A Fond Farewell to JMFT Editor Dr. Steven M. Harris

Nurturing

• Support for new professionals joining the field and contributing to the journal (as authors and board members), including doctoral students utilized as mentored guest reviewers
• Reassurance for the continued operation and functioning of JMFT during the COVID pandemic (see Coronavirus and JMFT: An Editor’s Note, April, 2020). With so many other aspects of our professional and personal lives severely disrupted, it was helpful to know that there would be some unchanged elements
• Encouragement for Black/African American colleagues and community members so adversely impacted by the reminders of systemic racism and violence associated with George Floyd’s murder (see Black Lives Matter editorial, July 2020)
• Encouragement directed at authors to help improve manuscript quality and directed at reviewers to make the review process constructive not disheartening
• Support for marginalized populations in the form of two special sections on International Family Therapy (April, 2020; October, 2021), and a call to action regarding the U.S. refugee crisis (October 2020)
• Appreciation regularly voiced in editorial meetings (for reviewers) and acknowledged each year when recognizing Reviewers of the Year.

Challenge

From those whom I surveyed about Steve’s editorship, the consensus was an appreciation for his visionary approach to the position, striving to move us forward as a field. Not surprisingly, this quality has been demonstrated in the ways that he challenged JMFT authors and readers to do better.

• In the aforementioned BLM editorial, he pushed us to act by going beyond an understanding of the discrimination and trials faced by African Americans. He challenges us to act “in ways that promote the health and wellness of our Black brothers and sisters.” And follows this by committing himself and JMFT to several new and continued initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.
• Dedicating a special section to help increase the quality of future systemic and clinical research (October, 2020), with detailed examinations of Bayesian statistics, item response theory, multilevel models, and other methodology topics. One of the authors from this issue noted that, “One of Steve’s gifts is his expansive vision of our field. He consistently comes up with great new ideas. Fortunately, for all of us, JMFT has benefited from his vision and creativity.”
• Focusing additional attention on small sample designs (in a special section) to further the field’s understanding of important analytical and inferential strategies. From one of the editors of this special section, “[Steve] has a clear vision for what MFT needs. He wants JMFT to be the premier venue for publishing solid clinical research that can lay the groundwork for systemic practice. I appreciate his vision for our field.”
• Inviting greater rigor in the profession’s use of telehealth and teletherapy, with a collection of scholarship in the very-immediate special section (April, 2020) and a more in-depth special issue (April, 2021) later during the COVID pandemic
• Publishing the standard for MFT practice and scholarship in the form of the decade reviews of efficacy and effectiveness (January, 2022). This issue of the journal contains 13 articles dealing with a variety of presenting issues (e.g., suicide, ADHD, domestic violence), and has already been adopted for use in training beginning and experienced clinicians. As one contributing author stated, “JMFT has continued to grow and strengthen as a result of Dr. Steve Harris’ vision to prioritize systemic family therapy clinical research…and have come to appreciate how his quick wit, high standards, and dedication have contributed to the success of our journal.”

Capturing the sentiment that many of us hold, Andrea Wittenborn shared the following note:

Amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Steve exemplified remarkable leadership, navigating the journal with grace and resolute determination. His unwavering dedication to furthering clinical research on couple and family interventions was invaluable, driving key advancements in our field … As Steve completes his tenure, I extend heartfelt gratitude for his commitment to the journal’s growth and scholarly discourse, wishing him every success in his forthcoming endeavors.

On a final and more personal level, it is nothing short of miraculous that the journal has thrived during a time when simple survival was often the daily goal. The field and JMFT are better for all that Steve has done for us. Thank you, my friend.

Steven M. Harris, PhD, LMFT, began his role as Editor of JMFT in January 2018. Dr. Harris received his master’s and doctoral degrees in marriage and family therapy from Syracuse University. He is a professor of Couple and Family Therapy in the Department of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. Prior to living in Minnesota, he was an MFT faculty member at Texas Tech University for 13 years. He has been practicing as an MFT for over 30 years. His history with JMFT includes serving as the Reviews Editor from 2000-2005, and he has been on the Editorial Board since 2000. Dr. Harris is the author of over 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, has written four books, and has contributed a variety of other publications to the field throughout his career. He also serves as the associate director of the Minnesota Couples on the Brink Project. Dr. Harris sees JMFT’s strength and unique contribution to the social sciences as a scholarly outlet for relationship-oriented clinical research.

AAMFT CEO Chris Michaels remarked, “AAMFT deeply appreciates all the years of Steve’s hard work and dedication to the journal. He has grown the journal into a leading systemic research publication that our entire field can be proud of. We wish Steve the very best in his future endeavors.”