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Specializations for Clinical Excellence
By focusing solely on the treatment of adolescent girls,
Germaine Lawrence has developed a number of highly effective
clinical specialties. As in other fields, specialization creates
increased expertise and sophistication, and improved outcomes.
Specialized Treatment: A Unique Spectrum
of Care to Meet Girls’ Individual Needs
Germaine Lawrence has developed a number of highly
effective specialized treatment programs and clinical
protocols. We offer programs for:
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Eating Disorders
Located at the Hirshberg
Treatment Center.
Susan
Wilder, Program Director, 781-648-6200x600
Germaine Lawrence is recognized for its expertise
in treating girls with life-threatening eating disorders,
including anorexia, bulimia and binge eating. We
have a unique treatment approach that fully integrates
our medical, clinical, residential and academic
services. We not only treat the symptoms of an eating
disorder, but also focus on resolving the underlying
cause, leading to real change in girls’ lives. | back to top |
Superior Expertise
Dr. Mona Villapiano, a licensed psychologist recognized
as one of New England’s leading experts on
eating disorders, consults to our staff on individual
and family therapy, and meal programming and supervision.
She meets with families and has helped us develop
specialized protocols. In addition, a registered
dietician meets with girls for nutrition counseling
and meal planning and consults with our staff on
meal preparation, supervision and appropriate eating
expectations.
Successful treatment of girls with eating disorders
is extensive and multi-disciplinary. Weekly clinical
rounds for girls with eating disorders include clinical
staff, residential staff, teachers, nutritionists,
medical team and psychiatrists. | back to top |
Making Healthy Living a Priority
Our Healthy Living Treatment Protocols give
students increased privileges as they complete certain
tasks of treatment. They help students clarify expectations,
making privileges clear and consistent and providing
motivation to move forward in treatment. The Protocols
include tasks for both students and their families
to complete. Girls on the Healthy Living Treatment
Protocol come to the clinical rounds to present
their work, answer questions and petition to advance
to the next protocol.
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We use Dialectical behavior
therapy (DBT) with girls that suffer from eating
disorders, since it helps clients regulate emotions,
tolerate distress and avoid self-harming behaviors,
such as restricting food intake, purging, bingeing
or using diet pills and laxatives. | back to top |
Families Are Key
In order for girls to make changes and recover,
families must be actively involved in their treatment.
Twice monthly, a Multi-Family Therapy Group meets
with girls and their parents. The Family Group
provides support and education around eating
disorders, enables parents to better support
their daughters in recovery and improves communication
between family members.
 In
addition to the Multi-Family Therapy Group, families
take part in regular family therapy sessions
and are able to consult with Dr. Villapiano.
Even with these supports, parents often continue
to struggle with getting their daughter to eat.
To help avoid mealtime struggles, parents participate
in several sessions of meal support coaching
from our staff. These sessions include coaching
around what constitutes a well-balanced meal,
what are appropriate portions, how to set limits
on eating disorder behavior, how to monitor meals
and how to monitor after meals to prevent unhealthy
behaviors.
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Making Meal Time Enjoyable
Meal times are often stressful for girls with eating disorders.
Our staff work hard to make meal times pleasant and enjoyable.
If you were to show up for dinner at our Hirshberg eating
disorder program, you might witness girls sharing their
favorite poems, listening to relaxing music or playing trivia
games. The girls may also complete a mood monitoring sheet
before and after a meal to help them stay in touch with
their thoughts and feelings.
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Promoting Body Acceptance
All students in our eating disorder program participate
in a body image group to help promote a positive
self-image. Students in our eating disorder program
have also taken part in a therapeutic yoga group,
since yoga promotes body acceptance and appreciation.
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Firesetters Protocol
Located at the Addams
Treatment Center.
Ben
Stich, Program Director, 781-648-6200x300
Germaine Lawrence is the only program in New England
that offers firesetting treatment specially designed
for girls. While conventional wisdom suggests that
girls do not set fires, the facts speak differently.
The number of female firesetters is increasing and
they are in need of specialized intervention. We
provide gender specific treatment to ensure development
and emotional success for all of our students.
Female Firesetters are Different
Than Male Firesetters
Our experience has shown that girls with firesetting behavior
exhibit different symptoms than those primarily seen in male
adolescent firesetters. In collaboration with the Massachusetts
Coalition for Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Programs, we
developed a multi-stage cognitive-behavioral firesetting protocol
designed for adolescent girls that leads to a successful transition
to a less restrictive setting.
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An Effective Protocol
Our protocols incorporate:
A comprehensive firesetting assessment to set the framework
for understanding why the child set a fire. Our trained clinicians
interview the student, parents and others involved about the
firesetting incident.
Fire safety and fire science. Students complete a fire safety group co-led by the Arlington Fire Department, covering fire science, fire safety, fire survival and fire service.
