Our Staff
Arthur Becker-Weidman, Ph.D. received his MSW from the University of Maryland at Baltimore and his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland’s Institute for Child Study. He has achieved Diplomate Status in Child Psychology and Forensic Psychology from the American Board of Psychological Specialties. He is a Registered Clinician with the Association for the Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children.
Dr. Becker-Weidman has been treating the families of adoptive and foster children for over two decades. As Director of the Center For Family Development he consults with Department’s of Social Services, Residential Treatment Centers, and Mental Health Clinics throughout the US, Canada, Singapore, and Internationally. Dr. Becker-Weidman’s work has focused on the evaluation and treatment of adopted and foster children and their families, Complex-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Alcohol Related Neurological Dysfunction (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or FAS). He provides training and workshops to parents and professionals across the U.S. and internationally. He has consulted with the Canadian government in Ontario and with the government of Singapore. The results of an empirical study demonstrating the effectiveness of the approach he practices, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, can be found in several other publications in professional peer-reviewed publications.
Dr. Becker-Weidman is on the Board of Directors of the Association for the Treatment and Training in the Attachment of Children, serves as a Vice-President for Clinical Issues, serves on the Research Committee and Training Committee, and chairs the Registration Committee. He is an adjunct Clinical Professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Dr. Becker-Weidman is on the Board of the Dyadic DevelopmentalPsychotherapy Institute®© and is a Certified Therapist, Consultant, and Trainer of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy®.
Dr. Becker-Weidman has published over a dozen papers in peer-reviewed professional journals and has presented at numerous international, regional, and local professional meetings. He also has two DVD’s to his credit, “Principles of Attachment Parenting,” (2006) and “Assessing Children with Complex Trauma and Attachment Disorder,” (2008). He is the co-editor of the book, Creating Capacity for Attachment, published by Wood ‘N’ Barnes in 2005, second printing 2008. He is finishing work with Deborah Shell on a book about Attachment-Facilitating Parenting that is expected to be published in 2010.
Dr. Becker-Weidman lives with his family in Williamsville, NY. He has three children, the youngest of whom was adopted from China fourteen years ago.
Susan Becker-Weidman, LCSW-R
Director
Susan Becker-Weidman, LCSW, provides counseling services to older adolescents and adults. She earned a Master of Social Work degree from Catholic University. Susan’s has expertise in treating depression, anxiety, or other mental health and relationship issues. She is a Department of Transportation (DOT) certified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP), who can provide evaluations for those in safety sensitive positions and for employees mandated for evaluation and treatment:
· Helping clients who are experiencing losses, such as a significant romantic break up or the death of a loved one
· Parenting advice
· Couple’s therapy
· Marital therapy
· OASAS approved provider for DWI Evaluations for court and DMV
· Employer mandated evaluations and treatment
· SAP evaluations of individuals in DOT safety sensitive positions
· Adoption related issues
· Home studies
· Alcohol evaluations
Susan is experienced in providing short term treatment for focused problems and longer term treatment for clients who have more complex or on-going issues. Susan accepts most health insurance plans.
Jody Hansen-Walker, is our Family Specialist. She has been a foster parent for over six years. Jody and her spouse, Kevin, have successfully parented children with Reactive Attachment Disorder, some as young as three years of age. Jody has four adopted children, all of whom came with a variety of special needs and labels such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, ADHD, Failure to Thrive, and many others. When asked about this, Jody says, "What I have found is that many of the labels were actually behaviors that were caused by RAD." Effectively treat the attachment disorder and so many of the other issues, or red-herrings, seemed to vanish.
Parenting a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder is very stressful and Jody understands the importance of support for you and your family. Talking with other parents who have attachment disordered children is very helpful. Jody knows how difficult it can be to get family and friends to understand, and sometimes to believe, what your home life is like. Jody understands that rule one of parenting very challenging children, children who need to heal, is to take care of yourself.
You can contact Jody by e-mail at niagaraadoption@yahoo.com. Click here for more about therapeutic parenting.
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5820 Main Street
Suite 406
Williamsville, NY 14221
Office: 716 636 6243
Fax: 716 636 6243
NEW YORK CITY OFFICE
41 Madison Avenue
Suite 3130
New York, NY 10010
Dr. Emily Becker-Weidman, Clinical Director
646 389 6550NEW JERSEY OFFICE
350 Madison Ave, 1st floor
Cresskill, NJ 07626
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Last updated on: January 22, 2017
