History

Recent Growth and Successes

Restoration Therapy is a relatively new model of psychotherapy developed with the desire to utilize an efficient combination of attachment, emotional regulation, and mindfulness practices.

Terry Hargrave, Ph.D. and Franz Pfitzer, M.D. along with collaborative colleagues developed the RT model through years of clinical work in a variety of therapy situations. Coming from a tradition of Contextual Family Therapy, Attachment Theory and Neuropsychology, the RT model keeps both therapist and clients organized to make sound systemic changes in individuals and relationships.

The training is based on the book, Restoration Therapy: Understanding and Guiding Healing in Marriage and Family Therapy by Terry D. Hargrave and Franz Pfitzer and over 30 years of therapeutic and psychiatric practice. As the founder of the model, Dr. Terry Hargrave started a certified training in Restoration Therapy in 2014 (Level I and II). Further explorations of the approach was published in Advances and Techniques of Restoration Therapy by Terry D. Hargrave, Nicole Zasowski and Miyoung Yoon Hammer. Further, the clinical approach to marital therapy has been the subject of an outcome study performed by Lauren Ahlquist, Psy.D. and Terry D. Hargrave Ph.D. (Ahlquist, L. R., & Hargrave, T. D. (2021). Effectiveness of Restoration Therapy in an Intensive Model. The Family Journal. https://doi.org/10.177/10664807211052381) with extraordinary and encouraging outcomes shown for the model.

While Restoration Therapy is primarily a clinical approach, work is progressing and evolving with more effective understanding and techniques. In addition to new outcome studies in progress, clinical applications of the model have been written about for work with children (A Playful Approach to Restoration Therapy by Nancy Frigaard), psychoeducation application of the model (5 Days to a New Self by Terry D. Hargrave and Sharon A. Hargrave) as well as mention of the approach in the marriage and family literature (Hargrave, T.D., & Houltberg, B. (2019). Transgenerational theories and how they evolved into current research and practice. In K. S. Wampler and R. B. Miller (Eds.). Handbook of systemic family therapy, Volume I. New York: Sage.) Further, the model continues to develop new techniques such as the current exploration of application of the model to treatment of anxiety in clients.