Behavior stabilization. Each gril is assigned a masters-level clinician who facilitates individual, group and family therapies. Our clinicians help each student address feelings that have led to her behavior and encourage her to take responsibility for her actions.
Social skills development. We help students improve coping skills, anger management skills, problem solving skills and communication skills.
Restitution. We prepare students to make amends to
the people they harmed or placed at risk. The girls write
an apology letter and whenever possible have a face-to-face
meeting with their victims.
Relapse prevention. After girls have completed their
firesetting treatment, they learn and practice safe uses of
fire. Each student develops a prevention plan to avoid future
setbacks.
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A Secure Setting
Upon admission, girls on the firesetting protocol
are prohibited from smoking or having access to
ignition materials, and the kitchen is locked at
all times. There is a no smoking policy for  students
and staff, and students have motion detectors in
their bedrooms at night. Students are not allowed
to wear, draw or showcase any material or clothing
related to fire. | back to top |
Support from Peers
Peers in the firesetting protocol hold each other
accountable. Once a student completes a treatment
task in individual therapy, she must present her
work to her firesetter treatment group. Peers in
the treatment group offer feedback and provide suggestions
to one another.
For example, girls in the firesetting intervention
group must attain group approval to earn kitchen
privileges. Once approved, the student must then
present it to her family and referral source for
approval. Only then is the task considered complete
and approved. | back to top |
Substance
Abuse
Meeting the Needs of Adolescent
Girls
Germaine Lawrence provides specialized substance
abuse treatment tailored specifically to meet the
unique needs of adolescent girls.
Meeting Girl’s Individual
Needs
Research shows that girls tend to use alcohol or
drugs to improve mood,
increase confidence, reduce tension, cope with problems,
lose inhibitions, enhance sex or lose weight. Germaine
Lawrence staff has the expertise to understand each
girl’s issues in the context of their experiences.
We start by understanding what role substances have
played in a student’s life. In the initial
assessment, the Treatment Coordinator explores and
addresses all underlying issues connected to a girl’s
substance use. Then our staff work with the girls
throughout treatment to help them understand their
drug use, so they can learn healthier ways to manage.
Staff work with each girl to develop individualized
incentive plans and safety contracts. Staff increase
structure and supervision when a student first enters
the program and at time of highest risk throughout
treatment. | back to top |
Building Healthy Relationships
Our program helps girls build and maintain healthy
relationships, communicate assertively and effectively,
and develop healthy minds and bodies through
regular exercise, nutrition and relaxation. Our
staff are skilled at encouraging girls to learn
new skills, express a wide range of feelings,
and challenge themselves educationally. Our program
is designed to help our students resolve conflict
and increase their comfort level about their
bodies and sexual development. Girls learn about
the impact of media on female self-esteem and
healthy sexual development.
At Germaine Lawrence, the parent or guardian is
a critical partner in the treatment process. Through
this partnership, staff learn the strengths of the
child and family in order to build upon them in
the treatment plan. Our therapists work closely
with the student and her family to identify and
work on skills to increase communication, rebuild
trust, and follow limits within the home. | back to top |
A Program Just for Girls
Our treatment is specially designed to meet the
unique needs of adolescent girls. Our program is
designed to foster healthy relationships through
skill development, structured activities and adult
role modeling. Staff help girls address and resolve
issues with their peers and family members in a
direct and assertive manner. Staff provide opportunities
for girls to know the facts about female development
and explore gender-based stereotypes. With this
information, girls are able to develop increased
awareness and learn to manage their behaviors safely.
Girls take part in sports and activities that spark
new interests and develop new hobbies. Expressive
arts, relaxation and body movement help girls develop
a positive and confident body image. All staff ensure
that girls experience success and increase their
self-esteem as they prepare for healthy futures. | back to top |
Addressing All Concerns
The substance abuse treatment addresses not only
the substance use, but also targets the other connected
high-risk behaviors and underlying psychiatric issues.
Our staff work with parents or guardians to address
any existing heath issues, target symptoms of anxiety,
depression or mental illness and explore the impact
of past trauma, loss and significant life events.
Our staff use a structured strength-based behavior
management system to reinforce pro-social skills,
while at the same time providing positive alternatives
to maladaptive behaviors. We help girls develop
relapse prevention plans and maintain safe behaviors
within their communities. | back to top |
Ongoing Drug Screening
Drugs screens are done consistently following each
student’s return to the dorm after spending
time in the community, as well as on a random basis
through the month. Staff monitor drug screens closely
and positive screens result in clearly established
and predictable consequences. Consequences include
a decrease in community access and students are
required to acknowledge their behavior and identify
healthier future alternatives. Drug screens provide
increased monitoring around a student’s use
and often serve as an external motivator not to
use drugs, when a student has not yet developed
internal motivators | back to top |
Sexual aggression
treatment
Located at the Addams
Treatment Center.
