Willows is Ascend Healthcare’s third trauma-focused residential program, uniquely designed as a co-ed program with a sub-specialization in grief, loss, and relational trauma. This program is tailored to provide attachment therapy for teens between the ages of 12-17 who have experienced high-conflict divorce, the loss of a parent or close loved one, or adoption-related challenges. Unlike our other trauma programs at Cayons and Trails, Willows is a deeply attachment-based therapy program, moving beyond CBT and DBT interventions to prioritize relational healing, nervous system regulation, and emotionally attuned family work.

The Facility

The Willows residential facility is located in Santa Clarita near the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains. Because we prioritize the needs of our clients with personalized treatment plans, we focus on small programs with only six clients at any one time. Each client is assigned a roommate with whom we hope they build a meaningful bond that encourages peer support throughout their time in our attachment-based therapy program. Some of the other amenities at Willows include:

  • Pool & Jacuzzi
  • Game Room
  • Five Bathrooms
  • Basketball Court
  • BBQ Area with Firepit
  • Full Kitchen
  • On-Site Education Space
  • Outdoor Recreation Spaces

Key Therapy Modalities at Willows

At Ascend, we focus on ensuring appropriate treatment modalities for the targeted concerns of each residential facility. Since Willows is a safe place for exploring concerns stemming from specialized attachment and trauma, we offer several clinical techniques to build personalized attachment therapy plans for teens who stay with us. These care plans may include the following modalities:

Attachment-Based Assessment & Treatment

Clients will undergo an initial attachment assessment to determine their attachment style (secure, anxious, avoidant, disorganized). Treatment then focuses on enhancing emotional attunement between clients and their families, fostering secure attachment bonds, and healing relational wounds.

Music & Sound Therapy for Emotional Processing

Music and sound interventions play a core role in helping clients regulate their emotions at Willows. Clients will participate in music therapy, rhythm-based interventions, and sensory immersion to help them with processing and emotional regulation.

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) & Attachment-Based Family Work

Healing extends beyond the individual client, so the team at Willows works with the entire family system using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to shift unhealthy relational patterns, fostering deeper emotional connections, as well as parallel attachment-based interventions for parents alongside their teen.

Somatic & Nervous System Regulation Interventions

Willows integrates various system interventions to address trauma that’s stored in the body, including:

  • Somatic experiencing to help clients process and release stored trauma.
  • Breathwork and grounding techniques to restore a sense of safety.
  • Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) – a music and sound-based intervention for
    nervous system regulation.

Combining all of these techniques into a comprehensive attachment therapy program for teens and their families is vital to the experience at Willows.

Our Unique Approach to Mental Healthcare

The Willows program is thriving under the guidance of Dr. Kyle DiFulvio, whose expertise in working with this population is invaluable. He also played a pivotal role in the opening of both our Trails and Oaks programs, showcasing his success in developing targeted programs for a variety of mental health concerns. With his gentle clinical approach, Dr. Kyle and his team will teach clients to identify their attachment concerns and modify unhealthy patterns for a more grounded approach to their most important relationships. Learn more about our attachment therapy program for families when you call us at 310.388.3713.

If you’re interested in a program that provides attachment therapy for teens, please contact us online.