JULIE M ZIFF, LCSW
1416 Garrison Drive
Ambler, PA 19002
215-628-4339
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Master of Social Work, May 1985
Specialization – Family
WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, Macomb, Illinois
Bachelor of Science, May 1980
Major – Psychology, Minor - Botany
Psi Chi President
LICENSURE
PA Licensed Clinical Social Worker
PA No. CW003493L
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
CENTER FOR PSYCHOLOGY AND COUNSELING, Doylestown, PA
Family, Child and Adolescent Therapist, 1995 to Present
Private Practice. Provide assessment and clinical counseling services for children,
families and adolescents. Treatment is comprehensive and includes coordination with
the medical and school community to support interventions. Skilled in providing
treatment for children, ages 2 through 15 years of age for a full range of challenges
including anxiety, depression, ADHD, behavior disorders, social communication
disorders, executive functioning deficits and relationship issues. Utilize research based
assessment tools and interventions.
Created and developed curriculum for a specialized therapeutic summer program, Camp
Friendship, for children with social skills deficits. 2005-2010.
Practice Administrator, 1995 to Present
Provide clinical support and practice education for associates and interns. Also provide
educational workshops in the community for both professionals and non-professionals.
CHILD AND HOME STUDY ASSOCIATES, Media, PA
Independent Contractor, 1999 – 2004
Conducted home study and post-placement interviews for couples wishing to adopt
children in the United States and abroad. Provided In home support services and
education for parents working through the adoption process.
SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN, Philadelphia, PA
Director of Social Service, June 1995 – June 1999
This position required the administration of the department policies and clinical
supervisor for all of the master level social workers and support staff, (language
interpreter, secretarial and staff psychologist). The Department of Social Services aimed
at providing support, education, case management and clinical intervention to all
orthopedic and spinal cord injured children and their families during their stay in the
hospital. Many parents resided at Shriners for many months while their children
received treatment and relied on the services of the social work department to support
them. As Director, I was also responsible for maintaining, developing and training staff
on standards of practice.
ALBERT EINSTEIN MEDICAL CENTER, Philadelphia, PA
Pediatric/Medical-Surgical/Prenatal Social Worker – 1993-1995
As an in-patient clinical social worker, I provided case management and discharge
planning for adult orthopedic patients and was the sole pediatric social worker in the
hospital which included all pediatric trauma and emergency walk-ins and admissions.
PHILADELPHIA CHILD GUIDANCE CENTER, Philadelphia, PA
Family Therapist/Supervisor – 1985-1993
Following a year of internship at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic, I was hired as a
family therapist and continued to work in a newly created and innovative program that
provided intensive home-based services for multi-problem and culturally diverse client
population in Southwest Philadelphia, (Social Rehabilitation Program). Treatment
included a combination of family and individual therapy, community resource allocation
and collaboration with various local agencies. In 1987 I rose to a supervisory level and
trained many master level students in home-based family therapy.
FORREST HOSPITAL, Des Plaines, IL
Psychiatric Technician – 1981-1983
Forest Hospital is a private psychiatric facility that admits both children and adults. As a
Psychiatric Technician, I worked on a specialized adolescent unit for behavior disordered
children, and received training to facilitate daily patient groups as well as weekly family
and multifamily groups. Additionally, as part of the psychiatric team, I was responsible
for a caseload of patients to support their individual goals. In 1982, I enjoyed the
opportunity to assist in the on-site development of this program in another psychiatric
hospital in Missouri.
TRAINING
PHILADELPHIA CHILD GUIDANCE CLINIC, Philadelphia
Family Therapist, 1983-1985. Emphasis was on Structural Family Therapy, a
Systems based approach to treating the child within their family. The training
specifically aimed at providing Intensive treatment in the client’s home and/or
community. Treatment included Individual and family interventions while
coordinating the activities of all agencies involved with the family in an effort to
empower these families and reduce intrusion. Family therapy training involved
the use of observation rooms with one-way mirrors and a direct phone
connection for immediate supervisory support. In addition, training included 24 hours of weekly supervision plus weekly in services on a variety of treatment
interventions, assessment strategies and disorders.
FAMILY AND PLAY THERAPY CENTER INC., Philadelphia
Play Therapy, 2010
The year long training involved learning techniques of non-directive play
therapy involving the use of sand tray. Classes focused on a full range of
childhood disorders and understanding developmental issues at every age.
EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS
Areas of Interest and specialty: 2010 – PRESENT: (list of workshops prior to 2010 is extensive)
Selective Mutism
Emotional Regulation in Children and Adolescents
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness
Evaluating and Effectively Treating learning and Behavioral Disorders
Childhood Obesity
Ethics in practice
Assessment of Clinically Complex Pediatric Psychiatry patients, (OCD, Touretts
and co-occuring conditions)
Approaches for Reducting Defiant Behaviors in Children and Teens
Promoting Family and School Success with Children with ADHD
Risk Taking in Adolescence
Pharmacology of Mental Disorders: Questions about Youth and Psychiatric
Medications Answered
Post-Divorce Parenting
Principles of Problem –Solving Therapy to Treat Depression
Child and Adolescent Anxiety: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention
Strategies
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Trichotillomania and Other Body-Focused
Repetitive Behaviors