Why a Sibling Center?
When there is a child or adolescent with a medical condition in the family, parents often overlook the needs of well brothers and sisters. Parents naturally tend to focus on the needs of their ill child, while the well sibling’s psychosocial needs go unrecognized and unmet.
The Sibling Center, a brainchild of Joanna H. Fanos, Ph.D., was developed to support the emotional, physical, and psychosocial needs of the “well sibling,” reassuring them that they are just as loved and their needs just as important. Many children and adolescents fear they might become sick too, feel resentful and then guilty about their feelings, feel sad, or express frustration by acting out or withdrawing. But this can be prevented. Research shows that siblings do better when they understand what is happening and receive support from their parents and health care professionals.
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What We Do
The Sibling Center is designed to focus on well children and adolescents, reassuring well siblings that they matter too. Services are provided by professional staff at California Pacific Medical Center.The Sibling Center welcomes all families, regardless where they are receiving health care.
Sibling Center five session program
Session 1: Parents and their well children meet with a counselor for evaluation and treatment plan development.
Sessions 2-3: Well sibling(s) meet with the counselor to identify communication difficulties in the family, to alleviate emotional distress, and strengthen coping skills.
Session 4: Meeting is split in half. First half is with the well sibling(s) and the second half is with the parents also present to review and develop future plans.
Session 5: 3-6 month follow-up to review the emotional needs of the well sibling(s).
If after the fourth or fifth session a sibling is identified as likely to benefit from additional assistance, a referral is made to a child/adolescent therapist.
Other resources that may help Well Siblings can be found here.
Joanna H. Fanos, Ph.D., director
Joanna Fanos, Ph.D., director of The Sibling Center, is a senior research psychologist who for 20 years has studied the impact on siblings of growing up with a brother or sister with a medical condition.
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A Free Program
The Sibling Center offers its services free of charge. Sessions are led by advanced trainees under the supervision of experienced clinicians. The Sibling Center is open to all families, regardless of where they receive health care services.
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Contact Us
To make an appointment or for more information , please call (415) 600-3515 or email.
The Sibling Center's services are provided at 2323 Sacramento Street, 2nd Floor in San Francisco at California Pacific Medical Center's Pacific Campus.
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