Deena McMahon, LICSW, MSW
Therapeutic Services Agency
220 Railroad St. SE
Pine City, MN 55063
320-629-7600
320-629-7900 (FAX)
dmcmahon@tsapc.net
Additional Information:
Specialties: Child sexual abuse, adoption and permancency placement
work, attachment therapy, early childhood trauma, training and consultant for child
protection teams, adoption agencies, writes forensic attachment assessments, parenting
assessments and sibling relationship assessments, with expert testimony provided
as needed. Regional and state wide trainer and speaker on FASD, RAD, family centered
practice, and early brain development and treatment implications.
Services: Provides in-home and office-based services. In home services
are provided through CTSS (Children’s Therapeutic Support Services, MA funded mental
health services) are provided in Anoka, Ramsey, Hennepin, Chisago, Kanabec, Pine,
Washington, Dakota, Olmstead, Isanti Counties, and all other services, including
in-home through purchase of services, is available by request in other areas.
Philosophy of Practice: "Children adopt families and families adopt
children. It must be a family-centered approach. Parent and caregivers need to be
involved as the attachment figure in therapeutic work with the child. Attention
and support to the care givers is essential, as is hands on, multi sensory work
with the children. Special people adopt special kids, its not for everyone. The
system needs to work hard to support new families by providing services at the time
of placement. Crisis response does not promote long term change. Ongoing care and
follow up services are essential for many adoptive placements. "
Adoption Related Experience/Recent Training: four day intensive Theraplay
training from Theraply Insitute. Co-trainer with Dr. Greg Keck, Director of Attachment
and Bonding Center in Ohio. Hired by MN Supreme Court to provide training for state
judiciary and child welfare stakeholders, state wide. Provided over 200 trainings
and speaking sessions for foster/adopt parents and mental health professionals on
adoption, trauma and attachment work with families. Carry a caseload of clients
with adoption/trauma, grief and loss dynamics. Provide clinical supervison for 25
professional staff. Collaboration with NACAC and MN ASAP on trainings, family support
services and program development. Annual presenter and attendee at NACAC, have attended
training at national ATTACHE conference, attended and presented at MN Assoc. for
Family Based Service Providers, attended Brain Development Conference at White Earth
Reservation, presented at and attended workshops sponsored by MN organization for
fetal alcohol syndrome, attended two day training for DC-03 ( diagnostic criteria
for children zero to three) sponsored by DHS.
Disclaimer
The use of the information on this site is strictly up to the discretion of the
user. MN ASAP has not investigated and does not endorse the resources listed on
this Website; MN ASAP is not responsible for the contents of any outside sites through
any external links provided; nor are the links an endorsement of the external site
as to quality, accuracy or completeness. Parents should carefully choose a therapist
based on the individual needs of their family. For more information, please see
the MN ASAP fact sheets:
Choosing a Therapist
Adoption-Competent Therapist Traits
Working with an Adoption Therapist