Restoring Families with Attachment-Based Family Therapy

A Q&A with Samantha Quigneaux, Newport’s National Director, Family Therapy Services

Family therapy is a core component of Newport Healthcare’s treatment model. Our therapists are trained in Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT), an empirically supported approach to treating depression, trauma, and suicide prevention in young people. ABFT aims to repair damage in the family system to improve communication and connection.

Samantha Quigneaux, LMFT, is Newport’s National Director of Family Therapy Services. In this Q&A, she shares some of the struggles that young people and families are facing when they arrive at Newport, the importance of incorporating family therapy into treatment, and how ABFT provides a framework for deeper connection and effective communication that families can use well beyond our doors.

What are some common issues you see families going through when they arrive at Newport?

Most of our adolescents and young adults are dealing with issues rooted in anxiety and depression. We also have those that identify struggling with substance use, self-harm, disordered eating, or OCD. We see them coming in and their families are really struggling with this feeling of disconnection. Maybe there is a lot of high conflict within the family and high stress due to some of the challenges that are going on. The families and the kids that we’re seeing are really coming in at a time of turmoil.

Why is family therapy a foundational component of Newport’s treatment model? 

Newport knows that when teens—and, often, young adults—are struggling, they’re not doing so in isolation and not alone. We really want to make sure that we are supporting the entire family system. You cannot change one wheel on a car. So, we want to make sure that the client and their family have everything they need for sustainable change. By incorporating the family into therapy, it really allows the whole family to heal, to grow, and to change.

What are some of the biggest roadblocks to communication between young people and parents?

I think kids, whether teens or young adults, can be afraid to talk to parents about difficult topics for fear of being judged or criticized. Or, in a more in a protective way, they don’t want their parents to know they are struggling. Healthy communication is being able to effectively communicate your thoughts, your fears, your concerns, and your feelings. Also, raising and communicating with a young person now is so much more complex than it has ever been. What communication looked like when the parent was a kid is just not as effective now.

What is the goal of ABFT and why is it so successful in helping families?

Attachment-Based Family Therapy is about getting to the root of some of the emotional disconnection. ABFT gives us a guideline and framework to help families focus on the relationship, as opposed to symptoms and behaviors. It really allows us to cut through some of that surface level chaos that’s going on and understand, okay, what are some of these attachment ruptures that have happened? And again, part of this is going to be so individual for the client, which is also what makes it so successful.

The goal is that there is emotional vulnerability, a reestablished, secure attachment, and that families can navigate through highly emotional conversations thoughtfully without escalating and without getting defensive. And then, having this experience enables them to navigate emotionally intense conversations post treatment.

What does ABFT look like for children, who may not be able to express themselves fully, and for young adults, who are at a different stage than teens in their relationship with parents?

ABFT is an extremely adaptable model that can inform family therapy for clients of all ages. At the core of ABFT, and the mission of Newport, is to restore and empower family connections, to have families prioritize healthy attachment to one another and to be able to navigate challenges as they arise as a more unified and connected unit. For younger children, the clinical team will individualize how attachment is woven through treatment. This may look like incorporating it into play or art therapy. For our young adult clients, we will also individualize care and collaborate with them as to how their parents or caregivers engage in their healing journey.  

What role do parents play throughout the treatment process? 

We want the parents to be a part of this. We want them to be actively engaged. And so, we know that it is going to be about creating trust, that they trust that they are leaving their child in the hands of people who are worthy of this delicate privilege. We don’t want to be a program where it’s like, “Oh, I’m dropping my kid off. Tie them in a bow. Tell me when they’re done.” We don’t want that.

We want the families to be actively engaged throughout the treatment process because we know that they are part of the medicine. If love was enough, no child would suffer. It’s not about love. It’s about the connection and the internal components of what is going on for the child and within their family system. So, in addition to weekly therapy, we offer parent support groups and psychoeducational opportunities to give parents resources to learn and to grow, and to use new skills to engage.

What does the support system look like when a client is admitted to Newport?

There are so many people who deeply care about this young person, that are going to be supporting them, from the clinical team, their counselors and direct care staff.

We want to make sure that whatever someone is struggling with or however they identify, that they have a safe place to really do the work that they need to do, to work on their identity and on their coping skills. We individualize treatment as much as possible, with programs dedicated to substance use or disordered eating, or OCD, or for those who identify as LGBTQ+. Staff have specialty trainings in each area and additional support from national clinical leadership.

We have so many people that genuinely are passionate about what they do and are going to be there and really show up. That is our job—to make the young people who come to us feel as safe and as valued and validated as possible.

How does Newport help families transition post discharge?

One thing I think is unique about Newport is that we start talking about discharge from the very beginning with families. Newport has continuing care planners who help with the therapeutic plan with families. And within Newport, we have a very robust alumni program. There are Alumni and Experience Liaisons that work with alumni and parents. For young people, the alumni staff are running groups with them while they’re in our care, and then we give the option to families and clients to continue that connection post discharge. We offer support groups, social activities, and online and in-person events to keep kids and families connected.

What advice do you have for families whose children or teens are resistant to treatment? 

A huge component of watching your child go through treatment is a willingness to watch them be uncomfortable. That is the first battle. If you are worried about your child’s health and safety and they are resistant, it’s a parenting shift to say, “I’m going to protect you, even if it’s from yourself. You don’t want to leave your friends, and you don’t want to miss out on summer or whatever holiday is coming up. But if we don’t get this help now for you—for all of us—then we’re worried you won’t be here for the next holiday.”

Why should families consider Newport for mental health treatment? 

It is a difficult decision to send your child or your loved one to residential treatment, or to see your young adult make that choice. It is a leap of faith. And we know that it is a privilege that you are trusting your children to this process. It is about investing in your family and knowing that all of us really take that to heart and see that as a gift. We want to help young people. We want to help families heal and grow, and create opportunities for their sustainable well-being. We want this to be a life-changing experience and not just a stop on the road.

Successful Treatment Outcomes

Newport Healthcare prioritizes the collection and analysis of treatment outcomes data to lead the way in continuous improvement of best practices. Download our latest Patient Outcomes Report to see how our adolescent patients saw significant improvements in anxiety, depression, well-being, family connection, and academic engagement.

Samantha Quigneaux (Keen-Yo) is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has been working from a family systems perspective throughout her career. Currently, Samantha is the National Director of Family Therapy Services for Newport Healthcare. She oversees all family programming throughout residential and outpatient sites. Samantha has extensive experience working with adolescents and adults who have experienced trauma, including sexual and physical abuse. She also has expertise working with the LGBTQ+ community and issues related to gender and sexuality.