LEBANON, PA — February 23, 2026
Pennsylvania Counseling Services Inc. (PCS) is proud to announce its official approval by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) as a Family Based Mental Health Services (FBMHS) Training Center. This prestigious designation reinforces PCS’s long-standing commitment to providing high-level clinical training and preserving the integrity of the family unit across the Commonwealth. This program within PCS has been designated as the Pennsylvania Clinical Training Institute (PCTI – https://paclinicaltraining.com/)
Under the leadership of Dr. Kimberly Ernest, Ph.D., LPC, the training center is powered by a dedicated team of trainers and marriage and family professionals who care deeply about the families they serve. The program is heavily supported by Deb Thomas, MA, LPC, who provides Supervision of Supervision for the program and facilitates several of the programs didactic and clinical trainings. Miranda Stickler, MA, LMFT, AAMFT, provides clinical licensure supervision for prospective LMFTs and facilitates trainings for the program. Courtney Krivak-Kramer, MA CFBT facilitates trainings and supports the program through data analysis, and using her creative side to create digestible training materials of the model. Finally, Jennifer Fenstermacher, LCSW ensures compliance with all state regulations, audit compliance, and has assisted generously with her time in developing the operations of PCTI.
The aforementioned women, have worked tirelessly to create a program that lives consistently with the fundamental principals of ESFT with heavy emphasis on model fidelity – while integrating the learned experiences of providers, as our training center is supported by those also supervising individuals providing direct care.
The program’s mission is centered on utilizing Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT), a clinical model specifically designed to strengthen family systems and prevent out-of-home placements for children and adolescents. The model is designed to offer an in-person training option for programs who are ready to move their learning off of zoom and back into a training room space and due to these in person offerings, trainings are better able to rely heavily on an experiential focus – encouraging trainees to learn by doing and practicing their skills within the space.
“We are essentially integrating 35 years of family-based provider experience, years of clinical training within training centers throughout PA, and 3-years of operating as an
internal training center to create a supportive and dynamic training experience for providers of Family-Based Mental Health Services. We look forward to working with other programs in the near future. “ – Dr. Kimberly Ernest, Ph.D., LPC, PCTI
Comprehensive Clinical Excellence
The new Training Center integrates the robust educational infrastructure of the PCS Clinical Training program to offer:
- Expert-Led Instruction: Trainings are led by experienced PCS Clinicians and guest presenters with specialized insight into family dynamics and systemic change.
- LMFT-AAMFT Supervision: PCS provides structured clinical support, including FREE supervision toward LMFT-AAMFT licensure for eligible staff at PA Counseling, ensuring clinicians are mentored by industry leaders in systemic/relational therapy.
- Specialty Track for Problematic Sexual Behaviors: Addressing a critical need in behavioral health, the center offers a specialized track for clinicians working with problematic sexual behaviors, utilizing evidence-based assessments and interventions to ensure community safety and individual healing.
Preserving Families Through ESFT
Ecosystemic Structural Family Therapy (ESFT) remains the cornerstone of the PCS FBMHS program. By working within the family’s natural “ecosystem”—including the home, school, and community—PCS trainers empower clinicians to stabilize families in crisis. This model prioritizes:
- Strengthening parental leadership and co-regulation.
- Reducing child symptoms and preventing psychiatric hospitalization.
- Addressing intergenerational and complex developmental trauma.
“This approval as a Training Center allows us to further our mission of helping others discover their greatness,” said Dr. Ernest. “We believe that by investing in the highest quality training for our professionals, we are directly investing in the resilience and future of Pennsylvania families”.
About Pennsylvania Counseling Services Inc. Pennsylvania Counseling Services has provided compassionate mental health and addiction treatment since 1983. With over 20 locations across Central Pennsylvania, PCS offers a full spectrum of care, including individual therapy, psychiatric services, and intensive family-based programs