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Transgender and gender non-conforming individuals have historically experienced discrimination accessing reproductive rights. This transcends into the ways in which the current systems of healthcare are structured to continue perpetuating the marginalization of this population of gender diverse persons, specifically as it relates to reproductive care. Throughout this paper, we will utilize a reproductive justice framework to explore ways in which transgender patients experience discrimination in unique ways through micro- and macroaggressions within the healthcare system based on the intersection of the reproductive healthcare services in which they are seeking, paying special attention to pregnancy and postpartum care, and their unique social identity. This paper will conclude with specific recommendations for how medical family therapists can impact healthcare systems by integrating trauma-informed care aligned with a reproductive justice framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses supervision through a structural family therapy (SFT) lens. SFT aims to alter dysfunctional patterns in exchange for healthy interactions by creating clear hierarchies and boundaries. Families are organized by hierarchies; within this structure, it is common for parents and older adults to be at the top. This mirrors supervision as traditionally the more experienced and higher licensed clinicians are at the top. This paper conveys how clinical supervisors can train, educate, and support while establishing a hierarchical position allowing for isomorphic and bidirectional growth. Additionally, this paper introduces an intervention utilizing hierarchies to address privilege and power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a theoretical approach that is considered widely effective in decreasing relationship distress among couples. Emotionally Focused Therapy uses deepening of the clients' emotions to facilitate change to break negative interactional patterns within couple relationships. However, African American men have developed some behaviors and attitudes about emotions that may present challenges to them receiving Emotionally Focused Therapy. Some of those behaviors and beliefs include alexithymia and emotion ideologies which include restricting emotion based on their experience with societal stressors (e.g., race-based trauma, system racism). Given this emotional discrepancy, there are social and cultural considerations that need to be addressed between African American individuals in order to conduct effective couple work. This paper discusses emotional expressiveness and culturally sensitive approaches that EFT therapists will need to consider when counseling African American men in couples therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a literature review on integrating Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to treat trauma in couple therapy. Both are highly effective therapeutic models (one mainly used for individual trauma treatment and the other for strengthening attachment bonds in couples) that have gained significant traction and ample empirical support in the last three decades. Mental health therapists are increasingly experimenting with integrating these two models and have found that they can complement each other well; however, their integration is not well understood due to scant literature. Thus, we include research findings, clinical case examples, and theoretical discussions to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the state of affairs on integrating these two models. We hope that this paper will highlight prior and existing practices and inspire clinicians to consider the clinical potential of integrating EFT and EMDR to increase effective therapy for couples affected by trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globalization has resulted in the increase of interracial and interracial-international couple relationships around the world, some of whom also live with chronic illness. Despite growing positive attitudes toward interracial relationships, these couples experience multiple health disparities and disparate treatments compared to same-race couples. Aims: In this paper, we illuminate the general experience of interracial couples around the world to: (1) draw special attention to how sociocultural discourses influence them individually and as a couple; (2) highlight the disparities in equitable health care received by interracial couples; and (3) discuss how Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a useful framework for working with interracial couples with chronic illness and how it can be a larger training area in medical family therapy (MedFT) and its application to chronic health issues faced by couples. Method: We include a case example integrating EFT and the BPSS model to address the cross-cultural experiences and treatment needs of interracial couples struggling with a chronic illness experience. Discussion: Clinical recommendations include the necessity of multipartiality and self-of-the-therapist examinations alongside sociocultural assessment and culturally atuned treatment of interracial couples with chronic illness. Future directions include advocating for the expansion of EFT training in MedFT and chronic illness treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical Family Therapy (MedFT) is a much-needed and growing specialization in the United States and internationally, bringing attention to the relationship between acute and chronic illness and their reciprocal impact on couple and family systems. Despite the growth of MedFT and the growing body of research affirming its effectiveness in general, there remains a need for greater research demonstrating its effectiveness with specific medical conditions, such as pregnancy-related issues, namely infertility, racialized pregnancy, and pregnancy loss. Much of the research related to these losses leaves out at least two important populations impacted by these events – interracial couples and men. In this paper, we discuss the experiences of interracial couples, generally, and men, specifically, to: (1) draw attention to unique struggles faced by interracial couples, with special attention to cisgender male (cis male) partners’ experiences, (2) describe how MedFTs utilizing a systemic, relational, BPSS focus, are well-positioned to effectively work with interracial couples experiencing infertility, racialized pregnancy, and pregnancy loss, and (3) include a case example to illustrate how a MedFT might approach working with an interracial couple experiencing these struggles. Finally, we conclude by providing clinical recommendations and practical future directions for research in the areas of infertility, racialized pregnancy, and