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# Family Therapy Magazine

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

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## Articles

- [Eight Things Every Therapist Needs to Know about Family Estrangement](https://ftm.aamft.org/eight-things-every-therapist-needs-to-know-about-family-estrangement/) - INSIGHTS FROM AN IRISH SYSTEMIC THERAPIST Family rifts, family conflict, dysfunctional families—there is no shortage of terms to describe the complex dynamics and struggles in family relationships. However, underpinning these is an often-silent process that can have long-term repercussions, not just the parties involved in the family issues but also those directly or indirectly affected
- [Clinical Approaches to Psychotherapy: Distinctive Features, Common Ground](https://ftm.aamft.org/clinical-approaches-to-psychotherapy-distinctive-features-common-ground/) - Because there is so much confusion about the multitude of modalities and differences among clinicians providing psychotherapy, the following will briefly describe some common approaches, rooted in psychoanalytic origins, with a focus on the unique contributions of the systemic perspective of marriage and family therapy training. This will also describe some distinctive features of the
- [Turning Down the Heat at Home: How Family Mediation Helps Resolve Conflict Before It Breaks Relationships](https://ftm.aamft.org/turning-down-the-heat-at-home-how-family-mediation-helps-resolve-conflict-before-it-breaks-relationships/) - Adult siblings not speaking, parents and children at odds, tensions rising over decisions that feel impossible to agree on. Conversations turn into arguments. Small issues become symbolic of something bigger. Everyone feels misunderstood. And eventually, someone mentions lawyers. Family conflict rarely starts with a single issue. More often, it builds slowly during periods of transition—when
- [Temperament: An Important Key to Understanding Oneself and One’s Relationships](https://ftm.aamft.org/temperament-an-important-key-to-understanding-oneself-and-ones-relationships/) - Most people know the word temperament, but not really what it means. We’re born with nine different temperament traits, and they range from low activity to high activity. There is no bad trait; all of our qualities can be helpful or problematic depending on the circumstances and how we use them. Our personalities are made
- [From Shadows to Strength: Exploring Family, Relationships, Self, and the Making of the Therapist](https://ftm.aamft.org/from-shadows-to-strength-exploring-family-relationships-self-and-the-making-of-the-therapist/) - Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “Family love is messy, clinging, and an annoying repetitive pattern, like bad wallpaper.” My family has carried patterns as ugly as bad wallpaper, including intergenerational scripts of anger, estrangement, and survivalism that repeated themselves with paralyzing predictability. But like wallpaper, patterns can be stripped away and replaced with something new, something
- [The Space Between Us: A Systemic Approach to Relational Endings](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-space-between-us-a-systemic-approach-to-relational-endings/) - Relational endings might be one of the experiences that can reveal the most vulnerable parts of ourselves—ruptured stories collapsed into an idea of what could have been. In our capacity as systemic practitioners, we get to listen to several stories of longing: romantic relationships that have dissolved without notice, friendships that no longer hold, family
- [Closing the Gap Between Knowing and Doing: AI Avatars in MFT Training](https://ftm.aamft.org/closing-the-gap-between-knowing-and-doing-ai-avatars-in-mft-training/) - A graduate student begins a session with a couple. One partner does most of the talking. The other gives short, brief answers. Inside of two minutes, the talkative partner keeps pressing the student to take their side, and the student has to decide, right then, whether to follow their lead or turn toward the quieter
- [When the Bedroom Becomes a Battleground: Treating Sleep Anxiety in Couple Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/when-the-bedroom-becomes-a-battleground-treating-sleep-anxiety-in-couple-therapy/) - Shelly tried everything. Melatonin. White noise. Blackout curtains. A sleep tracker that glared at her from the nightstand like a Cheshire cat. By the time she started seeing me, she had not slept more than four hours a night for three years; and her marriage was quietly unraveling. Her husband, Jared, had decamped to the
- [Yours, Mine, and Ours: Helping Couples Organize Money](https://ftm.aamft.org/yours-mine-and-ours-helping-couples-organize-money/) - There is a question most therapists rarely think to ask, yet the answer can open the door to some of the most revealing clinical conversations: How do you and your partner actually organize your money? Not “Do you fight about money?” That question is common enough. This one is more specific: Do you pool everything,
- [When the Homeland Is on a Screen:  How Geopolitical Trauma Affects Children in Diaspora Families](https://ftm.aamft.org/when-the-homeland-is-on-a-screen-how-geopolitical-trauma-affects-children-in-diaspora-families/) - Ambient dread At dinner, a father’s hand pauses midair. His phone lights up with a video from a street he once walked as a teenager in Tehran. Smoke fills the frame. Someone is shouting. He leans closer without realizing his daughter is not watching the footage. She is watching his face. In the car after
- [Systemic Training in an Era of Anti-DEI Policies: Utilizing Three Systemic Pillars to Guide CFT Program Governance](https://ftm.aamft.org/systemic-training-in-an-era-of-anti-dei-policies-utilizing-three-systemic-pillars-to-guide-cft-program-governance/) - Recent actions have affected DEI practices in higher education, with the February 14, 2025, Dear Colleague Letter (U.S. Department of Education, 2025) increasing scrutiny and causing uncertainty for programs focused on inclusion. Some departments face program threats, while others and institutions experience system-wide anxiety. The apparent goal is to prioritize certain groups’ rights and silence
- [Being a Positive Advocate When an Elder Needs Hospital Care](https://ftm.aamft.org/being-a-positive-advocate-when-an-elder-needs-hospital-care/) - A large part of my work with caregivers has involved helping them learn how to be effective advocates when an elder requires hospital care. Advocacy refers to the actions you take to support the elder so they receive the best possible care and outcomes. Ideally, the advocate is also the elder’s Power of Attorney for
- [How MFTs Can Improve Client Outcomes with Measurement-Based Care](https://ftm.aamft.org/how-mfts-can-improve-client-outcomes-with-measurement-based-care/) - The benefits of couple and family therapy are clear: systemic interventions are generally effective at increasing relationship satisfaction, improving communication, bolstering individual mental health, and reducing problematic behaviors (Wittenborn & Holtrop, 2021). But not every client leaves therapy with the improvement they hope for. Surprisingly, a substantial number of clients get worse over the course
- [Navigating New Terrain: Supporting Nonmonogamous Clients](https://ftm.aamft.org/navigating-new-terrain-supporting-nonmonogamous-clients/) - Nonmonogamy (also known as consensual nonmonogamy and ethical nonmonogamy, these are umbrella terms that encompass swinging, polyamory, and other types of nonmonogamy) has moved from the margins toward greater cultural visibility in recent years. Popular media, social networks, and empirical research all reflect rising curiosity about alternative relationship structures. Population surveys suggest that about one
- [Sleep Problems Are Relationship Problems: Why MFTs Should Be Leading Dyadic Sleep Interventions](https://ftm.aamft.org/sleep-problems-are-relationship-problems-why-mfts-should-be-leading-dyadic-sleep-interventions/) - Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) know something that sleep medicine has taken decades to discover: human problems don’t exist in isolation. When someone can’t sleep, it’s rarely just their problem. It’s a couple problem. A family problem. A relationship problem. After decades of research on sleep and relationships, the evidence is overwhelming: sleep is fundamentally
- [When the World Becomes Too Much: Living in Oscillanguish](https://ftm.aamft.org/when-the-world-becomes-too-much-living-in-oscillanguish/) - There are moments in history when the emotional life of individuals cannot be understood outside of the systems they are embedded in. Moments when distress is not simply internal, but relational, political, technological, and collective. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Adam Grant talked about the concept of languishing, describing a psychological state between depression and flourishing, marked by emptiness,
- [Supporting Daughters of Latin American Immigrants Navigating Higher Education](https://ftm.aamft.org/supporting-daughters-of-latin-american-immigrants-navigating-higher-education/) - A topic seldom discussed is the challenges that daughters of Latin American immigrants face and overcome when seeking higher education. Studies have shown there has been an increase in Latin women pursuing higher education than in previous years (Mora, 2022). Despite the growing numbers, attainment of degrees often stays the same due to the incompletion
- [Family Therapy for Clients of Wealth: Extending Culturally Competent Care Through a Systemic Lens](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-for-clients-of-wealth-extending-culturally-competent-care-through-a-systemic-lens/) - That we are living in volatile times is not new news. The last decade has been defined by acute disruptions in multiple spheres of our individual, relational, and collective existence. Historically, the magnitude of these disruptions served to unite disparate identities around a common good. Today, contemporary events such as a global pandemic, climate disasters,
- [High-Conflict Communication in Blended Families: Helping Everyone Feel Heard Without Escalating Conflict](https://ftm.aamft.org/high-conflict-communication-in-blended-families-helping-everyone-feel-heard-without-escalating-conflict/) - After a divorce or separation, clients can feel as though everything is a fight. It isn’t that they are high-conflict people. More often, they have developed a pattern of communication in which conflict is expected before the conversation even begins. Now add the complexities of a second relationship and additional children, and the dynamics of
- [Optimizing MFT Professional Socialization Development: Using the 4C Assessment Model in Supervision](https://ftm.aamft.org/optimizing-mft-professional-socialization-development-using-the-4c-assessment-model-in-supervision/) - Supervision is a crucial aspect of the development of competent, ethical marriage and family therapy (MFT) professionals providing quality client care in practice. Supervision is an ongoing professional relationship focusing on MFT clinical skills development, often including strengthening systemic thinking through case conceptualization, teaching and supporting clinicians’ use of systemic models and interventions in their
- [This Is What Happens When Therapists Don’t Understand Asexuality](https://ftm.aamft.org/this-is-what-happens-when-therapists-dont-understand-asexuality/) - The problem my husband and I had was, admittedly, a tricky one. I had always been disinterested in sex ever since my high school years—it didn’t make sense to me, I had no need for it, and I never enjoyed it—but, 9 years into our marriage, that disinterest had developed into a deep repulsion. After
- [What Is Agricultural Behavioral Health?](https://ftm.aamft.org/what-is-agricultural-behavioral-health/) - Background In 2017, two years after completing a doctoral degree at East Carolina University (ECU) in medical family therapy, I incorporated my own family therapy and consulting firm dedicated to serving the mental health and behavioral health needs of the farming community. It was never my intention to start a consulting business, but as there
- [The AAMFT Podcast All-Star Panel Series: A Celebration of Systemic Therapy's Common Core](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-aamft-podcast-all-star-panel-series-a-celebration-of-systemic-therapys-common-core/) - The eighth season of the AAMFT Podcast in 2026 celebrates an unprecedented gathering of systemic therapy’s most influential voices. Eight uniquely curated panels bring together 23 master therapists and model developers to talk about the heart and soul of systemic therapy. These supersized episodes offer our audience an intimate look at how diverse theoretical orientations
- [Friendship, Partnership, and Love Affair: Helping Couples Navigate the Differences so They Can Thrive Together](https://ftm.aamft.org/friendship-partnership-and-love-affair-helping-couples-navigate-the-differences-so-they-can-thrive-together/) - I see a committed relationship as having three aspects: friendship, business partnership, and love affair. Friendship is liking/respecting/enjoying a partnership, enjoying time and activities together, and, hopefully, having adventures. Business partnership is about logistics running a household (shopping, cleaning, cooking, managing money, cars, etc.), and parenting, whether that’s children and/or pets. A love affair is
- [The Role of MFTs in Uncertain Political Times: Two Families as an Example](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-role-of-mfts-in-uncertain-political-times-two-families-as-an-example/) - No matter what side of the political spectrum you find yourself, I think all will agree that the past year has been a roller coaster ride in United States (US) politics. Politics have ranged from usual polarizations, arguments, and stuck positions, to abuse, killings, overt racism, and heightened policing, to name a few. The recent
- [When Family Therapists Go Back Home to Their Families: Notes from an Autoethnographic Practice](https://ftm.aamft.org/when-family-therapists-go-back-home-to-their-families-notes-from-an-autoethnographic-practice/) - Family therapists can spend a lifetime studying theories about family patterns, intergenerational communication, recursive loops, and the dance between closeness and separateness, to name a few. During our training, we are taught to map triangles, track emotional processes across decades, and listen for the stories that shape a person’s sense of personhood. And yet, family
- [Relief Under Fire: Chronic Repression and the Reorganization of Collective Survival](https://ftm.aamft.org/relief-under-fire-chronic-repression-and-the-reorganization-of-collective-survival/) - Historical Rupture and Long Conflict We are living through a historic inflection point, a moment that is reshaping how systems of power and resistance interact and how societies imagine their futures. Since 1979, Iranian society has been structured around an authoritarian system in which protest and suppression form a recurring relational pattern. External tensions with
- [How Can Marriage and Family Therapists Help Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Individuals Navigating Online Dating?](https://ftm.aamft.org/how-can-marriage-and-family-therapists-help-racially-and-ethnically-minoritized-individuals-navigating-online-dating/) - It’s like a really big pimple, where it’s there but you don’t want to point it out. You hope the other person doesn’t point it out. — A 21-year-old interview participant offered this metaphor to describe his experience as a person of color on dating apps. The image is vivid, like something visible, uncomfortable, impossible
- [When the Chart Is Watching Back: AI, Consent, and Control in Teletherapy Documentation](https://ftm.aamft.org/when-the-chart-is-watching-back-ai-consent-and-control-in-teletherapy-documentation/) - Picture this: you finish a teletherapy session, rich with layered family dynamics, unspoken tensions, and a breakthrough moment in relational co-construction, and open the electronic health record to chart. But the platform has already been at work. An AI-generated summary sits there, neatly formatted, highlighting symptoms, diagnoses, and suggested next steps. It asks for your
- [Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Children](https://ftm.aamft.org/autoimmune-neuropsychiatric-disorders-in-children/) - This article provides an overview of Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS): A Beginner’s Guide for Mental Health Providers and Allied Professionals Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) is a clinical condition characterized by the sudden onset of severe neuropsychiatric symptoms in children, most notably obsessive-compulsive behaviors
- [Family Therapists in Schools: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapists-in-schools-where-weve-been-and-where-were-going/) - This article is a collaborative effort by members of AAMFT’s Family Therapists in Schools Topical Interest Network and school-based colleagues (contributors are listed in alphabetical order). Imagine that you are a high school student, depressed and anxious over conflict at home. Your parents are arguing, and their divorce seems imminent. You have checked in with
- [Wellness Series Part 1 - Don’t Sleep on it: An Urgent Call for MFTs to Attend to Sleep in Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/dont-sleep-on-it-an-urgent-call-for-mfts-to-attend-to-sleep-in-therapy/) - The global COVID-19 pandemic, political uncertainty, and racial tension over the last few years has undoubtedly taken a toll on our psychological, physical, and social relationships. One of the more impactful and important mechanisms through which this manifests is through sleep quality, particularly poorer sleep. Indeed, both the global/national events (e.g., Targa et al., 2021)
- [Beyond Remission: How Marriage and Family Therapists Support Oncology Survivorship](https://ftm.aamft.org/beyond-remission-how-marriage-and-family-therapists-support-oncology-survivorship/) - The completion of active cancer treatment is often associated with anticipated relief for most individuals and families. Appointments are spaced out, side effects subside, and crisis-related language is eased. However, for many survivors and their loved ones, this phase is characterized by less finality and more ambiguity. Although treatment may have ended, the psychological, relational,
- [Perimenopause and Early Trauma: A Systemic Approach for MFTs](https://ftm.aamft.org/perimenopause-and-early-trauma-a-systemic-approach-for-mfts/) - Perimenopause, the transitional phase before menopause, brings hormonal shifts that manifest as hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep disturbances, impacting not just the individual but their entire family system (Santoro, 2016). Recent research reveals that early trauma, such as childhood abuse or adversity, intensifies perimenopause symptoms, creating unique challenges for families (Carson et al., 2022;
- [Fostering Intersectional Body Image](https://ftm.aamft.org/fostering-intersectional-body-image-navigating-anti-fatness-in-a-country-that-tries-to-erase-your-existence/) - Navigating anti-fatness in a country that tries to erase your existence What happens when you say the word ‘fat’? Does it roll off your tongue, or do you tense up like you’re saying a word that shouldn’t be said? Growing up, I was uncomfortable with hearing my body being described as fat since I received
- [AI in the Therapy Room: A Client’s Need for Informed Consent](https://ftm.aamft.org/ai-in-the-therapy-room-a-clients-need-for-informed-consent/) - Recently, an acquaintance of an acquaintance (let’s call her Dina) heard that I was a therapist and an educator and asked if she could chat with me (this write-up was approved by her). She shared that she discovered her therapist was using AI to partially conduct their sessions. While I won’t go into how the
- [“Over Advocacy”: Fighting for Trans Rights in the Face of Erasure](https://ftm.aamft.org/over-advocacy-fighting-for-trans-rights-in-the-face-of-erasure/) - “They are trying to erase us.” This is the notion those of us in the queer community have felt since Donald Trump’s inauguration. Recently, the National Park Service website changed the page regarding the Stonewall uprising—a historic site where the LGBTQ+ community members came together to fight injustice in the 60s. The site was altered
- [No Lawyers, No Courtroom, No “Battle”: The benefits of non-attorney mediation in family disputes](https://ftm.aamft.org/no-lawyers-no-courtroom-no-battle-the-benefits-of-non-attorney-mediation-in-family-disputes/) - In these intense and polarized times, it sometimes seems like every disagreement and dispute, big or small, ends in locked horns, a fight to the finish, or a falling out. From political discourse to social media interactions, it can feel like we’ve forgotten how to cooperate, find common ground, and work together toward creative solutions.
