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Overview

“Our son graduated in 2024.  We no longer walk on eggshells around him nor cater to his shutdowns. He’s more emotionally stable and genuinely happy. We could not thank you enough for setting him up for success.” - Alumni Parent (August 2025)

Engaging Parents as Partners in Change

Parents often come to Second Nature feeling overwhelmed, worried, and unsure how to reconnect with a child who seems to be slipping away. More than anything, they want to see their child regain confidence—and to feel like a family again.

Since 1998, Second Nature has helped families rebuild essential connections, heal emotional wounds, and move forward together with greater trust and clarity.

family-support

We actively engage parents in a parallel change process that is essential to lasting family reconnection. This work includes professional parent coaching, a research-based family assessment, a structured curriculum that mirrors the therapeutic themes your child is exploring, weekly rotating parent insight and education programming and parent support groups, in-person family therapy intensives in the field, family therapy sessions and more.

We believe that preparing your child for a more functional and fulfilling adulthood goes hand in hand with repairing the family system. The benefits of involving families in adolescent treatment are well established in the research (Henggeler et al., 1986; Liddle & Dakof, 1995; Stanton & Shadish, 1997; Carr, 2009)—and with more than 25 years of experience, Second Nature brings these principles to life in a meaningful, personalized way.

Second Nature was built on family systems principles. We believe family connection is not just a treatment goal—it’s one of the most effective vehicles for long-term change. When parents are supported, heard, and guided, their children engage more deeply in the work. And when the family system begins to shift, real healing becomes possible for everyone.

SECOND NATURE OFFERS PARENTS:

  • Professional Parent coaching for all families
  • Enhanced Family Therapy that includes DBT principles and an emphasis on mindfulness
  • Family Dynamics Assessment (providing deeper insight and understanding of the family system)
  • Streamlined access to uncensored written correspondence between child and parent
  • Family therapy conference calls
  • Family Field Intensives (mid-program and reunion/ aftercare preparation)
  • The Family Portal (curriculum and resources dedicated to family education and current updates of your child in the field)
  • Alumni parent references for prospective families
  • Weekly programming - alternating parent support group and parent education series