About Us
The Fostering Connection (TFC) serves the child welfare community by offering long-term pro-bono psychotherapy to children, youth, and families affected by foster care.
Everyone needs strong, sustained connections with dependable people in order to advance successfully through life. For young people and families whose lives have been affected by the foster care system, the idea of depending on anyone – especially a therapist – might feel impossible. This is especially true for those whose young lives have already experienced trauma, ruptured attachments, and loss.
At times, mental health clinics can feel impersonal and rule-laden due to the large quantity of people being served. At TFC, we offer each client the opportunity to connect with a seasoned, well-trained therapist, in a private practice office, at no cost, for as long as they want.
TFC therapists are licensed psychologists and social workers, many with advanced training and specialized skills working with trauma and disorders of attachment. Each TFC therapist volunteers to see one foster-affected person. Our therapists also participate in TFC’s weekly consultation groups, which offer therapists critical support and guidance. This is an opportunity to solve problems and share solutions with others.
A Commitment to Social Justice
"Despite many efforts to provide for the child taken into care, experiences in the foster care system can be de-humanizing and insensitive to the emotional needs of children. Racial and class-based exploitation, misunderstanding and oppression can compound the often depriving conditions of foster care. As psychotherapists to these young people, it is among our top priorities to remain open to the impact of racial, cultural, and social class differences between each of us and the foster youth we see in therapy. We take for granted that learning in this area is a never-ending process and that we must work to develop open communication so that the people we see will feel free to tell us when they feel misunderstood. This form of open communication is a crucial part of the therapy process as we see it, promoting growth and change for all concerned."
​
-Neil Altman, PhD, TFC Cofounder