- [Could Pebbling be the New Practice for Relational Aliveness?](https://ftm.aamft.org/could-pebbling-be-the-new-practice-for-relational-aliveness/) - Every day, despite what life demands from us as educators, friends, daughters, and partners, both of us find ways to exchange little clips, memes, and funny stories via social media. These are meaningful digital breadcrumbs that keep us connected throughout the day as we experience life in both personal and professional roles. Whether it is
- [Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy: What Are We Fit For?](https://ftm.aamft.org/masters-in-marriage-and-family-therapy-what-are-we-fit-for/) - This question has been at the forefront of my mind as I began my job search during the final semester of my Master’s program in Marriage and Family Therapy, where I graduated with a CGPA of 3.97 from a COAMFTE-accredited program at a popular New York–based university. The program offered more than academic excellence—it fostered
- [An Open Letter to Hopelessness ...](https://ftm.aamft.org/an-open-letter-to-hopelessness/) - You arrive uninvited and begin to tally every crisis, stacking them up as evidence that our efforts are futile, certainly too small. You loudly proclaim: “These problems are too big and your resources are too few to change all the pain and suffering of the world. What in the world were you thinking? Oh, my
- [The Myopia of the DSM](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-myopia-of-the-dsm/) - To name something—to separate it from the rest of existence—and label it, is a foundational act. It is the beginning of understanding and control. In Genesis, the first thing God did in splitting light from darkness was to call the day light and the darkness night. Then, let loose in the Garden of Eden, Adam
- [The Silent Strain: Exploring the Emotional and Structural Burdens of Informal Caregiving](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-silent-strain-exploring-the-emotional-and-structural-burdens-of-informal-caregiving/) - Unlike most roles in life, caregiving may be thrust upon individuals when they least expect it. In 2024, there were 105.6 million caregivers in the United States (Farmer & Ramchand, 2024), and in 2020, there were over 53 million unpaid caregivers supporting friends and loved ones with chronic conditions or disabilities (Centers for Disease Control
- [Resistance in Caregiving](https://ftm.aamft.org/resistance-in-caregiving/) - Resistance is a common challenge in caregiving, experienced by both caregivers and care recipients. It often reflects a desire to maintain control and cling to the familiar, especially during times of stress or adversity. Care recipients may resist when they feel their independence is being taken away, while caregivers may feel overwhelmed and uncertain about
- [Clinical Practice with Parents of Emerging Adults](https://ftm.aamft.org/clinical-practice-with-parents-of-emerging-adults/) - Marlene, a 46-year-old mother, presents for therapy and tearfully tells you that her once solid relationship with her 19-year-old son is in jeopardy. Marlene proceeds to describe Erik’s pattern of “less than stellar grades,” “apathy about finding employment,” “staying out late,” and “using marijuana – a lot.” Marlene shares that her husband thinks “Erik is
- [Ethical Considerations for MFTs in Combined Supervisory and Ownership Roles](https://ftm.aamft.org/ethical-considerations-for-mfts-in-combined-supervisory-and-ownership-roles/) - The landscape of mental health practice, particularly within smaller clinical settings, often presents unique ethical challenges for marriage and family therapists (MFTs). Many MFTs find themselves wearing multiple hats—clinical supervisor, administrative supervisor, and owner/boss—especially in group practices or solo practitioner settings where the lines between roles can blur. This confluence of roles creates a complex
- [Therapy, the Buna Ceremony, and Elders: Lessons from Ethiopia](https://ftm.aamft.org/therapy-the-buna-ceremony-and-elders-lessons-from-ethiopia/) - When I first began my training in marriage and family therapy, one question kept echoing in my mind: How would Ethiopian families respond to therapy? As an Ethiopian, I know how deeply our lives are shaped by religion, tradition, and collectivism. In our culture, it is not natural to share intimate details with an
- [Migraine and the Bidirectional Connection to Mental Health Disorders](https://ftm.aamft.org/migraine-and-the-bidirectional-connection-to-mental-health-disorders/) - A Beginner’s Guide for Mental Health Professionals and Allied Fields Affecting millions of people worldwide, migraine is considered one of the top 10 most disabling medical conditions by the World Health Organization (WHO). The condition has an estimated worldwide prevalence of 15-18% (Khan et al., 2021), including over 37 million Americans (American Migraine Foundation,
- [Influencing the Global Growth of Systemic Family Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/influencing-the-global-growth-of-systemic-family-therapy/) - This year, AAMFT launched an exciting new initiative, the Global Systemic Therapy Summit. In early July, the inaugural summit took place in Nairobi, Kenya, and I was extremely fortunate to attend the summit. I do not say this lightly when I declare that this was the most meaningful family therapy conference I have attended in
- [Chronic Ketamine Abuse: A Systemic Approach to Treatment](https://ftm.aamft.org/chronic-ketamine-abuse-a-systemic-approach-to-treatment/) - During the COVID-19 pandemic, I began encountering clients using medically assisted ketamine therapy to address their treatment-resistant depression. These clients were smart and leaders in their industries. They enjoyed successful marriages and were conscientious parents. Most importantly, they were well tutored in the research regarding the drug’s efficacy and were using the drug under the
- [MFT License Portability: Never Give In—Never, Never Give Up](https://ftm.aamft.org/mft-license-portability-never-give-in-never-never-give-up/) - Success in Arkansas offers hope and optimism to all MFTs Any licensed marriage and family therapist who has been through the agonizing black hole years of the post-master’s test-taking, supervision, logging hours, and licensing process, has been aware of one thing: if you want to go to another state and be able to work as
- [Outcomes Framework for Supervision: The Acid-Test](https://ftm.aamft.org/outcomes-framework-for-supervision-the-acid-test/) - After a century of psychotherapy supervision and over half a century of supervision research, what do we know empirically about the contribution of psychotherapy supervision to patient outcomes (Watkins, 2011; Watkins, 2020; Callahan & Watkins, 2018)? According to reviews conducted by Watkins (2011; 2020), we still don’t know much. This was the conclusion of Watkins
- [Revisiting Records: Guidance and Consideration on Best Practices](https://ftm.aamft.org/revisiting-records-guidance-and-consideration-on-best-practices/) - Record contents State Boards are often sparse on language defining what is required of clinicians for their clients’ records. They may not offer much in the way of guidance beyond the bare minimum of dates and types of service, and that’s because many of the record content requirements are often associated with the standard of
- [Where are the Ethics of Ethical Non-Monogamy?](https://ftm.aamft.org/where-are-the-ethics-of-ethical-non-monogamy/) - While often perceived as a modern and avant-garde practice, non-monogamy is far from new. Across cultures and throughout history—including religious texts, indigenous traditions, and communal arrangements—forms of non-monogamous relationships have long existed (Conley et al., 2013; Sheff, 2016). Historical records reference polygamous and polyamorous structures in early religious institutions, such as those found in biblical
- [Weight Loss Medicine Isn’t Enough: Tackling Anti-fatness as a Systemic Therapist](https://ftm.aamft.org/weight-loss-medicine-isnt-enough-tackling-anti-fatness-as-a-systemic-therapist/) - Anti-fatness is a pervasive function of society. It dwells in the outermost layer of society’s systems and encroaches on each inner level, carefully harming everyone along the way. By the time people with larger bodies encounter explicit anti-fatness face-to-face, they have already accrued the brunt of implicit anti-fatness that has increased their marginalization. Thus, anti-fatness
- [Reimagining Resistance: An Invitation for a Systemic Exploration in MFT Supervision](https://ftm.aamft.org/reimagining-resistance-an-invitation-for-a-systemic-exploration-in-mft-supervision/) - The construct of resistance is frequently discussed during marriage and family therapy (MFT), yet it is often addressed without being located in a systems-oriented framework. When therapists label clients or families as “being resistant,” we notice MFT supervision turning into an advice-driven environment where trainees invest a significant amount of energy in offering antidotes to
- [Neuronutrition: An Introduction to an Important and Complex Topic](https://ftm.aamft.org/neuronutrition-an-introduction-to-an-important-and-complex-topic/) - This new serial column on nutrition is for clinicians seeking more in-depth insights into the link between mental health and the body and the importance of understanding proper nutrition on the brain and emotional health. The field of neuronutrition is an exciting and ever-evolving holistic, integrative, and interdisciplinary field of study. At its core, the
- [Embodiment & Equine Therapy: Anorexia Nervosa](https://ftm.aamft.org/embodiment-equine-therapy-anorexia-nervosa/) - Anorexia Nervosa is a complex disorder. The diagnostic criteria as defined by the DSM-V is the “restriction of energy intake relative to requirements leading to a significantly low body weight in the context of age, sex, developmental trajectory, and physical health; intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight; disturbance in the
- [A Response to a Mixed-method Study on Core Competencies](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-response-to-a-mixed-method-study-on-core-competencies/) - The following is a response to a recent study by Georgiadou, Hicks, Cuthbertson, and Cooper (2025), titled “Master’s Students’ Perceptions of Their Marriage and Family Therapy Training: Findings from a U.S. Nationwide Survey Exploring Core Competencies” in International Journal of Systemic Therapy. One of the study’s most striking findings is the increased integration of non-systemic
- [Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/psychedelic-assisted-therapy/) - Psychedelic-assisted therapy holds promise in transforming mental health. The term psychedelics was created by Osmond Humphrey, a Canadian psychiatrist in the 1950s, which means mind-manifesting (Walther & van Schie, 2024) or mind-revealing (Carhart-Harris & Goodwin, 2017). Psychedelic-assisted therapy involves using psychedelics in the context of therapy. Psychedelics are psychoactive medicines that allow one to transcend
- [Exploring Burnout Prevention in Pastoral Counseling](https://ftm.aamft.org/exploring-burnout-prevention-in-pastoral-counseling/) - The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022) reported that over 19 million U.S. workers have quit their jobs. Of that, multiple studies indicate that between 21 and 67% of mental health workers may be experiencing significant levels of burnout in their profession (Morse, 2012). Burnout in mental health professionals manifests over time due to a
- [Still Wrestling with Anxiety? Why Deep Breaths and Mindset Shifts Are Not Enough](https://ftm.aamft.org/still-wrestling-with-anxiety-why-deep-breaths-and-mindset-shifts-are-not-enough/) - Most people experience moments of anxiety—whether about politics, work, finances, health, or relationships. While occasional anxiety is a natural part of life, and even a helpful motivator sometimes, it becomes problematic when its intensity and frequency interfere with daily functioning—a presentation currently on the rise. According to surveys, 43% of U.S. adults report much higher
- [Helping Youth Struggling with Anxiety](https://ftm.aamft.org/helping-youth-struggling-with-anxiety/) - Anxiety in youth can manifest in various ways: some may become tearful, others agitated, and still others might withdraw. Changes in youth’s typical behaviors often signal that they are preoccupied with something difficult to understand, overcome, or envision. When a young person is facing a threat—such as fear for their safety, uncertain housing, or the
- [Teaching in the Landscape of Political Uncertainty](https://ftm.aamft.org/teaching-in-the-landscape-of-political-uncertainty/) - Since the new year with the second wave of Donald Trump’s presidency, we knew that being with students in the classroom, as women in academia, would be more complex than ever—navigating the reality of political shifts can bring a world of difference to all of us who are part of higher education. Hand in hand
- [Unclogging the System: Minimizing Pressures That Burst Parental Pipes](https://ftm.aamft.org/unclogging-the-system-minimizing-pressures-that-burst-parental-pipes/) - Last year, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory titled “Parents Under Pressure,” highlighting the escalating stress and mental health challenges faced by parents and caregivers. The report emphasizes that parental well-being is crucial not only for the health of parents but also for the optimal development of children and the overall health
- [Visiting Neglected Corners: Exploring Early Pregnancy Loss in the Workplace](https://ftm.aamft.org/visiting-neglected-corners-exploring-early-pregnancy-loss-in-the-workplace/) - In the United States, the issue of reproductive health has been at the center of much of the political debate about women’s rights, particularly since the Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, and more recently with the government’s administration change. Independently of political affiliation, marriage and family therapists (MFTs)
- [Helping Teens Heal from Eating Disorders: Where Family Support, Education, and Recovery Intersect](https://ftm.aamft.org/helping-teens-heal-from-eating-disorders-where-family-support-education-and-recovery-intersect/) - For families navigating the complexities of an adolescent’s eating disorder diagnosis, treatment decisions often come with difficult trade-offs—including the disruption of their child’s academic progress. School interruptions can heighten a teen’s resistance to treatment, increase family stress, and create barriers to long-term recovery. Many parents fear that stepping away from school for higher levels of
- [Aging out of Therapy: Unique Barriers for the Elderly Accessing Mental Health Services](https://ftm.aamft.org/aging-out-of-therapy-unique-barriers-for-the-elderly-accessing-mental-health-services/) - Aging often brings with it unique challenges in how we experience aspects of our everyday lives. Maintaining one’s health or receiving adequate care for health concerns is often a sign of independence and autonomy. However, what if the same challenges that are characteristic of older age are also barriers to receiving support? Researchers describe the
- [Psychogastroenterology: A Beginner’s Guide for Mental Health Clinicians](https://ftm.aamft.org/psychogastroenterology-a-beginners-guide-for-mental-health-clinicians/) - Over 60 million Americans suffer from gastrointestinal disorders (GI), yet only about 25% receive treatment for their symptoms (Knowles et al., 2019; National Institutes of Health & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2009). Common manifestations include acid reflux, bloating, bowel irregularities (e.g., constipation, diarrhea, incontinence), nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting (Knowles et al.,
- [Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy: Relational Healing in Couples and Families](https://ftm.aamft.org/ketamine-assisted-psychotherapy-relational-healing-in-couples-and-families/) - Positive relationships and social connection are essential for human flourishing and thought to be key for long-term happiness, longevity, and wellness. However, utilizing evidence-based systemic therapies alone may not be the solution for everyone, and psychedelics may provide an innovative way to facilitate relational healing. Ketamine is leading the way as a transformative catalyst to
- [Beyond the Body: The Vital Role of Systemic Therapists in Treating Eating Disorders](https://ftm.aamft.org/beyond-the-body-the-vital-role-of-systemic-therapists-in-treating-eating-disorders/) - In today’s society, many are conditioned to view their bodies and food in extremes: “Either I’m healthy and worthy, or I’m unhealthy and lazy.” This kind of binary thinking often reflects how my clients describe their relationship with food and themselves. Binary thinking is fueled by diet culture, which has a long history of stigmatizing
- [Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the Bidirectional Connection to Mental Health Disorders: A Beginner’s Guide for Mental Health Professionals and Allied Fields](https://ftm.aamft.org/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs-and-the-bidirectional-connection-to-mental-health-disorders-a-beginners-guide-for-mental-health-professionals-and-allied-fields/) - Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a serious and chronic biopsychosocial disorder that can significantly impact one’s overall quality of life (Sasso et al., 2023; Mayo Clinic, 2024a; Hillestad et al., 2022). One of the most common forms of functional gastrointestinal disorders (Sasso et al., 2023), some estimate that IBS impacts between 4% and 10% of
- [In Case of Fire: How to Handle Accidentally Destroyed Healthcare Records](https://ftm.aamft.org/in-case-of-fire-how-to-handle-accidentally-destroyed-healthcare-records/) - Your client files are stored in a lockbox in a locked room in the middle of your locked practice. Your notes go straight into the lockbox after this session. Nobody without authorization can lay eyes on the Protected Health Information (PHI) sequestered within. Then, while you’re safe at home, a wildfire torches the office and
- [A Warm Salutation to Each of You](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-warm-salutation-to-each-of-you/) - One of my favorite novels is The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak. Set in 1939 Munich, Death tells the story of an assembled “family” amid chaos, fear, book banning, and love. I’m re-reading this book right now. It is essentially an MFT book, in that it recognizes that relationships are fundamental to the health and
- [Shaping Tomorrow: Your Role in AAMFT’s Strategic Journey](https://ftm.aamft.org/shaping-tomorrow-your-role-in-aamfts-strategic-journey/) - At the recent AAMFT Leadership symposium, one of the speakers implored the audience, “This is not a time to stand on the sidelines; get involved!” I want to add to this important admonition and say that we need to get involved and we need to spend our time prioritizing those things that are most important.
- [Recap of Leadership Symposium in San Diego, CA](https://ftm.aamft.org/recap-of-leadership-symposium-in-san-diego-ca/) - AAMFT held its Leadership Symposium March 20-22 in beautiful San Diego, CA. The leadership development program is specifically designed to cultivate leadership excellence and structured to facilitate dynamic interactions with fellow trailblazers and thought leaders, enabling attendees to confront and surmount the unique challenges and prospects that emerge in the professional journey. The event is
- [Profession and Practice](https://ftm.aamft.org/profession-and-practice/) - In the AAMFT Governance Policies (December 2019)—and on the AAMFT website—there is a Core Purpose statement of AAMFT that reads, “Recognizing that relationships are fundamental to the health and well-being of individuals, couples, families, and communities, AAMFT exists to advance the profession and the practice of marriage and family therapy.” Have you ever considered what
- [A Call to Action: Supporting Humanitarian Aid Workers Through Collective Grief and Career Crisis](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-call-to-action-supporting-humanitarian-aid-workers-through-collective-grief-and-career-crisis/) - Over the past two weeks, I’ve logged into session after session, greeted not by familiar updates about the challenges of humanitarian work, but by tears and stunned silence. The same refrain plays out across borders: ‘We’ve all been let go.’ As of early 2025, policy changes affecting U.S. foreign assistance have resulted in widespread disruptions
- [The epitome of redefining professional identity](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-epitome-of-redefining-professional-identity/) - My heart constantly exposed Unfiltered but passionate I dreamed of a better way Maybe progress within me will pour into a craft tired of being the porcelain on a shelf It was time for a deconstructed self An utter from the clutter seeps through murmurs of a better time Twists the knob opening a door
- [Contemporary Family Therapy Practices and Practitioners](https://ftm.aamft.org/contemporary-family-therapy-practices-and-practitioners/) - A Resource for CMFT Educators and Students with Steven M. Harris, PhD, LMFT, & Ronald Asiimwe, PhD, LAMFT at the University of Minnesota A CMFT video training series is available on YouTube, produced by Steven M. Harris, PhD, and Ronald Asiimwe, PhD, at the University of Minnesota. It was designed to update a media base
- [Bowen Family System Theory in Project Management: A Path Forward](https://ftm.aamft.org/bowen-family-system-theory-in-project-management-a-path-forward/) - In today’s dynamic business environment, project management requires a nuanced understanding of interpersonal dynamics and organizational culture. As I delved into its complexities, it was evident that the profound impact of the Bowen Family System Theory (BFST) within corporate project teams presents opportunities for marriage and family therapists (MFTs) interested in organizational consulting to leverage
- [Weaving Advocacy into the Fabric of MFT: A Podcast Discussion](https://ftm.aamft.org/weaving-advocacy-into-the-fabric-of-mft-a-podcast-discussion/) - Dr. Kristen Benson, an MFT educator, advocate, and researcher, met with Dr. Sofia Georgiadou in the “Learning and Teaching Systemic Therapy” podcast on October 24, 2024, and discussed how she has been integrating social justice advocacy into the core of her marriage and family therapy education, clinical practice, and research. Her experiences provide a roadmap
- [Marriage and Family Therapists are strong, but unity, resources, and effort are required to achieve our goals](https://ftm.aamft.org/marriage-and-family-therapists-mfts-are-strong-but-unity-resources-and-effort-are-required-to-achieve-our-goals/) - It is a high honor for me to begin my term as President of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), the largest national association in the world looking out for the interests of Marriage and Family Therapists/Systemic Family Therapists. As I begin my two-year term, I am acutely aware that MFTs are
- [The Hacking of Change Healthcare](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-hacking-of-change-healthcare/) - What happened? This year, the largest health insurance hack in history took place. If you’re a therapist who takes insurance, you’ve probably heard about the Change Healthcare hack already. The hack has implications for mental health practitioners and the healthcare industry. The saga began in October of 2022 when Optum acquired Change Healthcare. Optum is
- [From Exhaustion to Empowerment: A Therapist's Guide to Supporting Clients Through Burnout](https://ftm.aamft.org/from-exhaustion-to-empowerment-a-therapists-guide-to-supporting-clients-through-burnout/) - Maria, 34, comes into your office and slumps into the couch opposite you. She looks drained, and you notice that her outfit seems a little less put-together than usual. Something is clearly going on. She immediately dives into how “over work” she is, citing a micromanaging boss, unrealistic expectations, and no time off to speak
- [A Systems Perspective on the Firefighter Mental Health Crisis](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-systems-perspective-on-the-firefighter-mental-health-crisis/) - Do first responders need therapy? I spoke with John Nicoletti about the phenomenon of well-meaning but under-informed therapists. Nicoletti is best known for his work conducting debriefings after mass casualty events. He responded to the Columbine shooting in 1999 and the Aurora theatre shooting in 2012. He still does debriefings for law enforcement after potentially
- [SURRENDER](https://ftm.aamft.org/surrender/) - She left me, but still she remains Trapped in portals of time analogizing when picture frames became strange Between what is and what was Subtraction of clarity multiplied by the increase of fuzz Equals silence and sometimes shame, sometimes agitation, and sometimes blame “Mom, do you remember Alice? You said it was your favorite dog.”
- [Type 2 Diabetes: A Beginner’s Guide for Mental Health Professionals](https://ftm.aamft.org/type-2-diabetes-a-beginners-guide-for-mental-health-professionals-and-related-fields-of-study/) - Type 2 diabetes is a serious health condition that impacts millions of people across the United States and around the world (Calvano et al., 2019; Visaria et al., 2020). In fact, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounts for 90 to 95% of all cases of diabetes (Antwi et al., 2020; Visaria et al., 2020). Considered
- [Misogyny and MFT Training: Gendered Reality vs. Therapeutic Neutrality](https://ftm.aamft.org/misogyny-and-mft-training-gendered-reality-vs-therapeutic-neutrality/) - As systemic practitioners, we continue to pay attention to local and global developments, recognizing the connection between social, cultural, and political shifts that have the potential to influence our work. Just last month, we came to know that in the United Kingdom (U.K.), there is a movement to introduce a groundbreaking bill classifying misogyny as
- [Systemic Therapy with Arab American Clients](https://ftm.aamft.org/systemic-therapy-with-arab-american-clients/) - Arabs are a diverse group with some of the fastest-growing population rates in the United States (U.S.; Dardas & Simmons, 2015). The population includes approximately 3.5 million Arabs and Arab Americans (Aprahamian et al., 2011; Shuraydi, 2020). Arab Americans have traditionally been an understudied and misunderstood minoritized group in the United States (Abuelezam et al.,
- [2024 Student Ethics Competition Essay – 1st Place](https://ftm.aamft.org/2024-student-ethics-competition-essay-1st-place/) - Annelise Billings East Carolina University Caroline Tumulty-Ollemar East Carolina University Jadalee Eyma East Carolina University Both the AAMFT Code of Ethics (2015) Standard 1.9: Relationship Beneficial to Client and the ethical principle of beneficence require therapists to continue to provide services only so long as clients are benefiting from the therapeutic relationship (Murphy & Hecker,
- [Enhancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity in The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/enhancing-diversity-equity-and-inclusivity-in-the-american-association-for-marriage-and-family-therapy/) - Authored by the AAMFT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Oversight Committee 2023 and 2024 (in alphabetical order): Ronald Asiimwe, PhD, Adrian J. Blow, PhD – Chair, Katie Heiden-Rootes, PhD, Naveen Jonathan, PhD, Silvia Kaminsky, MSEd, Debbie Manigat, DMFT, Erin C. Schaefer, MAEd, Isha D. Williams, PhD, Monique E. Willis, PhD and AAMFT Staff Melanie A. Gibson,
- [Loss, Grief, and Resilience: Finding Light Through the Darkness](https://ftm.aamft.org/loss-grief-and-resilience-finding-light-through-the-darkness/) - In these turbulent times, families have suffered devastating losses of loved ones, from the anguish of COVID-related deaths to gun violence, drug overdose, suicide, environmental disasters, and war. More attention is urgently needed in MFT training and practice to help the bereaved to heal and forge pathways ahead to live and love fully beyond loss.
