2026 Winter
A type of early intervention
Maria Keller
Young parents need a lot of support, and that is what eGen provides. “I have three children and I wish I had known about this program when they were little. As we know, parents usually are not trained on how to be a parent," she says.
Maria Keller, LICSW, is a therapist who was trained in eGen and has been providing the program to families. She is a CEHD alum, having received her master’s from the School of Social Work (SSW). She is currently a clinical supervisor and therapist with Change Incorporated and serves as a practicum instructor in SSW.
“One of my passions is to work with families, especially with parents with little kids,” she says. Throughout her career as a therapist, she has seen many cases of teens and adults with various mental health issues. “We know that mental health issues start in the early ages for the most part, so it is very important to start working with young kids in those very important years. It’s a type of early intervention,” Keller says.
Keller is on a list of mental health professionals who receive referrals from medical providers for eGen. “Once I get a referral, I contact the family, explain the program, and schedule the first session,” she says. “The entire program is only six weeks. That’s one of the things that I really like about the program—that it is brief but provides essential and effective parenting skills.”
The sessions are not only brief but are well-structured, Keller says. “Parents receive hard copies of the six sessions that are concise and easy to read,” she says. “The program involves a weekly Home Practice where parents can practice with their child the theory learned in a session. Therapists call parents in between sessions to help with the Home Practice if needed. We work on specific skills together, small changes that can have a big impact. Parents start noticing changes early, even after the first session.”
Keller notes that the sessions are not just about skills for parents. “Since eGen facilitators are therapists, if a child has separation anxiety or any mental health need, we can provide therapy services,” she says.
As Spanish is her native language, Keller receives referrals for Spanish-speaking families. “I recall that the last family I talked to was happy with the program. They were happy to have someone to connect to,” she says. “Someone who could validate the importance of raising kids in this society, about the value of raising good citizens with good values.”
What Keller finds particularly valuable about eGen is that the referral comes from a medical provider. “The advantage is that, particularly with the Latino population, medical providers are very well respected,” she says. “So, parents are going to follow through with the program because the provider made that referral.”
Keller says she encourages parents to learn more about the program. “I believe it is vital to provide support with programs like eGen to parents with young children,” she says. “It is an important investment to our society and the world.”
Jaime Ballard is a researcher in CAREI, serving as eGen's project manager.
Photo courtesy of Jairus Davis