In this workshop, we will describe the impact of the adoption of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy/ Practice (DDP) in the intensive services for children program at the Garry Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health at SickKids (GH-CCMH). Many of the youth served in the program experienced developmental trauma and related behavioral challenges, which often resulted in the use of physical containment. The DDP model was introduced in combination with staff training in therapeutic crisis intervention (TCI) to better address the children’s behavioral challenges and minimize the use of physical restraint to manage these challenges. DDP aims to help children heal from past trauma and to foster secure attachments between children and their caregivers through therapeutic interactions based on PACE (playful, accepting, curious, and empathic) principles. We will discuss the reduction in the use of physical restraints and benefits experienced by staff from the introduction of DDP.
Learning Objectives
- Introduction to Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy.
- Impact of the model on child outcomes and staff experience.
- Staff perspectives on the benefits and mechanisms of action of DDP.
Presenters:
Vasudha Gidugu (SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health)
Dr. Vasudha Gidugu leads research and evaluation at the SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health. She is a health services researcher with a background in clinical mental health and rehabilitation service delivery and over fifteen years of experience in mental health services and outcomes research. She has published and presented on a wide range of topics related to the implementation and effectiveness of mental health services for youth and adults with mental illness, including the role of peer providers. She is passionate about early intervention and improving access to evidence-based mental health care.
Ariana Simone (SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health)
Dr. Ariana Simone is the program psychologist on the Intensive Services for Children (ISFC) team at the Gary Hurvitz Centre for Community Mental Health at SickKids. Ariana is a registered clinical and school psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario. She provides clinical assessment, intervention, and consultation to children and youth with a range of complex mental health presentations. Ariana also has published in many empirical journals, including Clinical Psychology Review, Journal of Clinical Psychology, and Counselling Psychology Quarterly, on her doctoral research, which focused on disclosures of nonsuicidal self-injury to clinical and non-clinical sources.