- [Breaking the Cycle: Understanding and Overcoming Insecure Attachment in Relationships](https://ftm.aamft.org/breaking-the-cycle-understanding-and-overcoming-insecure-attachment-in-relationships/) - Your new client, Lucy, has come to see you about her issues with maintaining long-lasting and healthy relationships. Lucy shares that she has never felt safe in any relationship and fears her partner will leave her. She constantly worries about being abandoned by the people she loves and often uses sex as a way to
- [The Integration of Play Therapy for Children Diagnosed with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-integration-of-play-therapy-for-children-diagnosed-with-an-intellectual-or-developmental-disability/) - Carlos, a six-year-old Hispanic American diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is primarily non-verbal. At the age of two, he was removed from his home due to abuse and neglect linked to his biological parents’ substance use. Carlos and his four siblings, all diagnosed with varying levels of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), suffered from
- [A Systems Approach to Understanding Mental Health in the Workplace](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-systems-approach-to-understanding-mental-health-in-the-workplace/) - Understanding mental health in the workplace requires an exploration of the multilayered individual, familial, and environmental factors associated with well-being. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory on human development offers a holistic framework and identifies five levels of impact: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem (Bone, 2015; Smith et al., 2022). The microsystem, the most influential level, refers
- [Embracing New Territories: The Journey of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) in Kenya](https://ftm.aamft.org/embracing-new-territories-the-journey-of-emotionally-focused-therapy-eft-in-kenya/) - AAMFT is pleased to announce our first event in Nairobi, Kenya — coming in 2025! The Global Systemic Therapy Summit will feature keynotes, breakout sessions, and research posters. More details will be announced soon. It is well-documented that satisfactory intimate relationships are essential to human health; they serve as vital resources that enhance the general
- [Overcoming Challenges & Enhancing Care for Neurodiverse Families: A Guide for Marriage and Family Therapists](https://ftm.aamft.org/overcoming-challenges-enhancing-care-for-neurodiverse-families-a-guide-for-marriage-and-family-therapists/) - Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted neurodevelopmental condition that affects a child’s social interactions, communication skills, and behavior. Its complexity is reflected in the wide range of symptoms and severity levels it encompasses. Recent statistics show a significant increase in ASD prevalence, with approximately 1 in every 36 children in the U.S. now diagnosed
- [Building Bridges: Couples' Strategies for Thriving with Autism in the Family](https://ftm.aamft.org/building-bridges-couples-strategies-for-thriving-with-autism-in-the-family/) - Parents of autistic children face numerous stressors that affect various aspects of daily life. The difficulties of raising a child with autism can emerge well before an official diagnosis and persist throughout the family’s life. Specifically, navigating parenthood typically becomes more challenging with a diagnosis of autism due to new emotional challenges, managing behavioral issues,
- [Shifting Worldviews on Excessive Technology Use with Systemic Approaches](https://ftm.aamft.org/shifting-worldviews-on-excessive-technology-use-with-systemic-approaches/) - In today’s digital landscape, the pervasive presence of technology brings unique challenges to family dynamics, necessitating a reevaluation of traditional norms and values. As a therapist specializing in marriage and family dynamics, I’ve witnessed firsthand the profound impact of excessive technology use on familial relationships. Through systemic approaches, transformative shifts in family worldviews have been
- [From Compassion Satisfaction to Burnout: How MFTs Can Support Caring Professionals](https://ftm.aamft.org/from-compassion-satisfaction-to-burnout-how-mfts-can-support-caring-professionals/) - Burnout is increasingly prevalent within caring professions. It is characterized by lacking a sense of personal accomplishment, depersonalization, and emotional exhaustion from high-stress work environments (Ram et al., 2023). This is a far-reaching issue, but improvements in access to mental healthcare for caring professionals are minimal. Healthcare workers, first responders, therapists, and caregivers face difficult
- [Code of Ethics Update](https://ftm.aamft.org/code-of-ethics-update/) - One of the hallmarks of a profession is a code of ethics designed to prevent harm by practitioners of the profession to those who seek their services and to hold practitioners accountable to standards of prudent and responsible practice by which their professional conduct is judged. As times change, so do the ethical issues that
- [Differences Are Not Deficits](https://ftm.aamft.org/differences-are-not-deficits/) - Greetings AAMFT members! I hope all enjoyed a restful, fun, and productive summer! This was a particularly hot summer in most areas of the contiguous United States (if not all over the globe!) and I hope everyone remained safe and cool. When I learned that the September/October issue of the Family Therapy magazine (FTM) was
- [Can Suicide Protocols Empower Clients? From Assessment to Assistance](https://ftm.aamft.org/can-suicide-protocols-empower-clients-from-assessment-to-assistance/) - The COVID-19 pandemic has skyrocketed the demand for mental health services in many locations, city and rural areas alike (Richtel, 2022). Experiences such as loss of loved ones, disappearance of jobs, derailing of social activities, isolation, depression, alienation, etc., have contributed to an increase in people thinking of the unthinkable: ending their lives. Mental health
- [Empowering Young Females: The Role of MFTs in Mitigating Body Image Concerns in the Digital Era](https://ftm.aamft.org/empowering-young-females-the-role-of-mfts-in-mitigating-body-image-concerns-in-the-digital-era/) - Throughout history, media have consistently proved a detrimental influence on the body satisfaction of young females. However, the recent increase in accessibility of smartphones and social media platforms has significantly intensified the exposure of young females to unrealistic body standards. In addition to media like movies, television shows, and magazines perpetuating unrealistic body standards, social
- [Dating Struggles: Young Adults Coming from Parental Divorce](https://ftm.aamft.org/dating-struggles-young-adults-coming-from-parental-divorce/) - A new client arrives at your office. This young man in front of you, Adam Perez, begins to tell you how he struggles with his dating confidence and his confusion as to why his romantic relationships never seem to last more than a few months. He says that he feels lonely and vulnerable and begins
- [Guiding Couples to Repair When Trust Has Been Broken: Setting Expectations with Digital Use](https://ftm.aamft.org/guiding-couples-to-repair-when-trust-has-been-broken-setting-expectations-with-digital-use/) - Many couples struggle to form agreements for cellphone and computer use after an affair. Providing guidance to establish expectations around digital use is a valuable service provided by therapists in the field of marriage and family therapy. Setting shared expectations with digital use can be hard to accomplish in any relationship, and post affair, the
- [Mothers' Lived Experiences with an Incarcerated Son: A Research Brief](https://ftm.aamft.org/mothers-lived-experiences-with-an-incarcerated-son-a-research-brief/) - Impacts of incarceration on the family system With an estimated 2.2 million people incarcerated, the United States (U.S.) continues to have the highest incarceration rate in the world (Beckett et al., 2018). Stress, trauma, and stigma are common negative effects of incarceration on the well-being of the individual and their loved ones (Turney & Goodsell,
- [Navigating the New Era of Dating: How Marriage and Family Therapists Can Help](https://ftm.aamft.org/navigating-the-new-era-of-dating-how-marriage-and-family-therapists-can-help/) - In the United States, 142 million adults find themselves seeking romantic connection (Campbell et al., 2023). Dating, a concept as diverse as the people who engage in it, has evolved across generations, influenced by cultural shifts and historical milestones. Fueled by evolving societal norms, rebellion against traditional courtship, global events, and technological leaps, dating in
- [Why Therapists Need to Get Paid: An MFT Private Practitioner’s View](https://ftm.aamft.org/why-therapists-need-to-get-paid-an-mft-private-practitioners-view/) - Overview I would like to offer a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the way therapists get paid. As a marriage and family therapist who transitioned from a solo private practice to a group practice, I will highlight the unique challenges we face in getting paid and provide insight into the myths and limitations of our earnings.
- [Micro Feminism: Small Acts of Feminism Can Confront Big Biases in Academia](https://ftm.aamft.org/micro-feminism-small-acts-of-feminism-can-confront-big-biases-in-academia/) - Social media is flooded with videos of people—men, women, and those who are gender-fluid—explaining how they use micro feminism to challenge gender inequality in their personal lives. While you might not be familiar with the term “micro feminism,” chances are, you’ve observed or participated in the undoing of gender biases more often than you realize.
- [Bridging Our Political Differences](https://ftm.aamft.org/bridging-our-political-differences/) - “I don’t understand how you can be my brother and be so screwed up about basic concepts of right and wrong. How are liberal democrats so morally bankrupt?” These words were uttered by Alex, who was talking to his younger brother, Joseph, who then matched his brother´s contempt by saying, “You must be kidding! You
- [The Need for Both Mental and Physical Health Services for Incarcerated Women](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-need-for-both-mental-and-physical-health-services-for-incarcerated-women/) - In 2010, 65,000 incarcerated women in federal and state prisons reported as mothers to around 147,000 children under 18 (Cooper-Sadlo et al., 2018). In terms of race and ethnicity, African American incarcerated women have higher rates of having children prior to incarceration or being impregnated during the incarceration, compared to people of other races (Goshin
- [Barriers to Trauma-Informed Eating Disorder Treatment](https://ftm.aamft.org/barriers-to-trauma-informed-eating-disorder-treatment/) - When you spend an extended amount of time in an eating disorder treatment facility, you quickly pick up on a carefully constructed set of rules of engagement. When someone begins hyperventilating in a group therapy session, you learn to fill a Ziploc bag with ice and hold it against their wrist. There are words used
- [Are You Even Intimacy-informed?](https://ftm.aamft.org/are-you-even-intimacy-informed/) - We are pleased to present this special, super-sized issue spotlighting the research work of MFT students at Chapman University in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program. Julie Payne, DMFT, LMFT, and her students focused on topics related to mental health disparity, as well as other systemic therapy issues. We are excited to showcase these future
- [Helping Clients Understand the Differences: The Importance of Psychotherapy in an Unregulated Coaching Landscape](https://ftm.aamft.org/helping-clients-understand-the-differences-the-importance-of-psychotherapy-in-an-unregulated-coaching-landscape/) - In the modern age, there is indeed a focus on mental wellness. Individuals seek guidance and support to navigate the complexities of their lives. Amidst the myriad options available, from psychotherapy to coaching, it’s imperative to discern the nuances between these practices, particularly concerning regulatory oversight and the protection of clients’ well-being. Psychotherapy, a profession
- [Laugh Rather Than Lecture: A Humorous Approach to Excessive Mobile Phone and Social Media Use](https://ftm.aamft.org/laugh-rather-than-lecture-a-humorous-approach-to-excessive-mobile-phone-and-social-media-use/) - In the world of modern technology, the rise of Internet gaming disorder (IGD), excessive social media use, and excessive mobile phone use has become a real head-scratcher for families everywhere. As a marriage and family therapist with a knack for humor and a background in researching IGD, MMORPG, and suicide, I’ve had my fair share
- [An Invitation to Explore Ecotherapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/an-invitation-to-explore-ecotherapy/) - In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, with fear and the unknown weighing heavily, I wrote an article about taking therapy outdoors as “A Natural Approach to Current Mental Health Challenges” (Family Therapy magazine, July/August 2020). Therapy, which pre-pandemic was almost exclusively provided face to face in offices around the world, was catapulted onto
- [Expanding the Frame](https://ftm.aamft.org/expanding-the-frame/) - This past spring, we had the pleasure of presenting together at the 2024 AAMFT Leadership Symposium in Phoenix. The title of our presentation was “Expanding the Frame: Leading the Charge on Relational, Multigenerational, and Systemic Awareness Among Mental Health Professionals.” We are both program directors of small, relatively nascent MFT programs in the Bronx, located
- [Cultural Blindness in Mental Healthcare: Navigating the Barriers for Asian Americans](https://ftm.aamft.org/cultural-blindness-in-mental-healthcare-navigating-the-barriers-for-asian-americans/) - An Asian American woman in her early 20s, her voice barely a whisper, tentatively joins a telehealth therapy session. The marriage and family therapist, perhaps well-intentioned but lacking cultural sensitivity, fails to grasp the gravity of her whispered greeting. Oblivious to the weight of familial burdens she carries, the therapist presses on, asking what’s wrong.
- [Tuning into Therapy: Using Music to Address Client No-Shows in Marriage & Family Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/tuning-into-therapy-using-music-to-address-client-no-shows-in-marriage-and-family-therapy/) - You’re a marriage and family therapist (MFT) expecting a new client for an intake session. Your eyes dart to your clock—it’s time for the intake and your client hasn’t shown up. You tap your feet, play some sudoku, and look over their demographic information and consultation notes. Ten minutes pass and you call your client.
- [Child Sexual Abuse: What Can We Do?](https://ftm.aamft.org/child-sexual-abuse-what-can-we-do/) - No individual is safe from sexual abuse, with children being at the forefront of the risk for sexual assault and ongoing abuse. Dax Shepard is a well-known actor who suffered at the hands of another individual when he was a child. Dax is a man who seems to have it all—a successful career in Hollywood,
- [Anything is Paws-ible: Animal-assisted Therapy in School-based Settings](https://ftm.aamft.org/anything-is-paws-ible-animal-assisted-therapy-in-school-based-settings/) - Many children in the U.S. need mental health services but cannot acquire them due to lack of accessibility or resource availability. According to the Centers for Disease Control (2023), only 20% of children with mental, emotional, or behavioral disorders receive services from a specialized mental healthcare provider. In fact, California’s public schools receive more than
- [Understanding the Second-Generation Experience](https://ftm.aamft.org/understanding-the-second-generation-experience/) - You wake up, get ready for the day ahead, kiss your family goodbye, and linger at the door. You take a deep breath and prepare to move from one culture into another. As a graduate student in the world of mental health, your passion for this field has been led by your identity. You are
- [How Technoference Breaks Down Families: What MFTs Need to Know](https://ftm.aamft.org/how-technoference-breaks-down-families-what-mfts-need-to-know/) - Have you assessed for technoference in your client families? Digital media and modern technology have become a part of people’s everyday lives through useful applications in work, school, communication, etc. However, research finds that it has created an interpersonal wall during shared child-parent activities known as technology interference (technoference) which negatively impacts the child-parent relationship.
- [Bridging the Gap between ABA and the MFT Field in Supporting Minority Families](https://ftm.aamft.org/bridging-the-gap-between-aba-and-the-mft-field-in-supporting-minority-families/) - As a marriage and family therapist (MFT), one can encounter a family with an autistic child who utilizes Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy. The system’s inflexibility makes it difficult for parents to navigate and integrate into their busy lives while attending to the demands of parenting a child with autism. Additionally, cultural barriers can leave
- [Breaking the Stigma Surrounding Male Infertility](https://ftm.aamft.org/breaking-the-stigma-surrounding-male-infertility/) - You’ve been seeing a couple for several months when they mention their struggles with trying to conceive. As they open up, it becomes clear that they’ve been attempting to conceive naturally for over a year without success. Their doctor has recommended standard fertility testing for both partners. The woman, age 32, shares that she has
- [Insomnia: A Beginner’s Guide for Marriage and Family Therapists](https://ftm.aamft.org/insomnia-a-beginners-guide-for-marriage-and-family-therapists/) - Impacting millions of individuals every year, insomnia is a common, costly, and problematic sleep issue affecting everyone from children to senior citizens. Insomnia is considered the most common sleep disturbance in the United States (Cleveland Clinic, 2020). It is associated with several emotional, behavioral, social, and physical health complaints and elevated rates have been found
- [Intra-familial Homicide: Definitions and Descriptions](https://ftm.aamft.org/intra-familial-homicide-definitions-and-descriptions/) - Americans may be at a greater risk of murder in their personal homes than in public places like parks or strolling down the streets in their cities. This is because family members have turned on each other with great lethality throughout history. Typically referred to as intra-familial homicide, this occurs when a person kills one
- [Excessive Sugar-sweetened Beverage Consumption Among Clinical Mental Health Populations: A Review for MFTs](https://ftm.aamft.org/excessive-sugar-sweetened-beverage-consumption-among-clinical-mental-health-populations-a-review-for-mfts/) - Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are drinks that are sweetened with fruit-juice concentrates, high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, and other forms of added sugar. Common examples of SSBs can come in the form of hot or cold drinks and include soda, sweetened mineral water, sweetened coffees, sweetened energy drinks, sweetened teas, and sports drinks. These types of drinks
- [Neurocriminology: A Call on Marriage and Family Therapists and Allied Disciplines to Become Informed](https://ftm.aamft.org/neurocriminology-a-call-on-marriage-and-family-therapists-and-allied-disciplines-to-become-informed/) - Neurocriminology is an interdisciplinary subfield of criminology that incorporates methodological approaches from neuroscience, physiology, genetics, biology, and psychology. The goal of neurocriminology is to better understand, predict, prevent, and treat criminal and violent behaviors. Although there is no single determinant of such actions, neurocriminology strives to identify different risk factors that increase the likelihood of
- [Therapeutic Activism](https://ftm.aamft.org/therapeutic-activism/) - The year 2020 was an anomaly. We shared collective grief, fear, loss, and uncertainty as we faced two deadly pandemics, COVID-19 and systemic racism. COVID-19 spotlit record unemployment, lack of consistent healthcare, food insecurity, chasms in education, and technologies. The pandemic exacerbated the disparities of systemic racism on Black, Latino/a, and Native American lives. Even
- [Maybe I Was Overreacting: A MedFT’s Role with Autism Spectrum Disorder](https://ftm.aamft.org/maybe-i-was-overreacting-a-medfts-role-with-autism-spectrum-disorder/) - One in 44 children was diagnosed with autism in 2020 (Maenner et al., 2021), or approximately 1.7% of children in the United States (Bridgemohan et al., 2019). Despite increasing autism awareness, parents still express dissatisfaction with care from their primary care physician (PCP; Carbone et al., 2010). One-third of parents expressed concerns with the diagnostic
- [How EMDR Therapy Helps Families and Individuals with Disabilities](https://ftm.aamft.org/how-emdr-therapy-helps-families-and-individuals-with-disabilities/) - Individuals with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities are more likely to experience traumatic experiences than individuals without a disability (i.e., Rumball, 2020; Hulbert-Williams et al., 2014; Soylu et al., 2013). For instance, approximately 45% of individuals with autism report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; Rumball, 2020). Adults with intellectual disability are more likely to
- [Systemic Family Therapy and Disabilities](https://ftm.aamft.org/systemic-family-therapy-and-disabilities/) - Family Systems Illness Model and neurodevelopmental disabilities John Rolland’s Family Systems Illness (FSI) model provides a systemic framework for us to conceptualize both disabilities and family functioning as well as their intersection and reciprocal influences (Rolland, 2018). Foundational to the field of marriage and family therapy is systems theory, conceptualizing health issues within their relational
- [When “Miracles” Aren’t Possible: Careful Considerations When Working with a Client or Family with a Disability](https://ftm.aamft.org/when-miracles-arent-possible-careful-considerations-when-working-with-a-client-or-family-with-a-disability/) - I stopped seeing my therapist because she kept stating that my Autism was a ‘problem’ or asking me what life would be like without it. It started to make me feel bad about myself. Much like working with any diverse population, when working with clients with a physical, developmental, or intellectual disability, our language needs
- [Treating Families of Young Children with Disruptive Behavior at School:  A Systemic Approach](https://ftm.aamft.org/treating-families-of-young-children-with-disruptive-behavior-at-school-a-systemic-approach/) - Several years ago, before starting my journey as a marriage and family therapist (MFT), I found myself inside a preschool meeting room, seated across from a row of tense-faced women—a teacher, a psychologist, and the school director. They had a problem on their hands—an oddly precocious five-year-old boy who wouldn’t always cooperate, frequently talked back,
- [Disabilities and  the Family: Where are the Marriage,  Couple, and Family Therapists?](https://ftm.aamft.org/disabilities-and-the-family-where-are-the-marriage-couple-and-family-therapists/) - The U.S. prevalence of families who are impacted by a disability has been steadily increasing in recent years. According to recent U.S. Census Bureau (2019) data, approximately 13% of non-institutionalized adults have a reported disability that interferes with their ability to function independently and to perform activities of daily living such as driving, self-care, household
- [Top 5 Favorite Interventions for Treating a Family with a Disability](https://ftm.aamft.org/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. Because there are minimal studies assessing the effectiveness of systemic models and interventions for families living with a disability (Chengappa, McNeil, Norman, Questsche, & Travers, 2017; Llyod & Dallos, 2006; Turns, Jordan, Callahan, Whiting, & Springer, 2019), clinicians often
- [“How come no one can help us?”  How MFTs Can Begin Treating Families with a Disability](https://ftm.aamft.org/how-come-no-one-can-help-us-how-mfts-can-begin-treating-families-with-a-disability/) - Out of the two new clients I (B.T.) received one day, both were raising a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). “We met with two other family therapists but they told us we were ‘out of their scope,’ because they didn’t know anything about autism,” the parents informed me. As I nodded and gave
- [An American Take on the Manifesto](https://ftm.aamft.org/an-american-take-on-the-manifesto/) - Let me paint a picture for you of the Assisi Conference last July 2023, which spawned the Manifesto: Imagine an auditorium with banked seats, a thousand enthusiastic family therapists waiting for a plenary to begin. People are chatting in many different languages. People are getting up to hug old friends and shake hands with new