Ben
Stich, Program Director, 781-648-6200x300
Germaine Lawrence School is the only program in
New England that provides gender-specific treatment
of sexually aggressive behavior specifically for
girls. We developed this program in response to
a growing statewide need for female adolescent sexual
aggression programs in conjunction with Robert Kinscherff,
Ph. D., JD. Our program provides relationship-based
and developmentally appropriate treatment with a
focus on the strengths and resources inherent in
each of our students.
Effective Protocols
Our first step is to complete a sexual aggression assessment
in order to understand why a child hurt another child sexually
and learn how we can work with her and her family so that
she can return safely to the community. Our trained clinicians
will interview the student, parents and others involved about
the sexual aggressive incidents. They will also speak to the
girl’s family, past providers and, if possible, victims
or victims' parents to gather all the information possible.
Throughout treatment, we work with girls to help them understand
their behaviors and take responsibility for their actions.
We prepare students to make amends to the people they abused.
The girls write an apology letter and whenever possible have
a face-to-face meeting with their victims.
As girls move forward in their treatment, the focus shifts
to helping them create a positive self-image. Girls participate
in activities such as drama, poetry classes, or learning to
play a musical instrument.
The final stage of our protocols prepares a student to return to her family and community. As she continues to develop her skills and revine her support system, she explores volunteer and/or employment opportunities in the community.
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Family Involvement is Key
Family involvement is crucial to the client’s
success. The family is the expert on the child and
we look to them to drive their daughter’s treatment
and provide us with the information we need to work
with their daughter. 
Our clinicians will interview families several times
in the beginning of treatment to gather as much
information and suggestions that the family can
provide. We ask families about the sexual environment
at home (privacy, sexual magazines, videos, views
on sexuality, etc). This knowledge is helpful in
understanding the client’s influence and belief
system about sexuality. Families must agree to keep
the perpetrator away from any victims until the
treatment team deems it safe.
Very often, when a family comes to Germaine Lawrence
for treatment after their daughter has sexually
abused someone, likely a younger sibling, the family
is usually very distraught and often feels hopeless
about rectifying such a damaging situation. Families
need support and guidance in balancing their involvement
in treatment with their daughter and supporting
their other children, often the victims. Sexual
aggression within a family can be devastating and
retying the family bond is the most crucial aspect
of treatment.
We offer a monthly parent support group for the
families of the girls with sexual aggression. The
group was initiated by three parents who discussed
a clear need for both support and education around
their daughter’s sexual aggression and the
impact that it has had on their family.
Comprehensive Services
We incorporate trauma work, mood stabilization,
social skills development, healthy sexuality and healthy relationship
development for our girls within their Individual Treatment
Plans. Because we know sexual aggression is a symptom of other
things in the child’s life.
Our protocol for sexual aggressive behaviors is
cognitive behavioral based and is focused on enabling
our students to take responsibility, understand
their behaviors, examine their thinking errors,
develop victim empathy, develop a healthy fantasy
and arousal pattern, and use a prevention plan.
Safety is the primary concern at our Addams dormitory.
Upon admission the girls are prohibited from having
pictures of their victims or any photos or material
related to the age group of their victims. Also,
students on the sexually aggressive protocol are
not allowed to wear, draw or showcase any material/clothing
related to children or sexual themes.
Peers in the sexual aggression protocol hold each
other accountable. Once a student completes a treatment
task in individual therapy, she must present her
work to her sexual aggression treatment group. Peers
in the treatment group offer feedback and provide
suggestions to one another. | back to top |
Sexual Abuse
Survivor Treatment
Germaine Lawrence is recognized nationally for our
work with young survivors of sexual abuse. Germaine
Lawrence staff authored In Their Own Words: A
Sexual Abuse Workbook for Teenage Girls, published
by The Child Welfare League of America.
Treating severe effects of sexual
abuse
Our program helps each girl find healthier ways
to deal with the trauma of being abused, feel more
in control, and move on with her life. At Germaine
Lawrence, we help girls move from being sexual abuse
victims to sexual abuse survivors.
Specialized Sexual Abuse Treatment
Services:
Over 70% of the girls in our program have histories of sexual
abuse. Masters level clinicians trained in the treatment of
sexual abuse provide our treatment services. They help girls:
- acknowledge the abuse through a structured
Sexual Abuse Survivors Group and Art Therapy
program, that are integrated with a specialized
approach to individual therapy
- learn new coping strategies by encouraging
new behaviors, guiding creative writing exercises
and journal keeping, and teaching stress reduction
and relaxation techniques
- avoid revictimization through assertiveness
training and self-esteem building exercises
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