Clinical Treatment and Case Management Services
Serving Mobile, Alabama and surrounding areas
McMaken Social Services is here to help in putting the pieces of your family together!
Whether you are trying to complete your family through adoption and need assistance with an adoption home study or more in-depth family services, such as, grief and family counselling, Kathy McMaken of McMaken Social Services is here to provide support and assistance to you and your family. More
• Alabama Adoption Home Study
• Birthparent Interviews
• Out-of-State Adoption Home Study
• AL Adoption Agency Home Studies
• Probate Court Adoption Home Study
• Birthmother Counseling
• Pre and Post Adoptive Counseling
• Specializes in Child Grief Support
• Family Grief Counseling
• Contract Case Management
• Licensing Supervision
“When a family member dies, children react differently from adults. Preschool children usually see death as temporary and reversible, a belief reinforced by cartoon characters who die and come to life again. Children between five and nine begin to think more like adults about death, yet they still believe it will never happen to them or anyone they know.
Adding to a child's shock and confusion at the death of a brother, sister, or parent is the unavailability of other family members, who may be so shaken by grief that they are not able to cope with the normal responsibility of childcare.
Parents should be aware of normal childhood responses to a death in the family, as well as signs when a child is having difficulty coping with grief. It is normal during the weeks following the death for some children to feel immediate grief or persist in the belief that the family member is still alive. However, long-term denial of the death or avoidance of grief can be emotionally unhealthy and can later lead to more severe problems.”
It feels like there is no greater pain, than the pain you feel when your family is incomplete. Whether this pain is caused by loss through the death of a family member, sibling, parent, stillbirth, miscarriage or the inability to conceive, either way your family feels like it is falling apart. Taking the time to talk to a licensed professional who specializes in grief and loss counseling can help in putting the pieces of your family back together.
Kathy McMaken has over 25 years of experience as a LCSW and PIP She holds a masters degree in Social Work from the University of Alabama and a B.S. from Huntington College.
Before founding her private practice McMaken
Social Services, Kathy formerly worked as an
Assistant Director for AltaPointe Health Systems
where she assisted with the development and
marketing of AltaPointe community relations
programs, including a lecture series and
comprehensive Customer Service initiative
for 640 AltaPointe staff. She also ran the
Children's Outpatient Program for two years
that served over 700 children per month.
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