- [Happy Spring/Summer Dear Members!](https://ftm.aamft.org/happy-spring-summer-dear-members/) - As fellow humans subject to mental health conditions ourselves, career and workplace challenges are areas that I trust we can universally agree we share with our clients. COVID-19 made this particularly poignant as most of us were impacted in parallel ways to our client population—some of you might have been employed at institutions where you
- [The Gut-Brain Axis: A Call on Mental Health Providers and Professionals Working in Allied Fields of Study to Become Informed](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-gut-brain-axis-a-call-on-mental-health-providers-and-professionals-working-in-allied-fields-of-study-to-become-informed/) - The gut-brain axis is the communication network that links cognitive and emotional processing of the brain to the body’s gastrointestinal functions. The bedrock of this axis is bidirectional communication between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system. The gut-brain axis plays a critical role in food intake, metabolism, insulin levels, perceptions of satiety,
- [The Assisi Manifesto](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-assisi-manifesto/) - PREAMBLE In July 2023, over a thousand psychotherapists from over 50 countries and of every orientation gathered in Assisi (Italy) for three days to celebrate family therapy, its impact and potential, and to exchange ideas. The conference was entitled Family Therapy: The Road that Connects Individual and Social Resources. It was initiated by the Accademia
- [Leadership Symposium Recap & A Member Poem](https://ftm.aamft.org/leadership-symposium-recap-a-member-poem/) - Leadership Symposium Recap March 13 – 16, AAMFT held its 2024 Leadership Symposium in Phoenix, Arizona. Attendees began the event with a community service project, packing hygiene kits for Veterans in need with the organization Veterans Helping Veterans – Hygiene for the World. Later that afternoon, everyone gathered for a networking reception where attendees had a
- [An Overview of Child Maltreatment for Systemic Therapists](https://ftm.aamft.org/an-overview-of-child-maltreatment-for-systemic-therapists/) - Childhood maltreatment, or abuse and neglect in the first 17 years of life, potentiates mental, physical, and relational health problems across the life-course. In 2017, there were over 4.1 million cases of childhood maltreatment reported to child protective services (CPS), affecting more than 7.5 million children. These children include those who remain in their house,
- [From Adversity to Empowerment: Using Ancestral Stories to Guide Latinx Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/from-adversity-to-empowerment-using-ancestral-stories-to-guide-latinx-therapy/) - The Latinx community finds richness in the art of storytelling folk traditions that have shaped many Latin-American countries since the times of their independence from Spain in the 19th century (Miller, 2004). As bilingual marriage and family therapists (MFTs), supervisors, and instructors at a Hispanic-serving institution, we have witnessed the relevance and power of using
- [Beyond Our Struggles: Addressing Stereotypes in Latinx Families](https://ftm.aamft.org/beyond-our-struggles-addressing-stereotypes-in-latinx-families/) - In 2020, the U.S. Latinx population reached 62.1 million, constituting 19% of the entire American population. This positions it as the second-largest racial or ethnic group in the nation, following White Americans, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau (2021). Since 1970, when Latinx people made up 5% of the U.S. population and numbered 9.6
- [Helping Black Women Heal Through a Womanist Mental Health and Healing Framework](https://ftm.aamft.org/helping-black-women-heal-through-a-womanist-mental-health-and-healing-framework/) - Helping to heal What does mental well-being and healing look like for black women? How do we as clinicians support the mental health and healing of strong black women? I posture that a Womanist Mental Health and Healing Framework (Melton, 2022) can uniquely address these critical questions. Clinical psychologist Carmen B. Williams (2005) argues that
- [AAMFT Participates in Launch of New Organization: The Systemic Family Therapy Association-Kenya (SFTA-K)](https://ftm.aamft.org/aamft-participates-in-launch-of-new-organization-the-systemic-family-therapy-association-kenya-sfta-k/) - February 8, 2024 was a historic day for the field of marriage and family therapy in Kenya. The Systemic Family Therapy Association-Kenya (SFTA-K) was successfully launched. Official sponsors, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, were not only present via teleconferencing, but played a significant role in supporting this launch. This launch marked the
- [Updates from Journal of Marital and Family Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/updates-from-journal-of-marital-and-family-therapy/) - We are celebrating 50 years of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (JMFT)! Throughout the coming year, be on the lookout for fun facts and highlights featuring JMFT’s rich history. Lenore M. McWey, PhD, Professor and Program Director of the MFT program at Florida State University, has officially begun her tenure as editor of
- [Reasonable Suspicion – Probable Cause – Preponderance of the Evidence – Beyond a Reasonable Doubt](https://ftm.aamft.org/reasonable-suspicion-probable-cause-preponderance-of-the-evidence-beyond-a-reasonable-doubt/) - There are many evidentiary standards that have different roles and requirements in our legal system. The one with which practitioners are most familiar is, of course, the one associated both with duty to warn requirements and mandatory reports of child abuse or neglect: a reasonable belief of imminent harm/ reasonable belief that child abuse has
- [Dangerous Patients and You—Terminating a Contentious Relationship](https://ftm.aamft.org/dangerous-patients-and-you-terminating-a-contentious-relationship/) - Treating dangerous patients who represent a risk to themselves or others can often trigger worrisome ethical issues—What constitutes a reportable danger? Does a specific person have to be threatened? How specific does the threat have to be? Who must be informed of the threat? These are common but complex issues that are frequently discussed in
- [Indigenizing the Workforce and Workplace](https://ftm.aamft.org/indigenizing-the-workforce-and-workplace/) - When I was a newly licensed therapist, nearly 20 years ago, it was even rarer to have access to an Indigenous mental health provider. As a marriage and family therapist, I often heard comments like: “It is so easy to talk to you,” “You understand me,” and “You are not judging me.” These comments were
- [Growing Diversity in the Field of Marriage and Family Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/growing-diversity-in-the-field-of-marriage-and-family-therapy/) - Marc Fernandez, an internship coordinator for Iona University’s Marriage and Family Therapy Program, as well as an adjunct professor, and Christiana Awosan, associate professor, recently sat down for a discussion about growing diversity in the profession and, in general, ways in which they have seen an increase in the diversity of their student populations. A
- [Family Therapy Ethics with Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-ethics-with-service-members-veterans-and-their-families/) - The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is the largest employer in the world (World Economic Forum, 2019) thus it is highly likely that marriage and family therapists (MFTs), whether intentional or not, will have the opportunity to work with service members, veterans, and their families (SMVF) throughout their career. There are over 2.8 million military
- [The Solid Ground of  Integrated Ethical Practice](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-solid-ground-of-integrated-ethical-practice/) - Poet and writer Scott Woods (2014) says: The problem is that white people see racism as conscious hate, when racism is bigger than that. Racism is a complex system of social and political levers and pulleys set up generations ago to continue working on the behalf of whites at other people’s expense, whether whites know/like
- [Navigating Client Generated Prejudice](https://ftm.aamft.org/navigating-client-generated-prejudice/) - In recent years, we have seen an increase in hate crimes and overt derogatory comments towards many cultural groups (Hassan, 2019). It would be naïve of us to think that oppressive language and behaviors do not enter the therapy room, as well. Therapists may hear derogatory statements about various groups that may or may not
- [Greetings AAMFT Members! Hola Miembros de AAMFT!](https://ftm.aamft.org/greetings-aamft-members-hola-miembros-de-aamft/) - This issue of FTM is quite personal for me as both a Latinx female and the child of immigrants. The articles written for and selected for this issue reflect how first, second, third and beyond generations of children, adolescents, and young adults have evolved through the process of acculturation—a quest for belongingness in a new
- [A Fond Farewell to JMFT Editor Dr. Steven M. Harris](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-fond-farewell-to-jmft-editor-dr-steven-m-harris/) - Any agent of change in our field and beyond must be able to provide others with both a) nurturing support, encouragement, and reassurance; and b) challenge—inviting, even “requiring” a higher level of functioning. Reflecting on Steve’s time as the JMFT editor, it is easy to note examples of both characteristics in his leadership and professional
- [What Is “Science-based” Therapy and How Do I Practice It?](https://ftm.aamft.org/what-is-science-based-therapy-and-how-do-i-practice-it/) - After a decade of working with clients, there are important questions I’m asking myself. Why do I use the theories I use? What makes therapy effective? Why do some clients fail to meet treatment goals? And how do I practice science-based therapy? These questions are related, but the very last question is the one I’ll
- [All Hands on Deck: Let Us Serve With Those Who Serve](https://ftm.aamft.org/all-hands-on-deck-let-us-serve-with-those-who-serve/) - “Thank you for your service” is a statement that those currently serving, or who have served, in the U.S. military receive from family, friends, and strangers. Additionally, Thank You For Your Service is the title of a movie that was released in 2017, which depicts U.S. soldiers returning home from Iraq and their struggles to
- [Increasing Belongingness for the Future of MFT Programs, the Field, and Our Association](https://ftm.aamft.org/increasing-belongingness-for-the-future-of-mft-programs-the-field-and-our-association/) - Social, environmental, and contextual stressors can lower students’ academic pursuit for post-secondary education and professionals’ engagement with the field and AAMFT, and often create barriers to success. I [NI] believe within the field of marriage and family therapy, the question of “why it matters who the services come from?” needs to be addressed in depth
- [Making Social Justice “Stick”](https://ftm.aamft.org/making-social-justice-stick/) - Social justice is a term that is frequently heard in marriage and family therapy (MFT) training programs. However, there is evidence that suggests that even when social justice is taught and discussed in the learning environment, it doesn’t end up in practice later (Bell, 2007; Almeida et al., 2008; Nixon et al., 2010) How can
- [Smile Through the Pain: The Complexities of Narratives about Mental Health in the Black Community](https://ftm.aamft.org/smile-through-the-pain-the-complexities-of-narratives-about-mental-health-in-the-black-community/) - The perception of mental health in the Black community is multifaceted. There are systemic challenges related to mental health that continue to stand as a barrier to receiving mental health services. Some of these barriers include accessibility of culturally competent providers, cost and/or lack of insurance to see a provider, and historical and present discriminatory
- [Culturally Informed Emotionally Focused Therapy with African American Couples](https://ftm.aamft.org/culturally-informed-emotionally-focused-therapy-with-african-american-couples/) - Approximately one-third of African American couples in the United States are married. However, research indicates this population tends to experience higher rate of divorce, martial dissatisfaction, and single-parent households, when compared to other racial groups (St. Vil et al., 2019). One may ask, what patterns are we seeing with African American couples that lead to
- [Part 2: Marriage and Family Therapist Workforce Study 2022](https://ftm.aamft.org/part-2-marriage-and-family-therapist-workforce-study-2022/) - In the first half of 2022, AAMFT conducted an industry workforce study to examine the shifts related to COVID-19, their short- and longer-term impacts, and what challenges and opportunities are facing the field. The Path to MFT Historically, the path to marriage and family therapy has been varied. Influenced by the development curve of the
- [Marriage and Family Therapist Workforce Study 2022](https://ftm.aamft.org/shifting-demographics-in-the-industry/) - In the first half of 2022, AAMFT conducted an industry workforce study to examine the shifts related to COVID-19, their short- and longer-term impacts, and what challenges and opportunities are facing the field. Introduction The field of marriage and family therapy has evolved greatly over its development. From the early days gathering around a table
- [Academic Writing: MFT Students’ Struggles](https://ftm.aamft.org/academic-writing-mft-students-struggles/) - Writing is an important skill, but academic writing is unique and involves its own formal style (e.g., organization of concepts and ideas using a specific structure, ideas supported by references and citations, its tone reflects scientific objectivity, etc.; Paltridge, 2004). Marriage and family therapy (MFT) programs strive to support students develop writing skills to help
- [Professional Competence  and Integrity](https://ftm.aamft.org/professional-competence-and-integrity/) - How do you know if you’re a competent MFT? If you complete a graduate MFT degree and pass the AMFTRB National Exam, are you a professionally competent MFT? Do years of experience with client systems lead to improved therapeutic competence and better clinical outcomes? How do you know if you maintain high standards of professional
- [The Role of Family Therapists and the Social Determinants of Health: A Systemic Investment in our Global Future](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-role-of-family-therapists-and-the-social-determinants-of-health-a-systemic-investment-in-our-global-future/) - A note from the authors: Before the ink had dried on our team’s previous piece in the March/April issue of Family Therapy Magazine (Family Evacuation after the Collapse of Afghanistan: 100,000+ Stories Yet to be Told; Charlés & Lewis, 2022), Russian forces had invaded the sovereign nation of Ukraine. When we first proposed this series,
- [From Mumbai and Virginia Tech to Houston & Haryana: A Global Journey in Family Therapy Education, Training and Practice](https://ftm.aamft.org/from-mumbai-and-virginia-tech-to-houston-haryana-a-global-journey-in-family-therapy-education-training-and-practice/) - Inviting Families into Systemic Therapeutic Spaces in India: Strengthening Access to Family Therapy in Low and Middle Income Countries This article is offered free by AAMFT. If you are interested in accessing members-only content, join today! I (MP) was born and raised in the small town of Odisha, and was first introduced to family therapy
- [When the World Ceased to Exist, As We Know It:  A Russian Therapist’s Experience Working with Ukrainian Refugees](https://ftm.aamft.org/when-the-world-ceased-to-exist-as-we-know-it-a-russian-therapists-experience-working-with-ukrainian-refugees/) - You — My country, hope and sorrow — Homeland. I’m going home, Let them shout it’s ugly, But we like it all the same —DDT (Russian rock group proclaimed illegal in Russian Federation in 2022) Ukrainian refugees The Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the prolonged escalation of the international armed
- [Trauma-informed Family Therapy: Systemic Treatment of Trauma of Child Refugees](https://ftm.aamft.org/trauma-informed-family-therapy-systemic-treatment-of-trauma-of-child-refugees/) - Did you know … 41 percent of all forcibly displaced people are children? Although children account for just 30% of the world’s population, they account for 41% percent of all those who have been forcibly displaced (United Nations Children’s Fund; UNICEF, 2022). In a number that is difficult to fathom, nearly 34.15 million children were
- [An Unstoppable Teenage Life Force: Face to Face with a Class of Syrian 7th Graders](https://ftm.aamft.org/an-unstoppable-teenage-life-force-face-to-face-with-a-class-of-syrian-7th-graders/) - Several years ago, while I was working on a project in Lebanon, I came face to face with a class of Syrian 7th graders. The 7th graders had been displaced to Lebanon by the war taking place across the border. I had been brought to the school, and the nearby refugee camp where the Syrian
- [On the Horizons: Barriers and Trends in the Development of Systemic Family Therapy in Africa](https://ftm.aamft.org/on-the-horizons-barriers-and-trends-in-the-development-of-systemic-family-therapy-in-africa/) - Systemic family therapists (SFTs), usually called marriage and family therapists (MFTs) in North America, are trained to conceptualize individual, couple, and family distress within the broader relational and diverse intersectional contexts in which people live. Although the SFT movement originated in Western European contexts, it has since expanded across the globe (Roberts et al., 2014;
- [Creating Systemic Change Through a Social Justice Lens: Steps to Make Impactful Changes](https://ftm.aamft.org/creating-systemic-change-through-a-social-justice-lens-steps-to-make-impactful-changes/) - Social justice is an evolving topic in marriage and family therapy (MFT) as the profession seeks to create this outcome in their clients’ lives and the systems in which they work. Many feel that creating systemic change is our work’s goal and responsibility. In the therapy room and as a leader, we are responsible for
- [Meet the 2023 AAMFT Foundation and AAMFT Award Winners](https://ftm.aamft.org/meet-the-2023-aamft-foundation-and-aamft-award-winners/) - The 2023 Awards Committee received many thoughtful and inspiring nominations that highlight the important work being done by AAMFT members to advance the profession of marriage and family therapy. We thank the Committee, chaired by Sarah Lyon, PhD and comprised of members Erica E. Hartwell, PhD, Heather Laird, PsyD and Silvia Kaminsky, MSEd for reviewing
- [What’s in a Name?: The Power of Professional Pronouns](https://ftm.aamft.org/whats-in-a-name-the-power-of-professional-pronouns/) - One of the primary tools that we have in our clinical, supervisory, and educational relationships is our ability to share language and meaning with each other. The power of words is not a new idea. Indeed, in the field of psychotherapy it is as old as psychoanalytic thinking and systemic practice. We see it discussed
- [Benefits and Risks: The TikTok Phenomenon](https://ftm.aamft.org/benefits-and-risks-the-tiktok-phenomenon/) - Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) are uniquely positioned to assess interactions between members of a system. As clinicians, we are trained to recognize the influence of parts of the client system that may never enter the therapy room and include them in our therapeutic equations. An evolving systemic member in absentia resides not in the
- [Part 1 Working with the Sexual Cycle in Couples Therapy:  Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How](https://ftm.aamft.org/working-with-the-sexual-cycle-in-couples-therapy-who-what-when-where-why-and-how/) - What Are Sexual Cycles and Why Work With Them? In this article, we want to help couple clinicians work with the sexual cycle as intently as with the emotional cycle, to forge the strongest bond in couples’ bodies, minds, and hearts. When we fall in love, we all ache to be loved deeply and desired
- [Did You Marry Your Sibling?](https://ftm.aamft.org/did-you-marry-your-sibling/) - Perhaps you’ve never thought of it, but if siblings are relatively close in age, childhood was their first experience of living with someone of the same generation. In fact, the early childhood sibling relationship could be considered a laboratory for all subsequent (adult) relationships. Did they learn to fight cleanly, or did they counter-attack, withdraw,
- [Part 2 Working with the Sexual Cycle in Couples Therapy:  Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How](https://ftm.aamft.org/working-with-the-sexual-cycle-in-couples-therapy-who-what-when-where-why-and-how-2/) - Emotional and Sexual Cycles & Attachment Styles In our first article, What Are Sexual Cycles and Why Work With Them, we presented an overview as an introduction to help couple clinicians work with the sexual cycle as intently as with the emotional cycle, and to forge the strongest bond in couples’ bodies, minds, and hearts.
- [The Power of Coming “Out”: Creating Safe Spaces for Young People to be Themselves](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-power-of-coming-out-creating-safe-spaces-for-young-people-to-be-themselves/) - Recently, I had the pleasure and privilege of a teenager coming out to me as gay. The process of this discovery was a long one. He disclosed to me that he had seen a movie, Call Me By Your Name, that he found arousing. We had a long conversation about sexuality and how it falls
- [Consensual Non-Monogamy and Attachment Styles](https://ftm.aamft.org/consensual-non-monogamy-and-attachment-styles/) - Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) have a unique skillset to manage complex relationships between client constellations, a skill which is essential for working with people in consensual non-monogamous relationships (CNMRs). With around 5% of the population in the U.S. being involved in a CNMR (Ka et al., 2022) and sexual minorities being more likely to
- [Family Therapy Has Always Evolved – Now Includes Sibling Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-has-always-evolved-now-includes-sibling-therapy/) - I had the good fortune of having discovered the field of family therapy before there were separate schools. I was living in Boston in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Some of the noted early pioneers would travel around the country offering one-day trainings. They each had their own special orientation. Some just did a
- [Culturally Informed Marriage and Family Therapy with the Chinese Population](https://ftm.aamft.org/culturally-informed-marriage-and-family-therapy-with-the-chinese-population/) - In light of the growing recognition of the importance for marriage and family therapists (MFTs) to be sensitive to their clients’ cultural backgrounds and memberships, this article is intended to provide several culturally-informed clinical suggestions for therapists applying Western-based MFT theories, models, and concepts to the Chinese population. When the authors use the term “Chinese
- [Essential Considerations: Medical Family Therapists’ Approach with Native Americans](https://ftm.aamft.org/essential-considerations-medical-family-therapists-approach-with-native-americans/) - It is a privilege to work as a medical family therapist (MedFT) at the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic. “Medical family therapy is a form of professional practice that uses the biopsychosocial model and systemic family therapy principles in the collaborative treatment of individuals and families dealing with medical problems” (McDaniel, 2014, p. 9). Additionally, research
- [Every Student Succeeds with MFTs](https://ftm.aamft.org/every-student-succeeds-with-mfts/) - Historically, marriage and family therapists (MFTs) have not been contracted or hired by school districts to provide therapeutic services to children (Cooper-Haber & Haber, 2015). However, in 2018, approximately 3.5 million adolescents received mental health services in education settings (U.S. Department of Education, 2021). Of those 3.5 million receiving services, adolescents from low-income households, public
- [Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: The Evolution of Family Therapy in Schools](https://ftm.aamft.org/yesterday-today-and-tomorrow-the-evolution-of-family-therapy-in-schools/) - Yesterday Since we began to achieve licensure in the US over 30 years ago, the profession of marriage and family therapy has grown in several areas. Five years ago, AAMFT created several topical interest groups to stimulate and track the growth of marriage and family practice in traditional mental health as well as new domains.
