JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021 VOLUME 20, NO. 1
Hope, Healing and Moving On
Harvesting Hope for 2021
Hope is a natural complement to the practice of MFT—a discipline that prioritizes systemic strength and health, as opposed to more individual therapy modalities that are focused on psychopathology and dysfunction. Many MFT classic models have traditionally had a hopeful focus, attempting to highlight positive aspects of relationships.
Eli Karam, PhD
Therapeutic Activism
Family therapists have long used anomalies in therapy as the sparkling moments to generate workable goals and lasting change. For systemic thinkers, the anomalies of 2020 can catalyze our collective change, away from political neutrality and into sincere and compassionate political activism.
Lorien S. Jordan, PhD
Research shows physical, psychological, and relational health deteriorate quickly when we don’t have hope. Now more than ever, this is a time when we need to look to each other, our families and communities for mutual support, understanding, and a sense of hope.
Time is (Way) Out of Joint: On Systems, Politics, and Truth
It’s getting more difficult to set aside the notion of truth when untruth is such a powerful political weapon. Today, misinformation campaigns are targeting the nation’s confidence in many bedrock principles, such as the safety of vaccines and the trustworthiness of public health officials.
Aaron S. Cohn, PhD
Hope from a Systemic Perspective
We have been looking forward to the New Year with renewed hope and expectations that our society can move past the pandemic and work together toward healing. Systemic therapists bring a unique perspective to offer hope and healing because we understand the impact of trauma and change on family systems.
Jennifer Weniger, PhD
Suffering in Silence: Postpartum Anxiety in the Wake of COVID-19
While postpartum mood disorders have challenged mothers and their families throughout history, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has only amplified the experience of mothers who wrestle with anxiety and depression.
Evdoxia Mpras, MFA and Ashley Landers, PhD
Impacts of the Pandemic and Systemic Racism on Foster Youth
Foster youth live in the eye of the storm and are at risk for the most significant consequences to both their short- and long-term well-being, as the child welfare system reflects, maintains, and perpetuates racism in the U.S.
Deanna Linville, PhD, Saralyn Ruff, PhD and Felicia Gutierrez, BS