Second Nature is pleased to announce that Kenzie Hamlin, ACMHC, has rejoined the team as its new Family Therapist, where they will lead the On-Trail Family Intensive. This three-day, two-night experience brings parents and students together in the field to focus directly on the family dynamics that are central to long-term success. Families work on restoring healthy communication, developing healthier relational patterns, and more.
Kenzie served as a senior field instructor for two years before embarking on their educational and professional career. “I am so excited to be back with Second Nature in this new role. Some of the best clinical training I received was participating in sessions and trainings during my time as a field instructor. I have such an appreciation for the deeper family work that can be accomplished, free from distraction, in a natural setting,” Hamlin stated.
From its founding in 1998, family systems work has been at the heart of Second Nature’s nature-based therapeutic model. Healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it occurs within the family. To accelerate this process, parents participate in a Family Dynamics Assessment, a psychometrically valid tool that generates a research-based report for use by clinicians, parents, and consultants. This allows family work to begin quickly and reduces the tendency for families to avoid or mask important family systems issues. Everyone can move forward from a shared foundation of understanding.
Beyond the On-Trail Intensive, Second Nature offers a comprehensive continuum of parent programming that keeps families actively engaged throughout their child’s treatment. Parents participate in parent coaching with a dedicated parent coach, join parent support groups, and attend live parent education and insight seminars that address topics such as communication strategies and boundary setting. Families also have access to an extensive online parent resource library, which includes audio casts and therapeutic assignments that mirror and support the student’s progress in the field. Together, these offerings ensure parents are not only informed but fully engaged in the therapeutic process—developing their own insights, practicing new skills, and building a stronger family system alongside their child.
“With more than two decades of experience working alongside adolescents and their families, I have consistently seen that lasting change is only possible when the whole family is engaged in the process. We are so pleased to enhance our in-person family intensive with the addition of Kenzie as Family Therapist. Their integrative clinical approach and ability to guide families in the moment will strengthen an already powerful experience. Family work is not simply an adjunct to treatment—it is essential. It is where healing begins, not only for the student, but for the entire family system,” explained Clinical Director Steve DeBois, Ph.D.
Kenzie brings strong clinical expertise and a holistic, integrative approach to this work. They blend Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with Internal Family Systems (IFS) and parts work, often starting with a bottom-up approach that emphasizes nervous system regulation before addressing underlying thoughts and beliefs. Somatic exercises, co-regulation, and self-regulation strategies are central to their work with students and parents. With families, Kenzie incorporates Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to help parents identify and process their emotional experiences, and to recognize how those emotions shape their interactions with their child. They earned their Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Liberty University and is a member of Chi Sigma Iota, the international counseling honor society. They have completed specialized training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) as well as trauma-informed care trainings focused on integrating trauma-informed interventions into practice.
About Second Nature:
Founded in 1998, Second Nature is a leader in nature-based residential treatment, serving teens aged 13–17 and guiding over 15,000 families through emotional and behavioral challenges. With evidence-based therapy, a fully accredited special-purpose private school, and a strong family systems approach, Second Nature helps students build resilience and create lasting change at home.
Learn more at second-nature.com or email Julia Andrick at Julia@second-nature.com.