapy group meets once a week over a period of several months to address issues of grief and loss experienced by the residents. These losses are not limited to the death of a loved one. The group addresses such losses as abandonment, terminal illness, major changes in family structure, loss of peer group and psychological loss.

Chemical Dependency

The chemical dependency group at CHC is designed as a program enhancement for those residents who demonstrate an addiction to drugs or alcohol or have a history of chemical abuse. Two subgroups address this issue from varying therapeutic vantage points. The subject matter is individualized and base on a modified step model.

Sex Offenders

This group is a co-ed group designed for residents who have committed sexual offenses. In addition, many offenders have been sexually abused themselves.

The therapeutic focus of the group is on individual accountability and personal responsibility, with a broad goal of living and building positive relationships with others. Residents are asked to take a “fearless moral inventory” in evaluating the ways in which they have used, abused, and manipulated others. Through the process of working through a 10 step psychoeducational workbook, residents evaluate their own abuse cycles, and the circumstances, thoughts, and feelings which contributed to their offenses.

The group focuses on the offense, the cycle of power and control, and the thinking errors that contributed to the offense, and on how they live and manage their own lives. This addresses self-esteem, self-respect, relationships with others, and learning how to cope with problems and feelings. The group is confrontational, reality based, and emphasizes openness and honesty. Each member is responsible for their own behavior and for confronting others who are not “walking the walk.”

The cottage staff is trained to recognize and correct the errors of thinking, behavior, and relational problems exhibited by these residents on an on-going basis, and provide feedback to the group leaders about the extent to which each resident is “living what they are learning” in the group. The goal is to encourage social and emotional responsibility in their interactions with others.

Sexual Abuse / Survivors

This group is divided by gender into two groups, and is designed for residents who have been victims of any form of sexual abuse. By meeting the individual needs of the group members, the goal is to move members from a victim stance to one of empowerment. Through a healing and supportive atmosphere, the youth explore feelings of shame, guilt and helplessness. They begin to recognize their own courage and strength and are able to get beyond their feelings of isolation and hopelessness. They discover new ways to cope with old problems. Physical and emotional safety are key ingredients to these groups. Other key components include experiencing a sense of accomplishment, mastery and exploring healthier lifestyles in order to have a more fulfilling future. Both groups use "The Courage to Heal Workbook" as a supplement to each session.

Anger Management

Anger Management is a mixed group for residents whose anger is deep seated and who lack the skills to cope with their feelings. During this group, residents discuss triggers, inappropriate coping mechanisms, communication skills, and unresolved issues which are contributing to the problem. Residents learn appropriate coping skills, relaxation techniques and ways to handle criticism.

Spirit of the Family

Designed for children with either extremely dysfunctional families or those without immediate family, Spirit of the Family creates a spiritual  family with other children, staff and community members. Children in this group do not go on home visits and some have never experienced a family situation at all. While in Spirit of the Family, children practice concepts in a family setting that they have learned in other therapy groups. This allows them to work on skills they need to create and complete families, whether biological or spiritual, once they return to the real  world. Children are encouraged to play (something many children did not experience), to model behaviors, and to care for their family members. Activities include cook outs, community home visits, and community service projects such as creating quilts for the local nursing home.

Drug and Alcohol Education and Prevention

This group is an educational group which teaches residents how street drugs, alcohol and certain prescription medicines negatively affect the mind and body. Discussions include dealing with peer pressure and learning appropriate coping mechanisms.