Support for the whole family
At Alaska Behavioral Health, we provide a wide range of therapeutic services to children and adolescents and their families.
Our clinicians specialize in trauma-informed and trauma-focused practices, early childhood intervention, intervention with older children and adolescents, and family intervention. The Alaska Child Trauma Center at Alaska Behavioral Health is a member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). Skill development services help children and adolescents thrive in their community. Families are offered training and support to create more successful family communication and healthy home living environments.
For assessment and intake
If you live in Interior or Northern Alaska (including Fairbanks), please call 907-371-1300.
If you live anywhere else in Alaska (including Anchorage), please call 907-563-1000.
Evidence-based practices
We focus on evidence-based practices (read more below.) Our family navigator also offers parenting classes using the Common Sense Parenting curriculum.
ARC Framework
The Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC) Framework is a flexible, components-based intervention developed for children and adolescents who have experienced complex trauma, along with their caregiving systems. ARC’s foundation is built upon four key areas of study: normative childhood development, traumatic stress, attachment, and risk and resilience. Drawing from these areas, ARC identifies important childhood skills and competencies which are routinely shown to be negatively affected by traumatic stress and by attachment disruptions, and which – when addressed – predict resilient outcome.
Parent Child Interaction Therapy
When parent – child relationships are strained by challenging behaviors such as defiance, aggression and tantrums, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy can help.
PCIT is an evidence-based practice for treating anxiety and trauma in children ages 2 to 7. For young children, anxiety often appears as defiance, aggression and other behaviors caregivers find challenging.
This therapy is focused on learning effective ways to interact with young children. After a brief check-in, caregivers and children play together, while a therapist observes and coaches the caregiver
EMDR
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment that aims to help people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. During this therapy, the client recalls a distressing memory while moving their eyes a specific way or engaging in another form of physical stimulation. Dozens of clinical trials since EMDR’s development show this technique is effective and can help a person faster than many other methods.
More information: EMDR Therapy for Childhood Trauma – Child Mind Institute
Child Parent Psychotherapy
Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) is an intervention model for children aged 0-5 who have experienced at least one traumatic event and/or are experiencing mental health, attachment, and/or behavioral problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder. The program is designed to support family strengths and relationships and respect family and cultural values, while helping families recover from traumatic experiences. Studies have shown families involved in CPP see improvements in children and adults in the family, in mood, trauma symptoms, and their relationships with each other.
Learn more: https://www.nctsn.org/interventions/child-parent-psychotherapy
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
TF-CBT is an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents impacted by trauma and their parents or caregivers. It is a components-based treatment model that incorporates trauma-sensitive interventions with cognitive behavioral, family, and humanistic principles and techniques. TF-CBT has proved successful with children and adolescents (ages 3 to 18) who have significant emotional problems (e.g., symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, fear, anxiety, or depression) related to traumatic life events.
MATCH
MATCH – ADTC stands for Modular Approach to Therapy for Children with Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, or Conduct Problems.  MATCH is designed to be flexible to provide a wide range of tools and supports, depending on the child’s strengths and needs. It is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. MATCH providers will work with families to customize treatment. Throughout the program, children and families learn skills and build a toolkit of scientifically proven strategies to help manage challenges that come up at home, at school, or with friends.
Parent-Child Care (PC-CARE) is a 6 session treatment program for families that are interested in improving caregiver-child relationships and are willing to learn new child behavior management strategies. It serves families with children ages 1 to 10 years.
Cognitive Processing Therapy is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that has been effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD.
CPT helps patients learn how to challenge and modify unhelpful beliefs related to the trauma. The patient creates a new understanding of the traumatic event so that it reduces its ongoing negative effects on current life.
What to Expect at Your/Your Child’s First Appointment
- Please arrive 15 minutes early. This allows time for you and your child to get comfortable, and to make sure all of the necessary paperwork is completed.
- The first appointment is typically a mental health assessment or psychiatric evaluation . At this visit we will discuss what mental and behavioral health needs brought you to our clinic, and determine what services will be helpful to address them.
- The first appointment usually takes about 90 minutes. Your provider will ask many questions at this appointment.
- Caregivers of children under the age of 18 must accompany their children to the clinic. There may be a portion of the visit when the provider speaks with the child one-on-one. Caregivers may also have a chance to speak one-on-one with the provider.
- Please check out with reception staff after your appointment to schedule your next visit.
