The Program for Therapeutic Intervention
The Treatment Plan - Treatment at The Mifne Center
The concept of The Mifne Center was the first to recognize the importance of individual and intensive treatment that includes the participation of the nuclear family as a central factor in the program. The program has many components and touches on key issues relating to developmental, environmental and family aspects.
The guiding principle of the program is that autism affects all members of the family. Family therapy is an essential component of the intervention program and it characterizes the Mifne program differently from other intervention programs. The program applies Bowlby's Attachment Theory as the basis for the development of the self. It combines psychodynamic principles, a systemic approach to family therapy, and a biopsychosocial model according to Minuchin.
The Therapeutic Model
The basic principle underlying the therapeutic model sees the family as an organic unit. The main goal is to make the nuclear family understand the family ideology, its needs and dynamics, and take an active part in the treatment. The therapeutic intervention procedure of The Mifne Center includes 3 main stages:
1. A three-week intensive treatment at The Mifne Center
The first phase of the treatment includes three intensive weeks in which the family stays in Rosh Pina and comes to the Mifne Center every day, to get an opportunity to better understand their needs as a family in general and their infant in particular, while taking into account the uniqueness of each family and while maintaining a supportive and inclusive environment.
Siblings - sometimes the parents tend to concentrate all the resources on their infant who is at developmental risk. In such cases, the siblings may feel outside the center of family attention and sometimes even feel misunderstood and even threatened. Therefore, special attention is given to siblings in the family who take part in treatment, according to their age and unique needs. Dealing with siblings makes it possible to understand family dynamics and acquire tools for effective coping on a daily basis.
2. Continued care at the family home
When the family returns home, the second phase of therapeutic intervention begins. This period usually depends on the progress of each infant and his/her abilities as well as the ability and willingness of the parents to continue the treatment routine. This stage is an infinitely important stage for the child’s progress. Upon leaving The Mifne Center, the family will receive relevant recommendations and the possibility to continue the work at home and be assisted by therapists trained at the school for training therapists according to the Mifne approach at Bar Ilan University.
3. The integration of the toddler in kindergarten
The third stage is a gradual process that takes place following the reassessment of the child's ability to cope in a group of his peers. The assumption is that the tools given as part of the treatment and the work carried out at home after, will allow most toddlers to progress and improve their abilities and allowing him/her to meet and integrate with his/her peers. After finding a suitable framework, the integration is gradually carried out under the guidance of a Mifne therapist.