Application

Dear Prospective BEBA Parents

Thank for your interest in participating in BEBA. We appreciate the potential opportunity to serve you and your family. BEBA is a small non-profit organization which offers sessions to 12 families a week.

If you are interested in coming to BEBA, please:

1. Read the Program Guidelines
2. Call Sandra Castellino, BEBA's Administrative Director, to discuss your family's needs, children's prenatal and birth history, BEBA facilitators' availability, and scheduling. Sandra can answer questions about the program.
3. If, after talking with Sandra, you decide to apply, please download and complete the Application Forms.

Program Guidelines

• What is BEBA?

  BEBA is a non-profit research and teaching clinic in Santa Barbara, CA. It is dedicated to exploring the impact that early prenatal and perinatal experiences have on human development and to developing healing strategies that can assist individuals in releasing negative and/or restrictive imprints from those early periods. Prenatal and perinatal experiences include conception, gestation, birth, post-birth events and the bonding and attachment process. These early stages of human growth have long term effects on one's emotional, psychological and physical health and wellbeing. BEBA is a baby/child-centered clinic that explores these issues by helping babies, children, and their families access, re-pattern and heal stress and trauma imprints originating from these early times. BEBA has been in existence since 1993.

• BEBA's Research and Teaching Infrastructure

  BEBA is a research and teaching facility. Its structure is organized to maximize the exploration and expansion of the following:

  1. Our understanding of human development, specifically during the prenatal and perinatal life stages, including conception, gestation, birth, the events that occur following birth and the process of bonding and attachment;
  2. Our understanding of the imprinting that arises from stressful and traumatic experiences occurring during these prenatal and perinatal life stages;
  3. Our understanding of the impact these imprints have on future behaviors and emotional, psychological and physical health and well being;
  4. The development of successful strategies and interventions to help individuals heal and re-pattern restrictive imprints arising from early trauma and/or stress during these primary stages;
  5. Methods of educating the public and the professional sectors about the importance of these early stages of human development and their long-term effect on health and well being;

  To this end, BEBA follows a number of protocols:

  1. All sessions are videotaped and all tapes become part of the BEBA research archive; videographers are either students of the Castellino Foundation Training, students from Santa Barbara Graduate Institute's Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology Program, and/or healthcare professionals who are approved by Dr. Castellino. When a videographer is not available, the camcorder will be placed on a tripod.
  2. After every session, descriptive notes are written documenting the session, which are then entered into the BEBA computer database that holds all client files;
  3. Still photographs are sometimes taken and become part of the BEBA photo archive;
  4. Professionals and/or students of the Castellino Foundation Training, the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute and/or other related institutions may, on occasion, observe sessions on closed circuit T.V.
  5. Debriefing and supervision sessions occur regularly for the purpose of discussing and learning from specific sessions, family issues and histories. These sessions are open to the BEBA staff and sometimes to professionals and/or students who may have watched on closed circuit T.V.;
  6. Tapes and chart notes are available to be used for research by specific researchers and/or students who are seeking to further the knowledge of the field of prenatal and perinatal psychology;
  7. Video clips, still photographs and information from sessions, chart notes, hospital records and/or intake forms may be used as part of teaching videos and/or training material;
  8. Administrative assistants both paid and volunteer are sometimes hired to help with administration, compiling data and information, and/or organizing existing files. These individuals perform duties that include making back-ups of all videotapes and organizing chart notes. These activities sometimes include viewing tapes and reading chart notes.

• BEBA's Scope of Practice

  BEBA facilitators use a variety of facilitation modalities and skills to support clients to explore and re-pattern their prenatal and perinatal imprints. They include but are not limited to:

  • Craniosacral therapy skills used in resolving cranial molding;
  • Craniosacral therapy skills of tracking the autonomic nervous system, fluid tide systems, pacing, physical movement patterns, autonomic responses and states of consciousness;
  • Identification of clients' shock and trauma imprinting;
  • Identification of birth stress, cranial molding and postural patterns;
  • Listening and accurate reflection skills;
  • Empathic skills and verbal skills;
  • Somatic tracking skills;
  • Facilitation skills of differentiation, boundary setting, resourcing and self exploration;
  • Group and family dynamic skills.

  (for more information please see www.CastellinoTraining.com)

• Privacy versus Confidentiality

  BEBA, its staff, and participating students and researchers aspire to maintain as much privacy for the participants and their families as possible. Because of BEBA's research and teaching structure, it is not possible to provide confidentiality. Records, videos and notes are available for research, and could be vulnerable to legal subpoena. It is important to know, however, that all BEBA staff, students and researchers are committed to using diligence and prudent judgment regarding the use of clinical information. BEBA and its affiliates hold all participants and the work that they do in the BEBA clinic with the highest regard and respect. The willingness of participants to share and explore their stories and growth within the BEBA program is enabling the field of prenatal and perinatal psychology to grow. Their experiences are helping to expand our understanding of early human development and the critical impact that gestation, birth, the events immediately following birth, and the bonding and attachment process have on human emotional, psychological and physical well being.

