Members of PCOP’s Youth Psychotherapy Project (YPP) have begun their second year of innovative work with Philadelphia students. YPP is pleased to have expanded its partnership to two pioneering schools — the CB Community School in Manayunk and YES Philly in North Philly. In their own way, both schools have looked to craft responsive programs, tailored to meet needs of important segments of our community who have historically been overlooked — youth in the foster system and youth giving high school a second chance.

As a therapist in this program, it has been a thrill to see first-hand how fruitfully, and complexly, the psychoanalytic process applies when we take our tools into the community. How do we understand the attachment system with attention to foster care and the attending workers, appointments, and court visits? How do we position ourselves regarding “gratification” in the context of ongoing deprivations? Beyond these very interesting technical and theoretical considerations, I have reaped bounteous rewards by meeting minds with energetic and inspired young people as they prepare to launch into the world.

Suzanne Benser, Jennifer McCarthy, and Kevin McCarthy have worked extremely hard to coordinate this complex endeavor, develop psychoanalytically-informed measurement tools, and identify additional funding streams.

We are seeking solutions to make this project sustainable for the long term. Anyone interested to support this innovative program should contact Suzanne Benser at:  [email protected].

If you wish to donate to YPP, please click here and write "YPP" in the comments section. 

Frank Tisano, MSW, LSW
PCOP Candidate & YPP Therapist