- [Journal of Marital and Family Therapy Award Winners](https://ftm.aamft.org/journal-of-marital-and-family-therapy-award-winners/) - Each year, the editor of Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, in consultation with the advisory council, selects an article to honor as the “Article of the Year.” This year, two articles have been selected. Article reviewers consider impact, originality, and quality of the scholarship in each manuscript. 2022 Award Winners Article of the Year
- [Integrating EMDR and EFT in Couple Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/integrating-emdr-and-eft-in-couple-therapy/) - As much as I’ve loved Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy and revolved my clinical practice around it, it has always felt like it has had one major short-coming; it has primarily been practiced as an individual therapy (Capps, 2006; Linder, 2020; Linder et al., 2021; Linder et al., 2022; Marich, 2011; Parnell, 2010;
- [Common Misconceptions About Portability](https://ftm.aamft.org/common-misconceptions-about-portability/) - Easy licensure portability—it is something everyone in a licensed profession wants, but it is not always easily understood. And as AAMFT embarks on a strategic effort to expand licensure portability for the MFT profession, it has never been more important to understand this process and to correct misconceptions that often circulate about it. Misconception:
- [One Size Doesn’t Always Fit All](https://ftm.aamft.org/one-size-doesnt-always-fit-all/) - I love my “one size fits all” accessories! Especially my oh, so very comfortable leggings, a staple of my virtual therapy wardrobe! This issue of the Family Therapy magazine (FTM) delves into a topic that may not be so comfortable for many, whether you’re a Black therapist who has experienced your own racial trauma in
- [An Iranian Therapist’s Reflection: A Revolution has Begun, Inspired by Decades of Oppression, Led with Courage and  Determination by the Women of Iran](https://ftm.aamft.org/an-iranian-therapists-reflection-a-revolution-has-begun-inspired-by-decades-of-oppression-led-with-courage-and-determination-by-the-women-of-iran/) - I was born in Iran, and at the age of 10, my family and I absconded from multi-systemic injustices and immigrated to the US in hopes of extended opportunities and freedom. I was about three years old when the Islamic Republic overthrew the Shah of Iran and the Iran-Iraq War started. As the war grew
- [Queer Therapists Practicing in Their  Own Cultural Community: Proactive Ethical-Decision Making Suggestions](https://ftm.aamft.org/queer-therapists-practicing-in-their-own-cultural-community-proactive-ethical-decision-making-suggestions/) - “If you are ever at the local drag show and you see me there, do not worry. I will not approach you and say hello. If you acknowledge me first, I will wave. I will not come up and start a conversation with you. This action is not me ignoring you, but it will allow
- [Family Evacuation After the Collapse of Afghanistan: 100,000+ Stories Yet to be Told](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-evacuation-after-the-collapse-of-afghanistan-100000-stories-yet-to-be-told/) - Migration of People Across the Globe: An Ancient and Contemporary Circle Every family therapist is engaged, in one way or another, with the constant and ubiquitous migration of humans across the globe. It is the nature of families, of history, and of hope, to mobilize one’s resources and one’s people, and travel in search of
- [Native American Behavioral Health Challenges](https://ftm.aamft.org/native-american-behavioral-health-challenges/) - According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the current total population of Native Americans in the United States is 6.79 million, about 2.09% of the population (2023). There are about 574 federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States (World Population Review, 2023). Agencies like the U.S. Indian Health Service (IHS) aim for maximum tribal
- [Suffering In Silence: The Invisible Minority and How MFTs Can Help](https://ftm.aamft.org/suffering-in-silence-the-invisible-minority-and-how-mfts-can-help/) - As an MFT, you arrive in your office and begin an intake session with a new client. You see a woman in front of you. She tells you that she is in a relationship and feels that she doesn’t have much power in it. She tells you that she has made compromises in her relationship,
- [The Ethical Implications of Advertising MFT Professional Services](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-ethical-implications-of-advertising-mft-professional-services/) - Technology has facilitated new ways in which clinicians can attract and connect with potential clients. Nowadays, many clinicians use social media platforms to reach potential clients. Social media advertising allows for an informal format and fast launch; however, the content of the advertisement might lead to potential ethical implications if the advertisement does not follow
- [The Ethics of Teaching Ethics](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-ethics-of-teaching-ethics/) - A few years ago, I was asked to teach an ethics course to satisfy Washington State requirements for MFT license renewal. The state requires six hours of ethics for each renewal period. While I had always prided myself on practicing ethically, I had never even contemplated that I knew enough to teach ethics. Somehow, I
- [The Cost of Chronic Infidelity on Spouses and Partners:  Understanding Betrayal Trauma](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-cost-of-chronic-infidelity-on-spouses-and-partners-understanding-betrayal-trauma/) - On a Sunday morning, the bright light of my husband’s cell phone woke me up. It was unusual for him to have his cell phone in bed. When he got up, I looked at the phone. Through viewing information on his two cell phones, I discovered that my husband was in the grips of an
- [Necessary Losses](https://ftm.aamft.org/necessary-losses/) - I first read Judith Viorst’s book, Necessary Losses, when it came out in 1998, towards the early phase of my career. The idea that loss was necessary, not just an inevitable part of life, was somehow radical for me as a child of refugees, growing up with multiple losses of family, home, and history. Loss
- [Embracing A Lifestyle of Wellness: Self-care for MFTs](https://ftm.aamft.org/embracing-a-lifestyle-of-wellness-self-care-for-mfts/) - The last couple years have been full of disruptions, chaos, and disequilibrium due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the pandemic has contributed to disorientation in almost every area of life and has “exposed every crack in our personal and professional tapestry” (Gould, 2021, p. 203). Most helping professionals, including marriage and family therapists (MFTs),
- [In Praise of Lightening Up](https://ftm.aamft.org/in-praise-of-lightening-up/) - How does one justify to one’s spouse packing a box of condoms for an upcoming solo business trip? I don’t know, and neither did Frank. Frank did, however, discover that if “I’m not sure how those got in there” doesn’t soothe a dubious spouse, a panicked “well, just in case” will help one’s cause even
- [Understanding the Role of Humor in Family Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/understanding-the-role-of-humor-in-family-therapy/) - From the inception of the field, family therapists have developed creative ways of integrating humor into their work. This is largely because humor invites clients to engage with seemingly incongruous ideas in constructive ways. However, the pros and cons of using humor in psychotherapy are not always obvious, and clinicians would benefit from a deeper
- [Children's Reactions to Death](https://ftm.aamft.org/childrens-reactions-to-death/) - At some point in time in our lives, we experience the loss of loved ones. Whether that be parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, friends, and/or others about whom we care. Commonly, the perception is that these individuals will pass when we are adults; it is challenging to fathom that children will experience death before they
- [How MFTs Can Support Transnationals Through Their Grief Process](https://ftm.aamft.org/how-mfts-can-support-transnationals-through-their-grief-process/) - Transnationalism Immigration is a significant life change that can bring about various emotional challenges, including grief and loss (Falicov, 2019). It can also complicate the grief process when a loss occurs post-immigration (Falicov, 2019). As a result, marriage and family therapists (MFTs) can play a critical role in helping immigrants navigate these emotional challenges. MFTs
- [Coping with the Loss of a Client](https://ftm.aamft.org/coping-with-the-loss-of-a-client/) - Grief and loss can be a challenging topic to discuss for most; words do not bring back the loved one who was lost. Those who surround you may be extra cautious not to bring up memories or topics for fear of triggering you or causing you emotional pain. This, in turn, creates a vicious cycle
- [Helping Survivors of Suicide](https://ftm.aamft.org/helping-survivors-of-suicide/) - Debra and Keith* were back in my office, still trying to decide what to do. She was highly distressed over their marriage; he was equally confused about her distress. After several agonizing months of back-and-forth in both individual and marital therapy, she concluded the only way to move forward was alone. The reasons she provided
- [Meet Your Central Staff](https://ftm.aamft.org/noteworthy-place-holder-ma-2023/) - Membership Department Cecile David, Director of Membership Cecile has been with AAMFT since 2007 and has over 25 years of association and member services experience. Before AAMFT, she worked in a travel association where she created a library system for quick access to information and improved efficiency in service. She brought this same dedication to
- [Thank You!](https://ftm.aamft.org/message-from-the-ceo-place-holder-ma-2023/) - I want to extend a sincere “Thank You” to the AAMFT Board of Directors in offering me the privilege and honor to serve as AAMFT’s first female CEO. AAMFT and I are not new to one another; I’ve been happy to call AAMFT my professional home for over 34 years. It was a bit of
- [Myths About Marriage](https://ftm.aamft.org/myths-about-marriage/) - There are many common misconceptions about what happens in marriage—myths that never come true—and behaviors flow from those myths that harm the couple and their relationship, leaving them unhappy and dissatisfied. Statistics suggest that “happily ever after” occurs no more than 50% of the time (Cole & Broussard, 2006), considering how many couples’ divorce. Is
- [Systemic Supervision](https://ftm.aamft.org/systemic-supervision/) - Systemic thinking is understanding and exploring the intricacies of an individual and bearing in mind how we impact each other through our interactions and behaviors. Applying this to therapy and supervision can be seen through acknowledging differences in belief systems, attitudes, and approaches to life (Lee & Nelson, 2022). Clinical supervision focuses on increasing a
- [Beginning Anew in 2023](https://ftm.aamft.org/beginning-anew-in-2023/) - I am filled with gratitude as I welcome 2023 as the new, incoming President of AAMFT: we have a new, incoming CEO, Christine Michaels; a new group of Board members; some ongoing challenges which we are newly poised to tackle, and opportunities that await us as we are in as strong a fiscal and strategic
- [AAMFT Welcomes Lenore M. McWey, PhD, LMFT, as New JMFT Editor-Elect](https://ftm.aamft.org/aamft-welcomes-lenore-m-mcwey-phd-lmft-as-new-jmft-editor-elect/) - AAMFT is very pleased to announce that Lenore, M. McWey, PhD, LMFT, has been selected as editor-elect of Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. Dr. McWey will officially take over duties of the Journal in January 2024. Dr. McWey is a professor and director of the Marriage and Family Therapy doctoral program at Florida State
- [Giving Infidelity a New Name: How Clinicians Can Best Support Their Clients](https://ftm.aamft.org/giving-infidelity-a-new-name-how-clinicians-can-best-support-their-clients/) - Lonergan, Brunet, Rivest-Beauregard, and Groleau (2021) argue that betrayal from a romantic partner is increasingly considered as a form of interpersonal trauma. Furthermore, about 30%-60% of individuals who are betrayed by their romantic partner will struggle with symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and anxiety and depression at the clinical level (Lonergan et al.,
- [Family Therapists in Prenatal & Postnatal Care](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapists-in-prenatal-postnatal-care/) - The journey of becoming a masterful family therapist is lifelong. It is a discovery of clinical refinement as we explore new relational therapy theories, infuse systemic thinking in other fields like maternal health, and find new tools to better serve families. Each time that we meet with families, parents or children, we gain priceless insights.
- [AAMFT’s Next Evolution](https://ftm.aamft.org/aamfts-next-evolution/) - Throughout AAMFT’s history, there have been eras of focus by the Association. Of course, in the early days, AAMFT was simply focusing on establishing itself as an association. Such things as naming, determining who could be a member, and deciding what exactly its purpose was marked the era. Nichols (1992) referred to this time period
- [JMFT Awards Announced](https://ftm.aamft.org/jmft-awards-announced/) - JMFT editor Steven M. Harris, PhD, in consultation with the JMFT advisory council, has announced the “Article of the Year.” This year’s 2021 “Article of the Year” goes to “An Evaluation of Mechanisms of Change in Multisystemic Therapy for Juvenile Justice-Involved Youths A Decade Following Treatment,” written by authors Kaitlin M. Sheerin, Charles M.
- [Systemic Understanding for Healing and Health](https://ftm.aamft.org/systemic-understanding-for-healing-and-health/) - For the past four years, I have been serving on the AAMFT Board of Directors in my presidency tenure (two years as president-elect, two years as president; in 2023 I will shift to past-president). I have watched in awe as the world changed in some radical ways, and alongside my fellow board members, have worked
- [AAMFT Releases Research Data from Over 65 Study](https://ftm.aamft.org/aamft-releases-research-data-from-over-65-study/) - As AAMFT members know all too well, licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) and licensed mental health counselors (LHMCs) currently make up approximately 40% of mental health service providers in the country. However, unlike psychiatrists, psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers, LMFTs and LMHCs are not covered providers under Medicare. To better understand public opinion
- [Cyberbullying and Online Gaming](https://ftm.aamft.org/cyberbullying-and-online-gaming/) - Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else.
- [Wellness Series Part 3 - Sweat It Off: The Importance of Physical Activity in Client Biopsychosocial Functioning](https://ftm.aamft.org/sweat-it-off-the-importance-of-physical-activity-in-client-biopsychosocial-functioning/) - Physical activity is beneficial for many of our clients’ presenting problems, including mood disorders, cognitive and emotional functioning, and even social relationships (e.g., Biddel & Asare, 2011; Mikkelsen, Stojanovska, Polenakovic, Bosevski, & Apostolopoulos, 2017; Johnson et al., 2018; Yorgason, Johnson, Hill, & Selland, 2018). However, only 25% adults in the United States meet the recommended
- [Wellness Series Part 2 - Why MFTs Should Assess and Discuss Nutrition Habits in Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/why-mfts-should-assess-and-discuss-nutrition-habits-in-therapy/) - The foods that our clients are eating (or not) are the building blocks for all the important neurochemicals that help brains run effectively and efficiently (Arden, 2015). Unfortunately, not only can excess calories be consumed, but these may be more highly processed foods, leaving the individual with micronutrient deficiencies (Astrup & Bügel, 2019). Importantly, poor
- [Self-Esteem and Social Media Impact](https://ftm.aamft.org/self-esteem-and-social-media-impact/) - At age 16-17, while I was struggling emotionally to get through high school, I had been the target of a bully for many months, which escalated nearing the end of my senior year. To add insult to injury, this bully was my best friend (or so I thought). This was during the 80s when there
- [Cyber Abuse](https://ftm.aamft.org/cyber-abuse/) - When we pause to think about all the many affordances our internet infrastructure and technologically connected world lends us, it’s easy to recognize at least a handful of ways our lives have been made easier. Apps like Venmo and CashApp allow us the convenience of immediately paying a friend back who just paid for our
- [Systemic Perspectives on Perinatal Mental Health: Six Major Changes for Parents](https://ftm.aamft.org/systemic-perspectives-on-perinatal-mental-health-six-major-changes-for-parents/) - Amy* was sitting slumped on a couch in my office for her initial appointment. She appeared a little nervous but was trying to hold it together. After pleasantries were exchanged, she stated she had her son four months ago, and since then, things had changed a lot around the house and with the family, especially
- [AAMFT Foundation Awardee Spotlight](https://ftm.aamft.org/aamft-foundation-awardee-spotlight/) - The AAMFT Foundation can improve outcomes by supporting the groundbreaking work of licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs). One of the ways we do this, is through our awards program. To support future awards, consider a charitable gift. Today, we are highlighting a past awardee: Aimee Hubbard, MS, PhD, PLMFT Foundation: Which award did you
- [AAMFT Announces New Chief Executive Officer: Christine Michaels](https://ftm.aamft.org/aamft-announces-new-chief-executive-officer-christine-michaels/) - After a 10-month process, with the aid of world-class Consulting and Executive Search Firm Korn Ferry, the AAMFT Board of Directors is pleased to announce the successful hiring of the next AAMFT Chief Executive Officer Christine Michaels. Tracy Todd, CEO, will be retiring after 15 years of staff service with AAMFT, 10 of those years
- [Working Systemically with Children In Foster Care](https://ftm.aamft.org/working-systemically-with-children-in-foster-care/) - Initial interview with Ken Ken, a 14 year old, was removed from his home by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Systemic clinician: Hello… (introduce names, roles and purpose of today’s session). As you know, DCFS has contacted me and asked if I would meet with you to talk about DCFS’s involvement in
- [Farewell 2021 … Hello 2022!](https://ftm.aamft.org/farewell-2021-hello-2022/) - It’s that time of year again, to glance into the rearview mirror at what lies behind and to look to what lies ahead. As you look in the rearview mirror of your past year, what do you see? We’ve all been enduring a worldwide pandemic—that is still ongoing—and it has shaped each of us, our
- [The Social Media Battle Ground](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-social-media-battle-ground/) - A parent recently sat with me during a session, and she talked with me about how she is coping, and accepting, that things have changed since she was young. She stated to me, “When I was a kid in the 70s, my summers were spent almost every day outdoors until the streetlights came on. That
- [The Perils of Homelessness](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-perils-of-homelessness/) - On a daily basis, individuals who are homeless across the United States experience threats to their emotional, physical, and psychological well-being. Homelessness is a serious problem in mostly all metropolitan areas, including Las Vegas, Nevada, which is where I reside. On my daily route to and from work, I encounter scores of homeless individuals camped
- [Effects of IPV on Immigrant Latinas](https://ftm.aamft.org/effects-of-ipv-on-immigrant-latinas/) - Intimate partner violence (IPV) is defined as domestic violence perpetuated by someone onto another person in an intimate relationship. IPV can take different forms, such as physical, verbal, sexual, or psychological abuse. It is so common in the United States that one in four women has experienced IPV at a point in their life (Alvarez
- [Intimate Partner Violence and Black Women](https://ftm.aamft.org/intimate-partner-violence-and-black-women/) - Many people have asked me, “What is intimate partner violence (IPV) and why is it important to me if I don’t specialize in treating it?” IPV is a social ill that includes, but is not limited to, physical violence, emotional violence, psychological violence, and sexual violence. It is very likely that we have all known
- [School Shootings and Family Therapy: Where Do We Go From Here?](https://ftm.aamft.org/school-shootings-and-family-therapy-where-do-we-go-from-here/) - And here we are again. Ten years ago, Connecticut witnessed an unspeakable, violent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, where 26 children and teachers were murdered with an AR-15 rifle. Since then, families in Newtown and across Connecticut have grappled with the aftermath of that trauma. One of Laundy’s MFT faculty colleagues at
- [Performance-Based Family Therapy: Is anybody better off?](https://ftm.aamft.org/performance-based-family-therapy-is-anybody-better-off/) - I was a young psychiatry resident at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School; after two years, I could be seen fleeing from the many different models and innovators, including Professor Aaron Beck, founder of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). I was headed, with haste, across campus, to the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic (PCGC), where it was
- [Why Your Interracial/Multinational Couples Might be Dropping Out: A Self-of-the-Therapist Exploration of Critical Factors](https://ftm.aamft.org/why-your-interracial-multinational-couples-might-be-dropping-out-a-self-of-the-therapist-exploration-of-critical-factors/) - Why are your interracial/multinational couples dropping out of therapy? Navigating interracial relationships is hard and, from our insider experience in the United States (U.S.), we have found that marriage and family therapists (MFTs) could benefit greatly from applying a special approach with these couples to help them succeed. We consider interracial to mean the historically
- [STUDENT CORNER: Just Another Reason to be Grateful for my Mask](https://ftm.aamft.org/just-another-reason-to-be-grateful-for-my-mask/) - Every clinical hour I’ve obtained so far as a student marriage and family therapist has been through masks or computer screens. I have been accruing hours since September of 2021, and I had my first in-person session at the end of November. It is now March of 2022, I am steadily moving towards my 100th
- [Contextual Family Therapy with Incarcerated Families](https://ftm.aamft.org/contextual-family-therapy-with-incarcerated-families/) - Ten million children have experienced parental incarceration (National Resource Center on Children & Families of the Incarcerated, 2009). Incarceration can disrupt entire family systems, affecting psychological, physical, emotional, and financial well-being (Kitzmiller, Cavanagh, Frick, Steinberg, & Cauffman, 2020; Tadros, Fye, & Ray, 2020). Incarcerated individuals’ families face numerous hardships and are among the most underprivileged
- [Meet the 2022 AAMFT Foundation and AAMFT Award Winners](https://ftm.aamft.org/meet-the-2022-aamft-foundation-and-aamft-award-winners/) - The 2022 Awards Committee received many thoughtful and inspiring nominations that highlight the important work being done by AAMFT members to advance the profession of marriage and family therapy. We thank the Committee, chaired by Sarah Lyon, PhD and comprised of members Andrea K. Wittenborn, PhD, Erica E. Hartwell, PhD, and Shelley A. Hanson, MA
- [Historical Overview of Family Systems Theory](https://ftm.aamft.org/historical-overview-of-family-systems-theory/) - Beginning in the mid 20th century, the practice of family therapy began to coalesce around certain key theories and systems to form an approach by which future practitioners could base their observations and work for important changes for the health of individuals and relationships. These ideas and approaches are sometimes organized and named as family
- [Systems Theory Brings It All Together in Undergraduate Education](https://ftm.aamft.org/systems-theory-brings-it-all-together-in-undergraduate-education/) - I have learned how, through the family systems theory, we can look at how the family works as a whole rather than examining each individual member. It is a way to understand an individual based on their role/part/interactions within their family unit. —Middy, Senior Student, Family Studies Concentrator, Psychology Major Undergraduate students are at a
- [A Larger Systems Approach: Integrating Intersectionality into Family Systems Theory](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-larger-systems-approach-integrating-intersectionality-into-family-systems-theory/) - “Power, privilege, oppression.” What was your reaction reading these words? For some, resiliency, for others vulnerability, but for all, critical. Now, how about “family systems theory?” For some comfortable, for others complexity, but for couple and family therapists (CFTs) and our work with families, critical. The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Clinical
- [Reimagining the Application of Systems Theory Via Teletherapy Interventions](https://ftm.aamft.org/reimagining-the-application-of-systems-theory-via-teletherapy-interventions/) - At the start of the pandemic, I was a new mom—just returning from maternity leave. As most other university instructors at that time, I was tasked with transferring my courses to an online format immediately upon my return. One of the classes that I taught was a course on Systemic Child and Adolescent Treatment. I
- [What is Family Systems Theory?](https://ftm.aamft.org/what-is-family-systems-theory/) - When people ask me about my job, I lie—a little bit. When someone asks me what I do, I say, “I’m a family therapist.” More often than not, they then ask, “So, like a psychologist?” This is when I lie. I say, “Yes, like a psychologist.” It’s not a total lie. Like many psychologists or
- [Evidence Base Update on the Efficacy and Effectiveness of Couple and Family Interventions,  2010-2019](https://ftm.aamft.org/evidence-base-update-on-the-efficacy-and-effectiveness-of-couple-and-family-interventions-2010-2019/) - Based on: Wittenborn, A. K., & Holtrop, K. (2022). Introduction to the special issue on the efficacy and effectiveness of couple and family interventions: Evidence base update 2010-2019. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 48(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12576 Since 1995, the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (JMFT) has published decade reviews to provide clinicians and other
- [Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: Considerations Regarding License Portability and Compacts](https://ftm.aamft.org/decisions-decisions-decisions-considerations-regarding-license-portability-and-compacts/) - State licensure has provided many significant advantages for MFTs and their clients, and the long and ultimately successful battle to obtain licensure in all 50 states ranks as the most significant accomplishment in the growth of the profession in the United States. However, MFT state licensure does have one design flaw—a person’s state-based licensure is only