• Risks and Benefits

  It is understood that the families who participate in the BEBA program do so because they desire to explore some aspect(s) of their child's and/or family member's prenatal, perinatal and/or related issues. It is understood that participants come to the BEBA clinic with these issues already, be they emotional, psychological and/or physical. It is the BEBA philosophy that if these issues can be expressed, understood, released and/or re-patterned, the individual will be freed to live a more expressive and fulfilling life. It is understood that the BEBA facilitators use their skills to support this process of exploration and release of issues which are pre-existing, and that they do not create the issues. There are both risks and benefits to this process, including but not limited to:

  1. Risks - Because the goal is to allow issues to come to the surface and be expressed, there is the probability that, as participants access and explore issues and imprinting, some strong feelings and/or memories may arise. If this happens, participants may experience a variety of emotions and sensations, some of which may be uncomfortable, difficult and even challenging to experience. As participants grow within themselves and work through their own issues, their relationships with others may also change. These changes can be negative or positive. They can cause discomfort, difficulties and even dissension in primary relationships and/or family structures, the resolution of which will have to be achieved by the individuals involved.
  2. Benefits - There are many benefits to this work. Participants are supported to explore, release and re-pattern negative and restrictive aspects of their emotional, psychological and physical bodies resulting from prenatal, perinatal and related issues. This is a very freeing and life expansive experience because it enables participants to access new and more authentic aspects of themselves. It supports them to experience greater empowerment and creativity. Participants often find that they are able to make healthier and more appropriate decisions in their lives, that they are able to create more supportive and fulfilling relationships, and that the experience of living becomes more satisfying, congruent and harmonious. Babies and children are supported to release restrictive and painful stress and trauma imprints, which enables them to go forward with greater freedom into their lives. They are supported to become authentic and congruent within themselves, to know their needs and wants, and to communicate them directly to their primary care givers. They are supported to become expressive and empowered, and to receive and give love freely. Parents often report experiencing themselves and their children as having an increased ability to cooperate and connect with each other; and they experience an improvement in their children's health, sleeping patterns, coordination, learning abilities and concentration.

• Additional Requirements

  1. BEBA requires that both parents be free from addiction to any substance, including nicotine, alcohol, recreational or prescription drugs. Parents must not smoke. An exception is made only if the addicted or smoking parent is not living with the child and does not have custody rights.
  2. BEBA accepts only parents who are committed to using non-violent methods of discipline (no spanking, hitting, shaking or other physical discipline or punishment).
  3. In Santa Barbara, the BEBA site is vegetarian. If parents wish to bring food to the site, they are asked not to bring any meat, fish, fowl, eggs or anything containing them. Dairy is fine.

• Clinic Hours

  The family clinic is open most Tuesdays and Wednesdays and can accommodate up to twelve families per week.

