Photo of Marion Rudin Frank, Psychologist in 19118, PA
Marion Rudin Frank
Psychologist, EdD, MA
Verified Verified
Philadelphia, PA 19118
As a licensed psychologist, board certified clinical hypnotherapist and medical psychotherapist, I have been in private practice for 30 years in center city Philadelphia and Chestnut Hill,Pa. I am primarily Jungian, feminist, and cognitive/behavioral in orientation and use a blend of whatever suits the person and situation. My specialties include relationships, depression and anxiety/panic, self-esteem. trauma, and life transitions. I am widely published, formerly on staff at the Belmont Center and at Hahnemann and Temple Universities.The goal is to diminish negative symptoms and patterns, facilitate individuation, find your path and personal meaning in life, at work and in relationships.
As a licensed psychologist, board certified clinical hypnotherapist and medical psychotherapist, I have been in private practice for 30 years in center city Philadelphia and Chestnut Hill,Pa. I am primarily Jungian, feminist, and cognitive/behavioral in orientation and use a blend of whatever suits the person and situation. My specialties include relationships, depression and anxiety/panic, self-esteem. trauma, and life transitions. I am widely published, formerly on staff at the Belmont Center and at Hahnemann and Temple Universities.The goal is to diminish negative symptoms and patterns, facilitate individuation, find your path and personal meaning in life, at work and in relationships.
(267) 348-4075 x1 View (267) 348-4075 x1
Adoption Therapists

Does my adopted child need therapy?

Not every adopted child needs therapy. However, many can benefit from seeing an adoption-informed therapist, especially if they were victims of abuse or neglect, appear withdrawn or disconnected, have behavioral or developmental issues (which may or may not be related to their adoption), are struggling with feelings of grief or loss surrounding their birth parents, or find it difficult to establish an identity, a challenge that often becomes most apparent during adolescence.

When should adoptive parents seek therapy?

Prospective parents can benefit from therapy even before an adoption—for example, to voice worries and fears; to reconcile infertility struggles, if relevant; or simply to prepare themselves for parenthood. After the adoption, parents who are struggling to bond with their child; are unsure how to talk about adoption or related issues, such as race; or whose child is dealing with developmental, behavioral, or psychiatric concerns can address these and other issues with the help of an adoption-competent therapist.

Is family therapy appropriate for adoptive families?

Family therapy can be invaluable for strengthening the bond between adoptive parents and children, helping the latter feel more secure in their place in the family. Family therapy can also help adoptive families navigate complex communication issues—for example, parents who feel uncomfortable discussing race with their child, who in turn feels invalidated by their silence, or a child who has questions about his birth parents but avoids asking them out of fear of hurting his adoptive parents’ feelings.

What therapy is not appropriate for adoption issues?

A discredited therapy known as “attachment therapy” (sometimes called “holding therapy” or “rebirthing therapy”) should not be used to treat adopted and foster children, though it was largely designed for this population. Attachment therapy involves restraining, coercing, and punishing the child in order for them to “release” negative emotions and attach to their new caregivers—techniques that are abusive and dangerous and have even proven fatal in some cases.