- [President’s Statement Regarding CEO Todd’s Retirement](https://ftm.aamft.org/presidents-statement-regarding-ceo-todds-retirement/) - It is with hearts full of gratitude for all the work CEO Tracy Todd, PhD, has accomplished on behalf of the MFT profession and AAMFT, that the Board of Directors received his decision for a well-earned retirement in January of 2023. During the past decade, CEO Todd has shepherded our Association in multiple ways that
- [Supporting Children Through Their Grief Journey](https://ftm.aamft.org/supporting-children-through-their-grief-journey/) - An estimated 1 in 14, or 5.3 million, children in the U.S. will experience the death of a parent or sibling before they reach the age of 18 (Edelman, 2020). This estimate does not reflect deaths from COVID-19, as the analysis will not be released until sometime in 2022. No doubt, many more children and
- [Teen Views on Social Media](https://ftm.aamft.org/noteworthy-jan-feb-2020/) - Family Therapists in Schools Join us today! therapy talk Hal Runkel, LMFT, author of Scream Free Parenting, believes parenting has changed in recent decades as a result of the 24/7 news cycle, the internet and the ability to check children’s grades, school attendance and whereabouts at any moment. Runkel says, “If we think our number
- [Economic Inequality](https://ftm.aamft.org/noteworthy-march-april-2020/) - therapy talk As the coronavirus spreads across the globe, it appears to be setting off a devastating feedback loop with another of the gravest forces of our time: economic inequality. In societies where the virus hits, research suggests that those in lower economic strata are likelier to catch the disease and are more likely to
- [Traumatic Stress and the Pandemic](https://ftm.aamft.org/noteworthy-may-june-2020/) - therapy talk AAMFT Clinical Fellow Tonya Girard is treating some people who have never sought therapy services before. “People who were coping well in their lives, just day to day and didn’t really need anybody to talk to, are now finding it difficult to be isolated, sometimes isolated with their families … They’re reaching out
- [Racial Justice](https://ftm.aamft.org/noteworthy-july-august-2020/) - therapy talk We owe it to ourselves, and to the families and communities we serve, to work for racial justice not just at the ballot box on election day, but in our everyday interactions. Our privilege gives us voice in the larger culture. Speaking up is one of the most important ways we can use
- [Baby Boomers and the Demographic Shift](https://ftm.aamft.org/noteworthy-september-october-2020/) - therapy talk Within 10 years, all of the nation’s 74 million baby boomers will be 65 or older. The most senior among them will be on the cusp of 85. Experts say the U.S. isn’t prepared for this vast demographic shift and its far-reaching consequences. Never have so many people lived so long, entering the
- [Social Relationships](https://ftm.aamft.org/noteworthy-november-december-2020/) - therapy talk Relationships Matter. Associations Matter. People who are more socially connected to community are happier, physically healthier and live longer, with fewer mental health problems than those less well connected. As a society and as individuals, we must invest in building and maintaining good relationships and tackling the barriers to forming them. Relationships not
- [Multilateralism](https://ftm.aamft.org/noteworthy-january-february-2021/) - therapy talk Recently on the AAMFT Blog, AAMFT Clinical Fellow Laurie L Charlés, PhD, LMFT, wrote: Multilateral, a term more utilized in international politics rather than family therapy, is about collaboration, and about working together across borders and sovereign states on global issues. Systemic thinkers are natural multilateralists—skilled at lateral engagement—able to work across multiple
- [Data and Research on Transgender Populations](https://ftm.aamft.org/noteworthy-march-april-2021/) - data note therapy talk “We’re just two people in a relationship”: A qualitative exploration of emotional bond and fairness experiences between transgender women and their cisgender partners: Appearing in JMFT Early View — Trans‐including couples experience systemic marginalization impacting their relationships, yet studies on these relationships or narratives of strength are few. AAFMT Clinical Fellow
- [Living with Disabilities](https://ftm.aamft.org/living-with-disabilities/) - data note therapy talk From the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy—Expanding our international reach: Trends in the development of systemic family therapy training and implementation in Africa Authors Ronald Asiimwe, Elmien Lesch, Michelle Karume, and Adrian J. Blow discuss how family therapy is growing around the world, including in many parts of Africa. Although
- [Nurturing Nature & Global Perspectives](https://ftm.aamft.org/nurturing-nature-global-perspectives/) - therapy talk In the JMFT article “Nurturing Nature: Exploring Ecological Self-of-the-Therapist Issues,” authors Tracey A. Laszloffy and Sean D. Davis (2019) note that the field of family therapy has its roots in the systemic premise that context shapes our realities. We cannot understand individuals devoid of seeing them in their family context, and we cannot
- [Obesity, Nutrition, & Global Perspectives](https://ftm.aamft.org/obesity-nutrition-global-perspectives/) - data note therapy talk In “What MFTs Should Know About Nutrition, Psychosocial Health, and Collaborative Care with Nutrition Professionals,” by Josh R. Novak, Lindsey P. Robinson, and Leslie E. Korn, published July 15, 2021 in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, the authors note that “MFTs should consider the client’s sociocultural context when it
- [Ethical Practice & Global Perspectives](https://ftm.aamft.org/ethical-practice-global-perspectives/) - data note global perspectives A Multifamily Therapy Model in Havana, Cuba Interfamily therapy (IFT) is a specific model for multifamily therapy of recent expansion in Latin American and European countries. The term multifamily therapy refers to a range of therapeutic interventions carried out in multifamily groups, which are therapeutic environments in which both patients and
- [](https://ftm.aamft.org/global-perspectives/) - global perspectives Family-based Intervention for Chinese Families with Children with ADHD AAMFT Professional Member Joyce L. C. Ma, PhD, reviewed the clinical utility of family-based treatment (FBT), comprised of multiple family therapy (MFT) and structural family therapy (SFT), in helping Hong Kong Chinese families with children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Ma identifies the
- [Washing Away Dated Policies](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-message-from-the-ceo-march-april-2020/) - Personal disclosure: As I attempt to draft my column, we have canceled the Leadership Symposium, canceled an in-person Board meeting and transitioned to a virtual Board meeting, transitioned all operations to remote locations…actions I couldn’t have concieved of a few weeks ago yet nothing more or less than everyone else is doing right now. My
- [Conversations Must Lead to Action](https://ftm.aamft.org/conversations-must-lead-to-action/) - Obviously, I’m privileged. Nearly every situation, challenge, and opportunity provides me advantages that other people do not experience. Recognizing this, over the years I have dealt with the range of emotions that accompany this: guilt, frustration, embarrassment, worry, anger. Over time, these emotions have changed to a cautious acceptance of privilege, enhanced feelings of responsibility,
- [2020 – A Pivotal Year](https://ftm.aamft.org/2020-a-pivotal-year/) - There is no doubt that 2020 has been a challenging year. However, I’m pleased that AAMFT was able to remain focused on supporting members and efforts to make the world a better place and staying true to the scope of the AAMFT Strategic Plan. Every key planned activity—from Leadership Symposium to Board meetings to advocacy
- [Community, Hope, Resiliency](https://ftm.aamft.org/community-hope-resiliency/) - This issue of FTM marks the one-year anniversary of swift and radical changes—and they are not over. You have had a tiring, challenging, and undoubtedly frustrating year. Balancing home and work are difficult but that took on an entirely new effort over the last 12 months. Despite 2021 having glimmers of potential difference, with prognosticators
- [Change in Our World](https://ftm.aamft.org/change-in-our-world/) - Change in our world is infinite in its variety and finicky in its speed. Mt. Everest took millions of years to form, while the tsunami of 2004 only took 20 minutes to start wreaking death and destruction. A mass shooting today, governmental actions that create immediate changes in the populous, a building collapsing that kills
- [Times Are Changing](https://ftm.aamft.org/times-are-changing/) - It has been 12 years since Montana, as the last state, obtained licensure (literally days behind West Virginia). Since that time, AAMFT has worked with divisions and more recently, Family TEAM, to strengthen the license throughout the United States. We won a hard-fought battle with the Texas Medical Association over our ability to diagnose. Last
- [Advancing the profession and practice of marriage and family therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/advancing-the-profession-and-practice-of-marriage-and-family-therapy/) - In 2021 the AAMFT Board of Directors approved an updated Strategic Plan. The introduction of the Plan states: AAMFT is a responsive and nimble association, attuned to the contexts of our evolving environments and adaptive to circumstances that impact the profession and practice of systemic and relational therapies. With awareness of the growing need in
- [Reflections on a Pivotal Time](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-message-from-the-president-september-october-2020/) - As I draft this final column of my term as your AAMFT president, I cannot help but reflect on the sense of wonder and awe of this uniquely historic year. It is almost cliché to keep highlighting the unprecedented times in which we are living. I say almost because it is true—and almost every day
- [The Road Ahead](https://ftm.aamft.org/jf20-a-message-from-the-president/) - Happy New Year 2020! Just saying that conjures a sense of vision. My hope is that this year—indeed, this decade—is one of vision, foresight, and generativity. I’m staring down the road of my second year as president—and thinking beyond. I’m reflecting on the thematic aims and hopes I expressed last year for my term of
- [Caring and Connecting](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-message-from-the-president-may-june-2020/) - In so called normal times, I would be reflecting on the promises of spring and joys of summer. At the time I am drafting this column, nearly 350,000 people across the globe have died of complications due to coronavirus—and that is likely an undercount. In the U.S. we are approaching nearly one-third of that total.
- [Change and Hope](https://ftm.aamft.org/change-and-hope/) - In January, I reflected on hope for 2021 with vaccines on their way and the promise of perhaps moving as an entire worldwide system to the other side of COVID19. In a few days, I will receive my second “jab” and be filled with gratitude that I have the ability to receive a life-saving miracle-of-science
- [The Greater Systems Around Us](https://ftm.aamft.org/january-february-2021/) - Welcome to 2021, AAMFT Members. As I enter this inaugural season of my presidency in the midst of metasystemic changes, I find myself mentally framing AAMFT’s place in the greater systems around us. As the smallest of all mental health professions, Marriage and Family Therapy has our own unique story: Our origins started with “others”—psychiatrists,
- [Systemic Racism and the Asian American Community](https://ftm.aamft.org/systemic-racism-and-the-asian-american-community/) - Johnny Kim, PhD, who has presented at AAMFT conferences, and his 16-year old daughter were on the way to her school when she told him about a school newspaper article she was writing concerning hate crimes directed at Asian Americans, designed to address the Atlanta shooting where six women of Asian descent were killed. He
- [Transmitting Hypervigilance Through Intergenerational Trauma: Recommendations for Marriage and Family Therapists](https://ftm.aamft.org/transmitting-hypervigilance-through-intergenerational-trauma-recommendations-for-marriage-and-family-therapists/) - African Americans have been shown to display distrust and hypervigilant behavior against people of authority and knowledge. When relaying their experiences to their peers and family members, hypervigilance seems to spread throughout the community resulting in more distrust. However, such hypervigilance may not be helpful or serve as a protective factor when and where trust
- [Understanding the Effects of Social Media on the Relationship Between Parents and Adolescents](https://ftm.aamft.org/understanding-the-effects-of-social-media-on-the-relationship-between-parents-and-adolescents/) - Social media, accessed through electronic devices, has been positively correlated with depression and anxiety (Lin et al., 2016; Kross et al., 2013). According to the American Psychological Association (APA), about one-fifth of Americans see digital influences of social media as a source of stress, as they have become a vital component of daily functioning (APA,
- [CEO Tracy Todd, PhD, Announces Upcoming Retirement](https://ftm.aamft.org/ceo-tracy-todd-phd-announces-upcoming-retirement/) - The end of the line…Riding into the sunset…One chapter is closing, but another is beginning… Yeah, those cliches. After 10 years as CEO and 35 years of involvement with AAMFT, my race will be finished on January 31, 2023. My official tenure as a staff member began in 2008. Since then, I experienced an incredible
- [COAMFTE Accreditation Standards Version 12.5 Implementation and Resources](https://ftm.aamft.org/coamfte-accreditation-standards-version-12-5-implementation-and-resources/) - The COAMFTE Accreditation Standards V12.5 was formally implemented on January 1, 2022. Many COAMFTE-accredited programs have already expressed interest in and enthusiasm for transitioning to Standards Version 12.5 with over 95% notifying the Commission that they are formally adopting the revised standards in the first year of implementation. In an effort to support programs entering the initial or renewal
- [Credly Badges: What Are They and Why Should I Use Them?](https://ftm.aamft.org/credly-badges-what-are-they-and-why-should-i-use-them/) - Did you know that 97% of online users utilize search engines like Google to find new businesses and services as their first option? And more employers utilizing online job postings and career fairs and recruiting via tools like Linked In than ever before. Your digital presence has never been more important for your career! And
- [The Journal of Marital and Family Therapy’s Article of the Year](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-journal-of-marital-and-family-therapys-article-of-the-year/) - Standing and Responding in Solidarity with Disenfranchised Immigrant Families in the United States: An Ongoing Call for Action. JMFT Editor Steve Harris, PhD, announced in the 2020 Annual Report (published in October 2021) that JMFT’s “Article of the Year” goes to Standing and Responding in Solidarity with Disenfranchised Immigrant Families in the United States: An
- [MFTs and the Lingering Problem of Child Separation at the Border](https://ftm.aamft.org/mfts-and-the-lingering-problem-of-child-separation-at-the-border/) - While child separation at the border and the country’s immigration policy for the last decade have become hot-button political issues, therapists are likely to simply see the need for the many children and families involved to get help with the trauma the nettlesome problem has caused. Experts say the combination of the terrible conditions in
- [Oh, the places we’ll go...with Our MFT Trainings](https://ftm.aamft.org/oh-the-places-well-go-with-our-mft-trainings/) - When we have talked about AAMFT events in the past, key considerations have been how we can meet members’ needs, advance our profession, and continue to build community within our association. We’ve also considered the element of where we can go to maximize our impact with MFTs and those interested in systemic training. Historically, the
- [The International Student Experience Studying in the USA: Tips for Students and Hosts](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-international-student-experience-studying-in-the-usa-tips-for-students-and-hosts/) - International students and the US educational system For over a century, the United States has been a global leader in higher education, hosting more than a million international students a year, currently representing almost 5% of the total US enrollment. More than half of these international students are from Asia (predominantly China and India). International
- [Pandemic Fatigue](https://ftm.aamft.org/pandemic-fatigue/) - Large population communicable diseases (pandemics) in general have multiple consequences, ranging from disruption of the community infrastructure, to tragic loss of life. Physically, individuals may experience an increase in medical complaints, specifically related to infectious diseases; as well as exacerbations of chronic conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes and respiratory problems (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary
- [“Goodbye” to FTM in Print](https://ftm.aamft.org/goodbye-to-ftm-in-print/) - Since 2002, Family Therapy Magazine has been hitting mailboxes six times a year, all over the globe, delivering clinical content, Association updates, and other news related to behavioral health happenings. For those who have been around for a while, you may recall that first issue of FTM in January 2002—Hope & Healing—coming right after a
- [AAMFT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Statement](https://ftm.aamft.org/aamft-diversity-equity-and-inclusivity-statement/) - Diversity is a reality of life reflected in the broadest spectrum of the many different ways that individuals identify and exist in the world. Inclusion is acknowledging and appreciating the reality and value of our diversity, intentionally enlisting and engaging the spectrum of different identities and experiences, and respecting what each person brings to the
- [Evidence in Support of Couple and Family Interventions for Depressive and Bipolar Disorders: What Does the Research Say?](https://ftm.aamft.org/evidence-in-support-of-couple-and-family-interventions-for-depressive-and-bipolar-disorders-what-does-the-research-say/) - Based on: Couple and family interventions for depressive and bipolar disorders: Evidence base update (2010-2019). Andrea K. Wittenborn, PhD, Sarah B. Woods, PhD, Jacob B. Priest, PhD, Preston C. Morgan, PhD, Chi-Fang Tseng, MS, Patricia Huerta, PhD, and Caitlin Edwards, MA | January 2022 Journal of Marital and Family Therapy Among those who experience depressive
- [The Results of the 2021  Student Ethics Competition Are In!](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-results-of-the-2021-student-ethics-competition-are-in/) - In 2021, AAMFT held the sixth annual Student Ethics Competition. This competition is designed to encourage MFT students to foster an interest in ethics issues and enhance their ability to analyze and respond to the various ethics issues that they will undoubtedly encounter throughout their careers. In this team competition, participants submitted an essay analyzing
- [Couple and Family Interventions for High Mortality Health Conditions](https://ftm.aamft.org/couple-and-family-interventions-for-high-mortality-health-conditions/) - Based on: Couple and family interventions for high mortality health conditions: A strategic review (2010-2019) Angela Lamson, PhD, Jennifer Hodgson, PhD, Keeley Pratt, PhD, Tai Mendenhall, PhD, Alison Wong, PhD, Erin Sesemann, PhD, Braden Brown, PhD, Erika Taylor, MS, Jacqueline Williams-Reade, PhD, Daniel Blocker, PhD, Jennifer Caspari, PhD, Max Zubatsky, PhD, and Matthew Martin, PhD,
- [Couple- and Family-based Psychosocial Interventions for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health](https://ftm.aamft.org/couple-and-family-based-psychosocial-interventions-for-infant-and-early-childhood-mental-health/) - Based on: Evidence base review of couple- and family-based psychosocial interventions to promote infant and early childhood mental health (2010-2019). Jennifer W. Kaminski, PhD, Lara R. Robinson, MPH, Helena J. Hutchins, MPH, Kimberly B. Newsome, MPH, and Caroline M. Barry, MPH | January 2022 Journal of Marital and Family Therapy Most mental and behavioral problems
- [Couple and Family Therapy for Substance Use Disorders](https://ftm.aamft.org/couple-and-family-therapy-for-substance-use-disorders/) - Based on: Couple and family therapy for substance use disorders: Evidence-based update 2010-2019 Aaron Hogue, PhD, Jeremiah A. Schumm, PhD, Alexandra MacLean, MA, and Molly Bobek, MSW | January 2022 Journal of Marital and Family Therapy Substance use disorders (SUDs) occur when an individual continues to use alcohol or other drugs despite experiencing problems related
- [How’s Your Clients’ Sex Life?](https://ftm.aamft.org/hows-your-clients-sex-life/) - We live in a culture that is both sex-obsessed and starving for genuine, loving connection. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (Laumann, Paik, & Rosen, 1999), an astounding 42% of American women have low libido or desire, pain, and/or elusive orgasms. Many more lack emotional connection with their lovers. This is a
- [One Size Does Not Fit All in Couple Therapy: The Case for Theory Integration](https://ftm.aamft.org/one-size-does-not-fit-all-in-couple-therapy-the-case-for-theory-integration/) - Couple therapy is a complex and challenging activity even for the most experienced marriage and family therapists (MFTs). There are many models to choose from, and integrating them is not easy for most MFTs who wish to improve their skills in working with couples. Some are attachment based and others emphasize differentiation. Some focus on
- [“Forget Me Not”: A Population Silently Begging for Systemic Treatment](https://ftm.aamft.org/forget-me-not-a-population-silently-begging-for-systemic-treatment/) - Eleven years ago, my life changed forever when I became a father. It was something I had always wanted. In fact, I dreamed about it. Maybe it was because I came from a “broken home” or because I never had father who was involved: I don’t know. But I looked forward to fatherhood and was
- [Dorothy S. Becvar: A Joyful Remembrance](https://ftm.aamft.org/dorothy-s-becvar-a-joyful-remembrance/) - Dorothy Stroh Becvar, PhD, past AAMFT Board Member and Approved Supervisor, LMFT, LCWS, NBCC, died at home on August 31, 2021, in St. Louis, Missouri. She is survived by her husband, Dr. Ray Becvar, and her daughter, Lynne Reif. She was preceded in death by her son, John S. Reif, Jr. It is with great
- [Bridging the Divide: Creating Respectful Dialogue](https://ftm.aamft.org/bridging-the-divide-creating-respectful-dialogue/) - We live in a divisive world. So much of what we see and hear as part of the socio-political narrative is filled with argument and contention that polarizes discussion, ideas, and sometimes even people. Whenever I watch the news, it almost seems like the world stage has become my therapy office, with a high conflict
- [Healing Systems: Therapy with Mandated Clients](https://ftm.aamft.org/healing-systems-therapy-with-mandated-clients/) - Mandated clients are often navigating many systems at once. These systems include their families, their schools, the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ)/Juvenile Services Department (JSD), etc. In addition to navigating multiple systems, mandated clients may be experiencing levels of trauma (or Adverse Childhood Experiences – “ACEs”), individually or within the family system. These traumatic experiences
- [Destructive Consequences of Lack](https://ftm.aamft.org/destructive-consequences-of-lack/) - Growing up in lack (without love and affection, etc.) results in destructive consequences and impacts lives for generations. Marriage and family therapist David Richo (2002) recognizes love as the 5 A’s: attention, affection, appreciation, acceptance, and allowing. These are the necessary ingredients for a loving, healthy relationship to develop and withstand. This includes the parent-child
- [Reflection On My Brother’s Death  & The Blessing of Guilt:](https://ftm.aamft.org/reflection-on-my-brothers-death-the-blessing-of-guilt/) - For all who have had to say their goodbye to a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not been able to say “good-bye.” My brother, Richard (“Rick”), died on December 15, 2020, during the wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was told that Rick contracted and died from “double-pneumonia,” but I have my
- [Cultural Considerations in the Treatment of Eating Disorders](https://ftm.aamft.org/cultural-considerations-in-the-treatment-of-eating-disorders/) - Eating disorders (ED) are prevalent among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), yet predominately associated with images of White, young, thin, affluent women (Gordon, Perez, & Joiner, 2002). This myth is influenced by who gets a diagnosis, participates in clinical research, and receives care in treatment settings. Popular media portrayals of ED and people
- [Demons Under the Dinner Table: The Impact of Diet Culture and Weight Stigma on the Black Community](https://ftm.aamft.org/demons-under-the-dinner-table-the-impact-of-diet-culture-and-weight-stigma-on-the-black-community/) - According to the CDC, in the U.S., African Americans of all age groups have the highest obesity rates of all ethnic groups in the country (Petersen, Pan, & Blanck, 2019). The CDC also reports African Americans to have the highest prevalence of obesogenic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and stroke (Petersen, Pan, &
- [Black Families and Body Image:  The Need for a Holistic Approach](https://ftm.aamft.org/black-families-and-body-image-the-need-for-a-holistic-approach/) - Extensive studies (e.g., Gillen & Markey, 2016; Cussins, 2001) focus on body image and the consequences for mental health. Unfortunately, a scarcity of research examined body image within the context of Black families’ experiences. Issues surrounding body images among Black people must be understood within the broader historical and familial experiences in which they exist.
- [The Special Needs Marriage](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-special-needs-marriage/) - My wife and I catapulted into the special needs world with the birth of our son, Kaydan, who was born with Down syndrome. As a clinician and an Army chaplain, I thought I was well equipped for what lay ahead, but was mortified when I learned that many of the marriages with special needs children
- [The Motivation Behind  Problematic Online Gaming](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-motivation-behind-problematic-online-gaming/) - A portion of the U.S. population is choosing online games as a form of recreation and, consequently, develop unhealthy preoccupations with activities on the internet. Survey results released from the Pew Research Center reveal American adults and youth are choosing computer games as a form of recreation at rates between 48% and 77% (Duggan, 2015).