• What To Expect If A Family Decides To Participate In The BEBA Program

  1. Parents Call BEBA - The parent(s) will speak with Sandra Castellino, the Administrative Director. They will discuss the family's needs, the child(ren)'s prenatal and birth history, BEBA facilitators' availability, and scheduling. Sandra will answer questions about the program.
  2. Initial Paperwork - Once a family has decided that it would like to participate in the BEBA program, parents must fill out, initial and sign all required forms and return them to Sandra at BEBA. After she has received the forms and BEBA has determined that the presenting needs of this family fall within the scope of the BEBA program, and that BEBA has space to offer the family ongoing sessions, Sandra will schedule session times for this family. She will do her best to accommodate their scheduling needs.
  3. Facilitator Assignments - Dr. Castellino will then assign a facilitator to work with this family. He will do his best to match needs and personalities. At certain times, co-facilitators may be assigned to work together with a family, or a primary facilitator with an assistant will be assigned. Occasionally Dr. Castellino may join a session that is normally facilitated by another facilitator. Videographer assignments are coordinated by Sandra.
  4. Phone Intake - After all paperwork has been received and 'Intake Forms' have been read by the facilitator, the facilitator(s) will speak with both parents on the phone (or one parent, if that parent has full custody). The purpose for this conversation is to further clarify their child(ren)'s presenting issues as well as gestation and birth histories. This is also a time to gather additional information about the parents' own personal histories. This call usually takes 1/2 to 1 1/2 hours and is billed according to the minutes spent on the phone. The fee rate will be the same hourly rate that is determined for hourly clinic sessions. The facilitator and parents will clock the minutes spent on the phone, and the parents will pay the appropriate fee at the first session.
  5. First Session - After the phone intake is completed, families will participate in their first session. If both parents are raising the child(ren) together, we require that they both come to the initial BEBA session. It is highly recommended, but not mandatory, that both parents come to all sessions. We suggest that after the first session, parents assess their responses and their desires to continue. If they are clear that the program meets their needs, then we ask that they commit to the program on a weekly basis, if space allows, for some number of months.
  6. Phone Consultations - Additional support is available to parents through after-hour phone consultations with their facilitator. The fee rate will be the same hourly rate that is determined for clinic sessions. The facilitator and parent will clock the minutes spent on the phone, and the parents will pay the fee at their next session.
  7. Individual Parent Sessions - At times it may become appropriate for one or both parents to have a few sessions together, or individually, without their child(ren) present. The purpose for these sessions will be to help the parents look at some of their own issues which might be in the way of their child(ren)'s development. These sessions, as well as all BEBA sessions, are baby/child-centered and conducted from the perspective of the child(ren)'s issues and need for growth.
  8. Other adults at sessions. Occasionally, it is appropriate for a family member other than the parent(s) and child(ren) to be present at the session(s). This could be a father who doesn't live with the child(ren), a grandparent, a sibling who doesn't usually come, or a sibling of a parent; anyone who is a primary member of the parents' or child(ren)'s family support system. If you wish to bring an additional person, we ask that you discuss this with your facilitator before the session day. Sometimes it is not appropriate. The consideration is always what is best for the child(ren). When an additional adult is going to come, there is often a phone consultation with that person before the session. It is rarely appropriate to bring friends who are not family members. If you wish to consider this, discuss it with your facilitator before speaking to your friend. All adult(s) at the session(s) in addition to the parents will need to read and sign or fill in the appropriate BEBA intake forms: BEBA Guidelines and Program, Release of Liability, Release of Records and personal history form.
  9. Commitment to the BEBA Program - BEBA appreciates that families commit to participating in the BEBA program until the presenting issues are resolved. The length of time that a family spends in the program varies and depends on the nature of the presenting issues and histories, as well as the parents' perception of the usefulness of the program. We find that the BEBA process comes to a natural closure and sessions are no longer needed as parents and facilitator, together, experience and perceive a resolution of the key issues. Sometimes, it is appropriate for families to cut back slowly, coming every 2-4 weeks for a while. Once a family has 'graduated' from the program, they may call again, as needed, for periodic appointments or for supportive phone consultations. We ask that families return for a follow-up session at one or two year intervals, if possible. This enables us to follow your child(ren) and his/her development. Fees for follow-up sessions are determined by the family's income at that time.
  10. Financial Agreement - The fee schedule for families with children is adjusted on a sliding scale basis, depending on income (please see Financial Agreement including explanation how to determine your income for BEBA's program and sliding scales). The fee is determined by the age of the oldest child. There is a 50% discount for couples who begin during the prenatal period or before their child is one year old. The discount continues until the child's 2nd birthday. Families with children who begin between the ages of one and two are given a 33% discount until the child's 2nd birthday. Families with children over two pay the regular fee. If sessions last longer than an hour, the charge is prorated according to the hourly rate. If an adult family member other than a parent (such as a grandparent) comes to a session alone, the fee is based on the higher of the parent's or other adult family member's income.

Downloads & Checklist

If you decide to apply, fill in or initial and sign the various forms that are available in PDF format and return them to BEBA. We can begin seeing a family after:

• All the forms have been returned,
• We have determined that there is space available for your family, and
• The facilitator has had a phone consultation with one or both parents.

Both parents need to sign all forms unless one has sole custody of the child.

We realize there is a lot of paperwork and thank you in advance for taking the time to read and respond. We have given considerable thought to each paper we ask you to read, sign or fill in. Each item is designed to help us better serve you. If you have any questions, please call Sandra. She works at home so you may call in the evenings or weekends if that is more convenient for you than the daytime.

If you come to BEBA, we will be glad to photocopy any of the forms for you so that you have your own copy of anything you have filled in and/or signed.

Below is a list of the intake papers. Use this list as a checklist to be sure you have everything. Please sign, initial or fill in as appropriate:

1. Agreements to Sign [This is one PDF file containing 3 forms]:
   1. BEBA Guidelines and Program Outline. This will answer a lot of procedural questions. (Initial each page & sign at the end)
   2. Release of Records, Documents, Videos to BEBA (Sign)
   3. Authorization to Facilitate Sessions & Release of Liability (Sign)
2. Family History Forms:
   1. Parent intake form (PDF or MS Word). Fill in one for each parent. If you have sole custody, fill in what you know about the other parent. (Please bold your answers if you send this in electronically).
   2. Child intake forms (PDF or MS Word): Fill in one for each of your children and one for each prenate even if you are not bringing all your children to BEBA. (Please bold your answers if you send this in electronically).
3. Sliding Scale Information:
   1. Financial agreement (Explains how to figure your costs on the sliding scale. Read this to determine how to figure your income. Fill in your income, cost per hour, and initial & sign).
   2. Sliding scale chart. (Used to figure your cost based on your income).
4. Directions and Parking Instructions:
   1. To the Santa Barbara Clinic on Ontare Road
   2. To the Ojai Clinic on Oso Road

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