MAY / JUNE 2021      VOLUME 20, NO. 3

Disability and the Family

“How come no one can help us?” How MFTs Can Begin Treating Families with a Disability


Parents, partners, siblings, and extended family members are all impacted by a disability and struggle with adapting to the various challenges and behaviors. MFTs are specifically trained to treat the relationships within a family and the larger community.
Brie Turns, PhD and Paul Springer, PhD AAMFT members only

Top 5 Favorite Interventions for Treating a Family with a Disability


Working with families living with a disability can often feel overwhelming for beginning and seasoned clinicians. Discover these five easily adaptable interventions for treating a family living with a physical, intellectual, or developmental disability.
Brie Turns, PhD and Paul Springer, PhD

Disability should not be viewed as a negative, but just as part of a person’s life. It is helpful to strive for an understanding of how disabled people see themselves.

Disability and Stigma

Disability is often perceived by society as a negative experience and something unwanted. As systemic therapists, we are accountable for our stigmas and biases towards disabled clients and their families.
Briana Mills, MSMFT

Neurodivergent Identity Formation: Are We Listening?

Marriage and family therapists are uniquely equipped to offer therapy that not only nurtures the personal identity exploration journey of neurodivergent clients, but also the interpersonal dynamics surrounding the process.
Kelli Willard, MA AAMFT members only

Disabilities and the Family: Where are the Marriage, Couple, and Family Therapists?

Systemic therapists have an opportunity to play a key role in bridging the gap to address the growing need for accessible mental health services that support individuals with disabilities and their families by managing risks and enhancing resilience.
M. L. Parker, PhD and Kami L. Gallus, PhD

Recent Issues

FTM March April 2021 Cover
MARCH / APRIL 2021

Working with Trans Clients and Their Families


Topics including body dysmorphia, trans youth and their parents, and trans feminine clients.
JF Cover 21
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2020

Hope, Healing and Moving On


Topics include hope as a natural compliment to MFT, therapeutic activism, and impacts of the pandemic and systemic racism on foster youth.
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020

Getting to Know Your AAMFT Governance


The AAMFT Board of Directors presents insights on the inner workings of AAMFT’s governance and encourages members to participate in leadership roles.