- [My Living Purse](https://ftm.aamft.org/my-living-purse/) - Recently, I said goodbye to a dear friend and companion. Millions of people have a dog story; this is my story. December 2008, I felt a coworker’s excitement about getting her kids dogs for Christmas. As I listened in, I had the thought of wanting a dog for myself. When I made the decision to
- [MFTs and Climate Change: A Call to Action](https://ftm.aamft.org/mfts-and-climate-change-a-call-to-action/) - Several weeks ago, I asked my six-year-old son if he wanted to go outside. It’s been unseasonably warm here, and after a year of COVID restrictions, we’ve found the outdoors to be a necessary respite. But upon opening the backdoor we were greeted with the distinct smell of wildfire smoke. It had been a blustery
- [Transgenerational Trauma:  A Memory of a Therapist to Be](https://ftm.aamft.org/transgenerational-trauma-a-memory-of-a-therapist-to-be/) - “Can you just slow down? Can you drive slower?” cousin Mary requested as she sat beside me. “I can,” I assured her as I dropped my speed. “But we’re on the highway and I have to keep up.” It was 1964 and at that time I had no idea what post-traumatic stress could be, notwithstanding
- [Helping Families Cope  With Disasters](https://ftm.aamft.org/helping-families-cope-with-disasters/) - A disaster doesn’t have to mean family problems if families remain connected and look for opportunities to transform themselves and their communities. Shortly before his death, I had the pleasure of having dinner with Salvador Minuchin. It was an honor to hear him comment on my work when I had spent so much of my
- [Systemic Therapists on the Frontlines of Climate Change](https://ftm.aamft.org/systemic-therapists-on-the-frontlines-of-climate-change/) - Data show that the rate of weather-related disasters is growing rapidly in the United States (U.S.). There were an average of 7.1 annual weather-related events in the U.S. between the years 1980-2020; however, the annual average for the most recent five-year period (2016-2020) was 16.2 events (NOAA, 2021). Furthermore, 2020 was the sixth consecutive year
- [Attending to the Whole System: Eco-Informed Family Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/attending-to-the-whole-system-eco-informed-family-therapy/) - In 1951, Gregory Bateson said, “The creature that wins against its environment destroys itself” (Ruesch & Bateson, p. 238). He was speaking to the fact that all things are interrelated, and if humans continue to destroy the environment in our endless quest for more fossil fuels, more meat, more industrial growth, more production and consumption
- [Relationship Rebalancing: A New Framework for Effective Communication](https://ftm.aamft.org/relationship-rebalancing-a-new-framework-for-effective-communication/) - In 2020, life as we knew it was turned upside down by COVID-19. Everyone, worldwide, has felt at least somewhat off balance. Relationships have been especially impacted as the sense of normalcy, established routines, rituals, and reasonable certainty about the future were disrupted The equilibrium that allowed people to feel stable and connected to others
- [An Overview of the Red Cross and Disaster Mental Health](https://ftm.aamft.org/an-overview-of-the-red-cross-and-disaster-mental-health/) - If you or your family were impacted by a disaster, would you have everything you need? Where would you go if you needed to leave your home? What about food, water and prescription medications? Your family pets? Would you or your family members need emotional support to cope with what you had witnessed and experienced?
- [Couple Connectedness and COVID-19](https://ftm.aamft.org/couple-connectedness-and-covid-19/) - Relational problems exacerbated by COVID-19: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented global morbidity and mortality, with mental health effects being an increasing concern, and specific threats within the family context (Prime & Wade, 2020). During the pandemic, challenges related to social disruption, such as financial instability, caregiving pressure, and confinement-related stress, pose a serious
- [Too much, not enough](https://ftm.aamft.org/too-much-not-enough/) - Mary Katherine Lance, is a second year master’s student at the University of Kentucky in its Couple & Family Therapy Program. She is an intern therapist and a Student member of AAMFT. Lance is working on her thesis, currently entitled “And Still I Rise: The Lived Experience of Hope During Recovery from Substance Use Disorder.”
- [In Defense of (Very) Long-term Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/in-defense-of-very-long-term-therapy/) - The truth may be that time, and lots of it, is a necessary condition for the healing of broad and very deep wounds from childhood. Time may be such an essential part of the therapeutic process for these particular clients that it needs to be understood in an entirely new way—particularly when much of what
- [Home is Where the Heart Is: What's Next for AAMFT?](https://ftm.aamft.org/home-is-where-the-heart-is-whats-next-for-aamft/) - The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly made shifts in the way every industry works, including associations. These include key financial impacts on every business that will likely have far reaching effects into the future. AAMFT has been fortunate enough to minimize the short-term impacts on the Association’s operations. Clearly, however, there are longer-term implications that impact
- [How the Death of a Child Can Impact a Marriage](https://ftm.aamft.org/how-the-death-of-a-child-can-impact-a-marriage/) - As our community copes with the emotional fallout of living through the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of families are suffering from various forms of loss. Married couples are under more stress and strain due to the loss of a job, illness, or the death of a family member. The death of a child is one of
- [Time is (Way) Out of Joint: On Systems, Politics, and Truth](https://ftm.aamft.org/time-is-way-out-of-joint-on-systems-politics-and-truth/) - It is difficult for an adversary to see further than the dichotomy between winning and losing in the adversarial combat. Like a chess player, he is always tempted to make a tricky move, to get a quick victory. The discipline, always to look for the best move on the board, is hard to attain and
- [Screening Screen Time: Evidence-Informed Guidelines for  Parenting in the Digital Age](https://ftm.aamft.org/screening-screen-time-evidence-informed-guidelines-for-parenting-in-the-digital-age/) - Those are texts from my nine-year-old that I see on my phone between sessions. He’s wanting “time” on his iPad because none of his games or YouTube app are visible. I have locked down all third-party apps except for the half-hour I give him after he has done his homework and chores. Like most parents
- [Gray Divorce: Splitting Up in Later Life](https://ftm.aamft.org/gray-divorce-splitting-up-in-later-life/) - Many years ago, my grandmother attended a 50th wedding anniversary party for her friends, Joan and Alan. The couple spared no expense. Champagne flowed, the band played late into the night, the finest food was served. Several hundred guests traveled from all over the country to celebrate the joyous occasion. A few weeks later, Joan
- [Arthritis and  Family Dynamics](https://ftm.aamft.org/arthritis-and-family-dynamics/) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2018) in a recent survey found that approximately 54.4 million people in the United States had been diagnosed with an arthritis related disease by a physician. Doctors focus on the individual patient when managing a chronic illness, but a diagnosis of a chronic illness reaches further than
- [Disability and Stigma](https://ftm.aamft.org/disability-and-stigma/) - Disability is often perceived by society as a negative experience and something unwanted. As marriage and family therapists, we are accountable for our stigmas and biases towards disabled clients and their families. According to Ellingson and Quinlan (2014), the community of people with disabilities (PWD) is expanding more quickly than any other minority group worldwide: More-over, this
- [History of AAMFT’s Homes](https://ftm.aamft.org/history-of-aamfts-homes/) - 1982 AAMFT moved to the District of Columbia (D.C.) from California. The historic move marked AAMFT’s next phase of organizational development and a shift in strategic direction to expand AAMFT’s federal advocacy efforts. At that time, the most effective method for federal advocacy was to have proximity to the U.S. Capitol with a physical address
- [A Message from the President and CEO](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-message-from-the-president-and-ceo/) - During the Business meeting last October, a member astutely asked AAMFT leadership, “What about the building?” The question was alluding to whether AAMFT would continue its ownership of our headquarters or sell. It was a perfectly understandable inquiry since AAMFT staff had been working remotely since March because of COVID. The reply was simply, “We
- [Equity and e-Learning for Children: Therapists as Advocates](https://ftm.aamft.org/equity-and-e-learning-for-children-therapists-as-advocates/) - Marcus, a 49-year-old widower and a single parent, was referred to therapy because he was concerned that his 10-year-old son, Edwin, and 13-year-old daughter, Bita, lagged behind academically during Spring 2020 distance learning. Marcus works two jobs and cannot be available to help his children stay on task with schoolwork due to his work schedule.
- [Integrative Approaches  to Play Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/integrative-approaches-to-play-therapy/) - Symptoms of ADHD may be diminished using the Gottman Method when integrated with Reality Play Therapy (RePT) and/or Circus Arts Therapy fitness and play therapy program (CAT). While participating in play therapy, the therapist may utilize questioning methods from the Gottman Sound Relationship House’s (SRH; Gottman & Silver, 2015) seven phases in supporting parents and
- [Teaching Clients How to Argue  Properly with the Use of Reflective  Listening: A Worksheet](https://ftm.aamft.org/teaching-clients-how-to-argue-properly-with-the-use-of-reflective-listening-a-worksheet/) - Picture this … a couple in your office is arguing. One starts to dominate the session with a filibuster onslaught, berating the other partner, because you waited a hair too long to interject while observing their negative interaction pattern. Now you’re scrambling to take back control of the room. . Sound familiar? After witnessing my
- [Neurodivergent Identity Formation:  Are We Listening?](https://ftm.aamft.org/neurodivergent-identity-formation-are-we-listening/) - Seeds of identity are planted by genes and watered by the environment in which they grow. Although an explosion of identity development unfolds during adolescence, identity formation is an ongoing process across the lifespan. Identity itself is a personal construct unique to each individual, yet highly influenced by social interactions. Personal factors such as neurology,
- [Suffering in Silence: Postpartum Anxiety in  the Wake of COVID-19](https://ftm.aamft.org/suffering-in-silence-postpartum-anxiety-in-the-wake-of-covid-19/) - I knew something was terribly wrong, but my distress didn’t have a name. My expectations of early motherhood included eye gazing, stroking soft folds of baby skin, and the blithe exchange of coos and song. There was that, and there was also a disorienting, relentless storm of angst, hypervigilance, and fear. I did not seek
- [Rewriting the Script: How Therapists and Parents Can Use the Problematic Messages in Media to Strengthen Families](https://ftm.aamft.org/rewriting-the-script-how-therapists-and-parents-can-use-the-problematic-messages-in-media-to-strengthen-families/) - The smell of popcorn in the air, the sound of candy boxes shaking, and the excitement of watching the most anticipated film of the year; it’s no surprise the global box office revenue hit $42.5 billion in 2019 (McClintock, 2020). From Blockbuster to Netflix, families around the world have used movies as a way to
- [Ethical Decision Making in  Unilateral Client Termination](https://ftm.aamft.org/ethical-decision-making-in-unilateral-client-termination/) - Years ago, when I was in graduate school, there were no discussions on this subject. I don’t know if there are any now, but all of us who have practiced for any length of time have come face to face with situations where we have needed to end therapy without it being a mutual decision.
- [Combining Contemplative Psychotherapy and Family Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/combining-contemplative-psychotherapy-and-family-therapy/) - As a contemplative therapist in training, like many other psychotherapists, my home base is a humanistic and strengths-based approach, which is a synthesis of many western and eastern approaches. From western psychology and psychotherapy, it draws from humanistic psychology, Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, Jungian analytical theory, Rogerian person-centered therapy, and positive psychology. From the eastern traditions,
- [Hate Crimes Against Transgender People](https://ftm.aamft.org/hate-crimes-against-transgender-people/) - The jarring and persistent rise of hate crimes against transgender people has received more attention from social scientists and the media of late, which may bring more resources to the problem and prompt more victims to seek help. However, trans persons and their advocates say that those offering assistance should recognize that there are still
- [Unpacking Femininity: Supporting Trans Feminine Clients and Inhibiting Clinical Bias](https://ftm.aamft.org/unpacking-femininity-supporting-trans-feminine-clients-and-inhibiting-clinical-bias/) - There is a growing body of literature to reflect the grave health disparities that transgender and gender diverse/expansive communities are faced with when compared with cisgender (cis) clients (Glick, Theall, Andrinopoulos, & Kendall, 2018), i.e., those whose gender identity is the same as that assigned at birth (Cava, 2016). On many micro and macro levels,
- [Affirmative Therapy with Trans and Gender Expansive (TGE) Youth and Their Parents](https://ftm.aamft.org/affirmative-therapy-with-trans-and-gender-expansive-tge-youth-and-their-parents/) - When youth are expressing gender expansiveness or claiming a trans identity, it is common for parents to seek therapy for help navigating their child’s process. Parental attitudes vary widely and may include full support, relief, confusion, disbelief, fear, loss, anger, or outright rejection. Regardless of a family’s level of attunement with the youth’s expression/identity, it
- [Let’s Talk About Trans Sex](https://ftm.aamft.org/lets-talk-about-trans-sex/) - To date, the sexuality models and interventions utilized in therapeutic fields are often constructed based on binary, heterosexual, cisgender coitus (Iantaffi & Benson, 2018)—leaving those in same sex relationships, those with different abilities, those with multiple partners, and those with various gender and sexual identities, excluded from the conversation. Specifically, trans people are often neglected,
- [Stealing “me”](https://ftm.aamft.org/stealing-me/) - There is an intruder in my life, This intruder keeps score of what I “should” be. They ask of me to keep my life as a crystal-clear pane of glass. They make me think of crystal-clear glass as something that is fragile, needing to be protected. But what I think it is a boundary separating
- [Systemic Safety Planning: Therapy with Suicidal Borderline Personality Disordered Couples](https://ftm.aamft.org/systemic-safety-planning-therapy-with-suicidal-borderline-personality-disordered-couples/) - In an era where the mental health field is highly influenced by insurance companies and managed care, borderline personality disorder (BPD) is often not treated systemically but individually. The National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that 1.6% of the adult U.S. population has Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) but hypothesizes that number may be as high
- [Divorce, Remarriage, and Blended Families: Checklists for Therapists](https://ftm.aamft.org/divorce-remarriage-and-blended-families-checklists-for-therapists/) - There is a strong correlation between marriage and family therapy and significant improvements experienced by clients with regard to their management of family discord, marital relationship conflict, parent-child struggles, and overall systemic distress (Tao & Randall, 2017). In addition, the specialized education, professional training, and therapeutic interventions employed by marriage and family therapists (MFTs) have
- [Respect—Is this the Key Ingredient in the Recipe  for Successful Family Relationships?](https://ftm.aamft.org/respect-is-this-the-key-ingredient-in-the-recipe-for-successful-family-relationships/) - There are times in the life cycle of a family during which there may be a lack of respect for other family members by some of the individuals within the family. While this does not necessarily indicate an inherent pathological problem or pattern in the family system, the reality is that this presents a challenge
- [Four Metaphors Useful in Couple Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/four-metaphors-useful-in-couple-therapy/) - Maladaptive couple processes are a core feature of couples in distress and are among the best predictors of marital decline (Gottman, Coan, Carrera, & Swanson, 1998; Lebow, Chambers, Christensen, & Johnson, 2012). The likelihood of therapeutic success is maximized when the therapist and the couple focus on this pathological dance, in which the emotional music
- [Family Member Transgender Disclosures](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-member-transgender-disclosures/) - In brief: • Non-normative family transitions are part of the life cycle of a family • Disclosure by a family member that he or she (or preferred pronoun) is transgender constitutes a new form of non-normative family transition that is not well understood • Including transgender persons as part of the family often conflicts with
- [Contextualizing Our Work with  Families in Varying Levels of Poverty](https://ftm.aamft.org/contextualizing-our-work-with-families-in-varying-levels-of-poverty/) - As marriage and family therapists (MFTs), we are trained to understand the context of presenting problems, issues, disorders, etc. The foundational philosophies of our field, along with a post-modern lens, frame this discussion about at-risk families and those experiencing homelessness. MFTs can begin by making “at-risk” an antiquated term. The term at-risk seems to imply
- [Working with Trauma-impacted Families](https://ftm.aamft.org/working-with-trauma-impacted-families/) - Families living in poverty encounter multifaceted risks associated with the hardship of depleted resources, burdens of high stress and incivilities, and exposure to multiple traumas (Repetti, Taylor, & Seeman, 2002; Kiser & Black, 2005). Out of the many clients who are served by a public mental health system, over 90 percent of them have been
- [My Best Advice for MFTs Providing Court Testimony](https://ftm.aamft.org/my-best-advice-for-mfts-providing-court-testimony/) - In the course of professional practice as a mental health professional, I have responded to many subpoenas and been questioned in the process of legal discovery numerous times. I have only provided testimony on the stand in court twice, but over the past nearly two decades, I have advised and observed untold therapists who have
- [The 3.12(e) Violation](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-3-12e-violation/) - Case scenario: “Ines” is notified that a prior client of hers had lodged a complaint of professional misconduct to both the state, as well as to AAMFT. Subsequently, as Ines prepares for dealing with the state’s investigation, she receives notification from the AAMFT Ethics committee that her case will be held in abeyance until a
- [Climate Change for Clinicians](https://ftm.aamft.org/climate-change-for-clinicians/) - There is growing awareness in the popular culture of both climate change and its impacts on mental health. Two out of three Americans (66%) report they are “somewhat worried” about global warming, and 30% are “very worried,” a nearly threefold increase since 2014 (Leiserowitz et al., 2019). In 2020, it is now possible to enroll
- [Interactional Virtual Reality Therapy as a Response to Necessary Social Distancing](https://ftm.aamft.org/interactional-virtual-reality-therapy-as-a-response-to-necessary-social-distancing/) - In a global moment in which we find ourselves appreciating what can be done to help our clients without being in close proximity to them, it is important to consider all avenues that might assist our field in pivoting to accommodate and mitigate the COVID-19 crisis, to whatever degree we are able. One such avenue
- [Adaptation of Therapists’ Theory of Therapy: Preparing for Teletherapy Services](https://ftm.aamft.org/adaptation-of-therapists-theory-of-therapy-preparing-for-teletherapy-services/) - Although some state licensure boards have temporarily overruled regulations that require teletherapy training, therapists have an obligation to receive teletherapy training. The AAMFT (2015) Code of Ethics states therapists only offer teletherapy services “after appropriate education, training, or, supervised experience.” This raises questions such as: where do therapists receive this training? And what constitutes best
- [How to Survive Quarantine with Your Family](https://ftm.aamft.org/how-to-survive-quarantine-with-your-family/) - We are now nearly two months into the quarantine at the time of this writing and for most families that means people have started to crack. The original phase of denial, panic buying, and “super parenting” has come to pass. Most families have started to realize that some form of isolation, social distancing, and a
- [Ecotherapy: A Natural Approach for Today’s Mental Health Challenges](https://ftm.aamft.org/ecotherapy-a-natural-approach-for-todays-mental-health-challenges/) - The healing and transformative power of nature is well known, and ecotherapy, incorporating the outdoors into psychotherapy, is a growing treatment modality (Buzzell & Chalquist, 2009; Jordan, 2015) and an approach every therapist can be thinking about right now. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re all being encouraged to (safely) get outside. Be in nature. Go
- [Loneliness: Research and Treatment Strategies](https://ftm.aamft.org/loneliness-research-and-treatment-strategies/) - Loneliness is often the emotion of having distance between our reality and our aspiration for connection. The pressure of a pandemic, such as COVID-19, can really put stress on how we live our lives and how we choose to connect with one another. This has led to shifts in social distancing, virtual interactions (e.g., office
- [COVID-19 and  School Closures](https://ftm.aamft.org/covid-19-and-school-closures/) - I work as a licensed marriage and family therapist at a high school in Southern California. As an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, I had four marriage and family therapist (MFT) trainees completing their second-year practicum experience under my clinical supervision. The trainees and I provided school-based mental health services to high school students and their families
- [Barriers to Incarcerated Parenting and How MFTs Can Help](https://ftm.aamft.org/barriers-to-incarcerated-parenting-and-how-mfts-can-help/) - Every year, about 1.9 million children in the United States have a parent in a state or federal prison (Davis & Shlafer, 2017). Alarmingly, children of incarcerated parents struggle with a variety of problems that could have implications on their adulthood lives. For example, 70% of children with incarcerated parents have emotional or psychological disorders,
- [“This Ish is Exhausting”: Acknowledging the Emotional Labor of Black MFTs](https://ftm.aamft.org/this-ish-is-exhausting-acknowledging-the-emotional-labor-of-black-mfts/) - This is meant to be a love letter to Black MFTs continuing the fight inside and outside the therapy room. I want to offer words of encouragement and how we can continue to sustain ourselves during this time. When your client looks like you Over the last few weeks, I have experienced issues of role
- [Our Role as Systemic Therapists in Dismantling Systemic Racism](https://ftm.aamft.org/our-role-as-systemic-therapists-in-dismantling-systemic-racism/) - Are we partially responsible for the oppression of Black People? Often, when we discuss systemic racism, we speak of the fundamental underpinnings of the U.S. that have been intentionally set up for the failure of Black people within the criminal justice system, education, employment, and the health system. More recently, society has sharply focused their
- [Why Aren’t There Any MFT Programs at Historically Black Colleges or Universities?](https://ftm.aamft.org/why-arent-there-any-mft-programs-at-historically-black-colleges-or-universities/) - Expanding the Reach of MFT Education and Training As an alumna of Tougaloo College, one of the oldest Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in Mississippi, I have first-hand knowledge of the power and potential that are bred on the sacred grounds of these necessary institutions across the nation. HBCUs are defined as institutions of
- [“Academia was not created with me in mind.” Examining MFT Programs and Systemic Racism](https://ftm.aamft.org/academia-was-not-created-with-me-in-mind-examining-mft-programs-and-systemic-racism/) - Faculty of color are disproportionately underrepresented in higher education in that white faculty and students of color greatly outnumber faculty of color. While colleges and universities across America have seen increased growth in diverse students attending college, there appears to be an imbalance in representation of racially diverse faculty. The National Center for Education Statistics
- [Breaking  the Codes  of Silence: Interracial  Couples in Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/breaking-the-codes-of-silence-interracial-couples-in-therapy/) - One in 10 married couples are interracial in the U.S., representing an increase of 30% since 2000 (Pew Research Center, 2017). Further, 21% of gay and lesbian unmarried couples are of different races (The Williams Institute, 2019). Are couples therapists ready to deliver services to this growing population? Considering the salience of skin color in
- [To the Class of 2020](https://ftm.aamft.org/to-the-class-of-2020/) - Late one night before this was due, I paused for a moment to process what the last two years have put me through. Outside, police sirens blared, and though I was angry, my mind I knew I must calm in order to clearly make this poem tell all My first semester was an adjustment, that
- [Thank You](https://ftm.aamft.org/thank-you/) - In a recent interview, Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company, stated, “When you’re in a situation like this, you do anything you can (2020).” He also stated, “We’ve been around 117 years. We were the arsenal of democracy during two World Wars, we built iron lungs for polio victims. Whenever we’re called on,
- [A Boomer, Pandemics, and Ethics](https://ftm.aamft.org/a-boomer-pandemics-and-ethics/) - At the time of this writing, May has begun, and it feels more like Corona-tide than Eastertide as I write this ethics piece. At 64 years of age, I am at the median of those whose births occurred between 1946 and 1964, the post war baby boom. In the middle of a pandemic that appears
- [It Is All About Relationships](https://ftm.aamft.org/it-is-all-about-relationships/) - What Family Therapists Should Know and Consider About Their Approach. Family therapy, or “systemic therapy,” as it is better described, is a holistic process that espouses to resolve problems through relational healing, but is it practiced that way? It is hard to imagine how our family of origin, with its ever-evolving interactive contexts is not
- [The Boomer Generation and Myths about Aging](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-boomer-generation-and-myths-about-aging/) - The 76 million babies that were born in the U.S. between 1946 and 1964 created an age-associated bulge in the population that has influenced the world around them since that time (Colby & Ortman, 2014). The “baby boomers,” as they are called, are currently making the transition to older adulthood, with between 8,000-10,000 turning 65
- [Meaning of Aging in a Time of Crisis](https://ftm.aamft.org/meaning-of-aging-in-a-time-of-crisis/) - “I think what I’ve learned is that you really don’t know what you’re capable of until you’re challenged with situations where you really have to figure out what your strength is and you have to figure out how you are going cope. And so you don’t know, I think, until you’re really challenged. So even
- [Living Apart Together: Cultivating New Possibilities in Old Age](https://ftm.aamft.org/living-apart-together-cultivating-new-possibilities-in-old-age/) - Beth (63) and Gary (65) met through mutual friends and have been in a significant relationship for seven years. They both decided to live apart together, early in their relationship. Living apart together (LAT) allows “long-term intimacy without necessarily involving marriage or cohabitation” (Karlsson & Borell, 2002, p. 13). For this couple, loving each other
- [Integrating Geek Therapy and Narrative Family Therapy](https://ftm.aamft.org/integrating-geek-therapy-and-narrative-family-therapy/) - After playing a random game of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) one night, I noticed myself contemplate how I could incorporate D&D into my practice. I shared this with a friend who told me about Geek Therapy Community, a Facebook page dedicated to professionals interested in Geek Therapy and integrating it into clinical, research, and school
- [LGBTQ Boomers, AIDS, and COVID-19](https://ftm.aamft.org/lgbtq-boomers-aids-and-covid-19/) - For many Americans, the time of the Coronavirus is marked by deep fear. This stems in part from the threat of the virus itself, but is heightened by a lack of information. It is destabilizing for a country to grapple with a new disease that medical experts are still coming to understand. There is often
- [Meet Your AAMFT Board of Directors](https://ftm.aamft.org/meet-your-aamft-board-of-directors/) - Timothy F. Dwyer, PhD President Santa Fe, NM Term of office: 2019-2020 Shelley Hanson, MA President-Elect Tigard, OR Term of office: 2019-2020 Linda K. Oxford, MSSW Secretary Memphis, TN Term of office: 2018-2020 Erin C. Schaefer, MAEd Treasurer Ashland, OH Term of office: 2020-2022 Chris F. Fariello, PhD Director Philadelphia, PA Term of office: 2018-2020
- [Getting to Know Your AAMFT Governance: An Introduction](https://ftm.aamft.org/getting-to-know-your-aamft-governance-an-introduction/) - Many members may well recognize the leadership role of the AAMFT Board of Directors, but fewer may actually be aware of the specific function and activities of the board. Broadly speaking, the primary domain of the board is governance, while operation of the association is the domain of the staff. The board has one single
- [The AAMFT Board of Directors Responsibilities  ](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-aamft-board-of-directors-responsibilities/) - There are three primary areas of responsibility for our association board: Setting the direction for the association, ensuring the necessary resources for movement in that direction, and oversight. 1. Setting the organizational direction By way of thoughtful, informed decision-making, the board is tasked with setting the vision, the values, and the direction of the association.
- [Knowledge Based Governance](https://ftm.aamft.org/knowledge-based-governance/) - Members sometimes wonder what goes into the board processes for when and how the AAMFT Board of Directors moves to take action, make recommendations, form a task force or committee, and otherwise makes necessary and important decisions to strategically guide the association with long range vision. First, it is important to remember that the board
- [Representative or Constituency Based Governance](https://ftm.aamft.org/representative-or-constituency-based-governance/) - As elected members from the association, the Board of Directors, Commissioners and Elections Council members are often surprised to learn during governance orientation that AAMFT is oriented toward representative governance and less toward constituency based governance. What’s the difference? A constituency-based model is typically viewed as one where elected officials consider “constituents” when making decisions.
- [Representative Governance](https://ftm.aamft.org/representative-governance/) - In the last article, CEO Tracy Todd highlighted the distinctions between constituency based and representative governance. Here, I will expand on the board’s role as a representative of AAMFT. As the elected representatives of AAMFT, board members wear two distinct hats. Our original hat is, of course, as a member. We must be members in
- [The Performance  Evaluation Committee](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-performance-evaluation-committee/) - AAMFT conducts an annual governance orientation for newly elected AAMFT board, elections council, and commissioners. CEO Tracy Todd, president-elect Shelley A. Hanson, and I led the intensive two-day orientation. A standout question from one of the new officers asked ‘why don’t you all try to better inform the membership’ about AAMFT corporate structure, board policies,
- [Diversity and  Inclusivity Policy](https://ftm.aamft.org/diversity-and-inclusivity-policy/) - Emerging from recommendations of the Diversity and Inclusivity Steering Committee (DISC) in 2018 and board approved policies in early 2019, there are two essential aspects of this policy. One is related to our D&I commitment, the second is our D&I accountability. Our explicit commitment to D&I is that the AAMFT Board of Directors will govern
- [Board Ready Materials and the Charge](https://ftm.aamft.org/board-ready-materials-and-the-charge/) - Perhaps you have wondered how the AAMFT Board of Directors does its work, makes its decisions, and what informs the board in that important process. While most people have a general idea of how a board functions, every board and association has features that are unique to them. This association is no exception. To unpack
- [Flexing with Change? Or Bent by Change?](https://ftm.aamft.org/flexing-with-change-or-bent-by-change/) - At the time of this writing, the entire world is responding to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Change is upon us. Worldwide. Throughout all our systems. Most of us have been months in our homes, sheltering in place. We are individually and collectively being challenged as to whether we will flex—like steel or iron—or be bent
- [How Does the Board Get So Much Work Done?](https://ftm.aamft.org/how-does-the-board-get-so-much-work-done/) - New board member: What you mean the board book is 700+ pages long? Is it always so big? The AAMFT Board of Directors meets four times a year, yet our work is never ceasing. Between meetings, we are busy reading reports, having discussions within our Network, and addressing current and future issues for our association.
- [The Executive  Committee and AAMFT](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-executive-committee-and-aamft/) - The Executive Committee is specifically mentioned in the AAMFT Bylaws: “5.04. The committees of the board are the Executive Committee and such other committees of the board as shall be authorized by the board. The Executive Committee shall consist of the president, president-elect, secretary, and treasurer of the association. The CEO serves as an ex
- [The Roles of President and President-Elect](https://ftm.aamft.org/the-roles-of-president-and-president-elect/) - The AAMFT governance policies provide for a developmental mentor leadership process when it comes to the roles of the president and president-elect and the past president. Altogether, it is a five-year journey with a multigenerational process support function. If we jump into the middle of that journey, at the three-year mark, the president is just
- [Recording Meeting Minutes](https://ftm.aamft.org/recording-meeting-minutes/) - The Rules for AAMFT Assemblies are adapted from Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 11th Edition (Robert, Honemann, Balch, Seabold, & Gerger, 2011). The secretary (or designated other) records the proceedings of meetings of the board, committees, and task forces for future reference. These minutes are the legal record of the meeting, and serve to
- [Mental Health Apps: Homework for the Digital Age](https://ftm.aamft.org/mental-health-apps-homework-for-the-digital-age/) - Jane, a 16-year-old female and high school sophomore, presented to therapy following a recent incident of cutting. Jane’s mom discovered fresh cut marks on Jane’s arm, and several bloody tissues in the trash can and bloody residue in the bathtub. Concerned, Jane’s mom scheduled an appointment with Kim, a 40-year-old licensed marriage and family therapist
- [Giving Associations Voice](https://ftm.aamft.org/giving-associations-voice/) - Associations are unique business entities in that they have three unique parts that create the whole: 1) the elected Board of Directors which sets the strategic vision for the association and holds fiduciary responsibility for the entity; 2) members who advance the field through their work and provide input and direction to the association; and
- [Harvesting Hope for 2021](https://ftm.aamft.org/harvesting-hope-for-2021/) - 2020 was a year like no other in our history. Global pandemic, political upheaval, and racial injustice have marred the view of the world in even the most hopeful and resilient of people. Since March 2020, many of us have been largely confined to our homes, carefully venturing out masked and keeping our distance from
- [Hope from a Systemic Perspective](https://ftm.aamft.org/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. The past year presented enormous challenges that generations have not seen before. Together, we faced a pandemic, stood up to systemic racial injustices, and went through a contentious
- [Impacts of the Pandemic and Systemic Racism on Foster Youth](https://ftm.aamft.org/impacts-of-the-pandemic-and-systemic-racism-on-foster-youth/) - Foster youth are well versed in exposure to and overcoming a variety of traumas and have often developed and relied on both individual and cultural assets. What has been emphasized less is how these traumatic experiences are interrelated with oppression from their community and structural racism in our systems. Background and preliminary data Every day,
- [Supporting Clients Facing Infertility](https://ftm.aamft.org/supporting-clients-facing-infertility/) - Infertility—a word we usually don’t hear until we are actively trying to get pregnant. Infertility is defined as the inability to get pregnant or remain pregnant after one year of unprotected sex, or six months if the woman is above the age of 35 years (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). I remember when

## Pages

- [Home](https://ftm.aamft.org/) - Closing the Gap Between Knowing and Doing: AI Avatars in MFT Training Go to Article >> FEATURES There is a question most therapists rarely think to ask, yet the answer can open the door to some of the most revealing clinical conversations: How do you and your partner actually organize your money? One couple I
- [JMFT Features](https://ftm.aamft.org/jmft-features/) - Home JMFT Features Below is featured content from the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (JMFT). AAMFT members have access to JMFT, the Journal of Family Therapy (UK), and the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy. Visit the journals page here. For more information on becoming a member of AAMFT, visit our website.
- [Style Guide](https://ftm.aamft.org/style-guide/) - These are the headings Heading 01 Heading H1 Background color (bgcolor) Heading 02 Heading 03 Heading 04 Heading 05 Heading 06 This is paragraph text Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi
- [About FTM](https://ftm.aamft.org/about/) - Home About FTM Established in 2002, Family Therapy magazine is AAMFT’s bimonthly magazine. FTM’s readers are generally MFT clinicians at the postgraduate (master’s and doctoral) level who have an average of 10-15 years of professional experience. Other mental health professionals and members of the public also visit the site for resources and information. AAMFT has
- [Advertise](https://ftm.aamft.org/advertise/) - Home Advertising Family Therapy Magazine is an online-only publication featuring 6 issues per year which are accessible to over 25,000 AAMFT members. We offer advertising for this website. Family Therapy Magazine Schedule Issue: May/June 2026 Artwork Deadline: April 15, 2026 Issue: July/August 2026 Artwork Deadline: June 15, 2026 Issue: Sept/Oct 2026 Artwork Deadline: Aug 15,
- [Home-noSLider](https://ftm.aamft.org/home-noslider/) - FEATURES The last couple years have been full of disruptions, chaos, and disequilibrium due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, the pandemic has contributed to disorientation in almost every area of life and has “exposed every crack in our personal and professional tapestry” (Gould, 2021, p. 203). Most helping professionals, including marriage and family therapists
- [Home backup 18-05-2022](https://ftm.aamft.org/home-backup-18-05-2022/) - CURRENT ISSUE MARCH / APRIL 2022 VOLUME 21, NO. 2 Working with Immigrant Families READ THE ISSUE BELOW Since 2002, Family Therapy Magazine has been hitting mailboxes six times a year, all over the globe, delivering clinical content, Association updates, and other news related to behavioral health happenings. Standing and Responding in Solidarity
- [Terms of Use](https://ftm.aamft.org/terms-of-use/) - Home Terms of Use AAMFT Terms of Use This site contains information available to the public, as well as information available to AAMFT members only. By using this site, you agree to these Terms of Use, which include any additional Guidelines that may be posted by The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (hereafter
- [Past Issues](https://ftm.aamft.org/past-issues/) - Past Issues All archived PDFs
- [Family Therapy Magazine - January / February 2022](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-january-february-2022/) - JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022 VOLUME 21, NO. 1 Effectiveness of Couple and Family Interventions: A Decade Review Since 1995, the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (JMFT) has published decade reviews to provide clinicians and other stakeholders an update on the evidence base for couple and family interventions for mental and behavioral disorders and health
- [Family Therapy Magazine - March / April 2021](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-march-april-2021/) - MARCH / APRIL 2021 VOLUME 20, NO. 2 Working with Trans Clients and Their Families 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
- [Family Therapy Magazine - November / December 2021](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-november-december-2021/) - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 VOLUME 20, NO. 6 Ethics Issues Today There is an expectation, a written and unwritten rule, a personal and professional imperative, that in order for couple and family therapists to practice from an ethical foundation, we stand on the solid ground of five principles Toni Zimmerman, PhD and Marj Castronova,
- [Family Therapy Magazine - September / October 2021](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-september-october-2021/) - SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 VOLUME 20, NO. 5 Body Image and Food Challenges in the Black Community Issues surrounding body images among Black people must be understood within the broader historical and familial experiences in which they exist. Too often, clinicians focus on treating Black people who struggle with body image without understanding
- [Family Therapy Magazine - July / August 2021](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-july-august-2021/) - JULY / AUGUST 2021 VOLUME 20, NO. 4 Climate Change & Natural Disasters: A Call to Action for Systemic Therapists Through our widespread abuse of the environment and our refusal to accept that humans are a part of the ecosystem—not separate from it—our own well-being is in peril. Systemic therapists are ideally suited
- [Family Therapy Magazine - May / June 2021](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-may-june-2021/) - MAY / JUNE 2021 VOLUME 20, NO. 3 Disability and the Family 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
- [Family Therapy Magazine - January / February 2020](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-january-february-2020/) - JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2020 VOLUME 19, NO. 1 Parenting in the 21st Century An overview of the research concerning kids’ screen time, including issues related to physical health, aggression, attention problems, depression and other aspects. Diane R. Gehart, PhD With so many teens heavily connected to social media, it is vitally important to
- [Family Therapy Magazine - March / April 2020](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-march-april-2020/) - MARCH / APRIL 2020 VOLUME 19, NO. 2 Working with Low-income Families The foundational philosophies of our field, along with a post-modern lens, frame this discussion about at-risk families and those experiencing homelessness. DeAnna Harris-McKoy, PhD, Yulonda Washington, MS, and Latisha Wilson, MS Childhood maltreatment can lead to pervasive behavioral, emotional, and relational
- [Family Therapy Magazine - May / June 2020](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-may-june-2020/) - MAY / JUNE 2020 VOLUME 19, NO. 3 Helping Families Cope During the Pandemic In a global moment in which we find ourselves appreciating what can be done to help our clients without being in close proximity to them, it may be an opportune time to look more closely at virtual reality in
- [Family Therapy Magazine - July / August 2020](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-july-august-2020/) - JULY / AUGUST 2020 VOLUME 19, NO. 4 MFT and the Struggle Against Racism Although we are systemic therapists, we are still Black people with legacies of historical trauma, racial injustice, and resilience. We must find ways to process and handle additional layers of stress, mental and emotional strain that we carry from
- [Family Therapy Magazine - September / October 2020](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-september-october-2020/) - SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2020 VOLUME 19, NO. 5 Boomers Today Given that marriage and family therapists are likely seeing an increase in older clients come through their doors, here are three common myths about aging and older adults that might provide helpful guidance in working with clients of the boomer generation. Jeremy B.
- [Family Therapy Magazine - November / December 2020](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-november-december-2020/) - NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2020 VOLUME 19, NO. 6 Getting to Know Your AAMFT Governance The AAMFT Board of Directors cares about member needs and concerns, and embraces the core value of transparency. We have asked current and past board members to talk about their roles, the duties they perform, and to address many
- [Family Therapy Magazine - January / February 2021](https://ftm.aamft.org/family-therapy-magazine-january-february-2021/) - JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021 VOLUME 20, NO. 1 Hope, Healing and Moving On 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
- [ATS Authenticated Page](https://ftm.aamft.org/ats-authenticated-page/) - This is a restricted page to authenticated users. If you see this page you have authenticated. Here is a link back to the ATS Landing Page. ATS Landing Page This is the short code for member welcome:
- [Article page](https://ftm.aamft.org/article-page/) - Home FEATURE The Boomer Generation and Myths About Aging Author Name, PhD | Author Name, PhD Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur non felis sed diam viverra porta et nec odio. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Curabitur non felis sed diam viverra porta et nec odio. Lorem ipsum dolor
- [ATS Test Login](https://ftm.aamft.org/ats-test-login/) - Login Test Page This the short code for member login:
- [ATS Landing Page](https://ftm.aamft.org/ats-landing-page/) - This is the ATS landing page. ATS Authenticated Page This is the short code for member welcome:
- [Login](https://ftm.aamft.org/login/) - Want access to members-only content? We invite you to join AAMFT. AAMFT’s purpose is to promote and advance the common professional interests of marriage and family therapists. Join now.
- [Landing page sample](https://ftm.aamft.org/landing-page-sample/) - JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2020 VOLUME 19, NO. 1 Parenting in the 21st Century Parents should model self-acceptance and tell their kids what they are doing to accomplish this, as well as teach their children to accomplish this themselves by giving them the tools to become more self-directed, which should lead to greater levels
- [Departments](https://ftm.aamft.org/departments/)
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## Categories

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## Issues

- [January / February 2020 Volume 19, No. 1](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/january-february-2020-volume-19-no-1/)
- [March / April 2020 Volume 19, No. 2](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/march-april-2020-volume-19-no-2/)
- [May / June 2020 Volume 19, No. 3](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/may-june-2020-volume-19-no-3/)
- [July / August 2020 Volume 19, No. 4](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/july-august-2020-volume-19-no-4/)
- [September / October 2020 Volume 19, No. 5](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/september-october-2020-volume-19-no-5/)
- [November / December 2020 Volume 19, No. 6](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/november-december-2020-volume-19-no-6/)
- [January / February 2021 Volume 20, No. 1](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/january-february-2021-volume-20-no-1/)
- [March / April 2021 Volume 20, No.2](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/march-april-2021-volume-20-no-2/)
- [May / June 2021 Volume 20, No. 3](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/may-june-2021-volume-20-no-3/)
- [July / August 2021 Volume 20, No. 4](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/july-august-2021-volume-20-no-4/)
- [September / October 2021 Volume 20, No. 5](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/september-october-2021-volume-20-no-5/)
- [November / December 2021 Volume 20, No. 6](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/november-december-2021-volume-20-no-6/)
- [January / February 2022 Volume 21, No. 1](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/no-1/)
- [March / April 2022 Volume 21, No. 2](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/march-april-2022-volume-21/)
- [May / June 2022 Volume 21, No. 3](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/may-june-2022-volume-21-no-3/)
- [July / August 2022 Volume 21, No. 4](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/july-august-2022-volume-21-no-4/)
- [September / October 2022 Volume 21, No. 5](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/september-october-2022-volume-21-no-5/)
- [November / December 2022 Volume 21, No.6](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/november-december-2022-volume21-no-6/)
- [January / February 2023 Volume 22, No. 1](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/january-february-2023-volume-22/)
- [March / April 2023 Volume 22, No. 2](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/march-april-2023-volume-22-no-2/)
- [May / June 2023 Volume 22, No. 3](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/may-june-2023-volume-22-no-3/)
- [July / August 2023 Volume 22, No. 4](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/july-august-2023-volume-22-no-4/)
- [September / October 2023 Volume 22, No. 5](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/september-october-2023-volume-22-no-5/)
- [November / December 2023 Volume 22, No.6](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/november-december-2023-volume-22-no-6/)
- [January/February 2024 Volume 23, No. 1](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/january-february-2024-volume-23-no-1/)
- [March / April 2024 Volume 23, No. 2](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/march-april-2024-volume-22-no-2/)
- [May / June 2024 Volume 23, No. 3](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/may-june-2024-volume-23-no-3/)
- [July / August 2024 Volume 23, No. 4](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/july-august-2024-volume-23-no-4/)
- [September / October 2024 Volume 23, No. 5](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/september-october-2024-volume-23-no-5/)
- [November / December 2024 Volume 23, No. 6](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/november-december-2024-volume-23-no-5/)
- [January / February 2025 Volume 24, No. 1](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/january-february-2025-volume-24-no-1/)
- [March / April 2025 Volume 24, No. 2](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/march-april-2025-volume-24-no-2/)
- [May / June 2025 Volume 24, No. 3](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/may-june-2025-volume-24-no-3/)
- [July / August 2025 Volume 24, No. 4](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/july-august-2025-volume-24-no-4/)
- [September / October 2025 Volume 24, No. 5](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/september-october-2025-volume-24-no-5/)
- [November / December 2025 Volume 25, No. 6](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/november-december-2025-volume-25-no-6/)
- [January / February 2026](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/january-february-2026/)
- [April 2026](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/april-2026/)
- [July 2026](https://ftm.aamft.org/issues/july-2026/)