pregnancy loss, and discuss future MedFT training needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present and discuss partial findings of a thematic analysis on the experiences of 13 licensed clinicians who integrate Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in couple therapy. We cover five of the seven themes that emerged from the data. These themes refer to practical factors of implementation, such as identifying and assessing the conditions necessary for effective integration, risks of integrating, and timing of integration in couple therapy. One additional theme refers to the institutional and training factors that might hinder model integration. After presenting the findings, we contrast them with available literature. We conclude by discussing clinical and research implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group-based parenting programs can effectively improve parenting and child wellbeing; however, these programs are predominantly attended by mothers. Actively involving both parents has the potential to maximize program outcomes, as it allows the coparenting relationship to be targeted alongside parenting practices. Researchers suggest that one way of achieving this is to integrate coparenting content into existing, evidence-based parenting programs. Tuning in to Kids is an emotion-focused parenting program that provides an effective foundation for adaptation, given the benefits of the program and the nature of the content (i.e., parents learn the skill of emotion coaching that may also benefit the coparenting relationship). This paper outlines the process of adapting Tuning in to Kids through the integration of coparenting content and increased focus on the family system. The process was guided by the Medical Research Council framework for complex intervention development (i.e., identifying the evidence, developing a theoretical model, modeling the intervention process) and resulted in the development of Tuning in to Kids Together (TIK-Together). The program adaptation was designed to target Australian coparents and was informed by Australian evidence. TIK-Together aims to improve the coparenting relationship, in addition to supporting parenting practices and child emotional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a 45-year career Paul Watzlawick and colleagues at the Mental Research Institute (MRI) profoundly influenced the development of the communication theory conception of behavior qua behavior, and the practice of marital and brief therapy. This paper highlights three ideas that Watzlawick emphasized as central to his conceptual approach as well as his clinical intervention strategy. Several case examples are included that exemplify how these three concepts guided his thinking and behavior in the therapy room. These three ideas include, distinguishing between indicative and injunctive language, learning and using the client's language, and understanding and avoiding negation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces several papers on the work and education of couple and family therapists in Turkey published within the issue.

Asian Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States and of this group, Chinese Americans represent the largest subgroup. Some scholars have speculated that more symptom-focused and directive psychotherapeutic approaches may be more congruent with Chinese Americans' conceptualization of treatment than traditional Western modalities. Although these approaches may be more culturally appropriate and efficacious for some Chinese American clients, they presuppose that Chinese American clients have difficulties or an inability to express or communicate underlying emotional distress. As a consequence of this generalization, mental health therapists may assume that emotion-oriented psychotherapeutic approaches such as Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) will not benefit this population. Notwithstanding efforts to expand the relevance of EFT, there remains little research examining the cultural validity of EFT across cultural groups, particularly for Chinese American clients. In this article, we use the Cultural Lens Approach to assess the relevance and applicability of EFT for Chinese American individuals and couples. The aim of this article is to provide clinical direction for therapists using EFT with Chinese American clients and energize the field to conduct further research examining the relevance and applicability of psychotherapeutic approaches with this client group. Further, this article aims to combat stereotypes and Western notions of mental health, which may be limiting clinical and research perspectives on mental healthcare for Chinese Americans. This exploration comes at a time when Chinese Americans are at increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes due to race-based violence and discrimination observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Couple, Marriage, and Family Therapy (CMFT) and other psychotherapy literature acknowledge the importance of therapist self-awareness and self-knowledge and discuss many potential different ways to train the self of the therapist. However, there is no collective expert guidance in the current literature for self of the therapist training. Using a modified Delphi method, this study involved systematically surveying a panel of experts to gain consensus on some of the most important concepts, methods, benefits, and risks of self of the therapist training. The panel endorsed 112 items that focused on specific elements of self of the therapist work, benefits and risks of self of the therapist training, structure and setting of self of the therapist training, expectations for supervisors and trainers, and recommendations for ongoing self of the therapist work. Clinical implications for trainers and training programs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the relationship between therapist-client race/ethnicity matching on client treatment outcomes and whether other demographic factors contribute to treatment outcomes in a training clinic. An ANCOVA was conducted to examine the differences between race match and mismatch groups. A random forest algorithm was used to determine how racial matching conditions and other factors, such as gender, predict treatment outcomes. We found significant relationships between therapist-client race/ethnicity matching conditions and treatment outcomes for clients who received at least 10 sessions of therapy. However, results of the random forest algorithm indicated that race/ethnicity matching is one of the weakest predictors of treatment outcomes. Clinical implications and the limitations of the study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immigration and forced migration have been on the rise globally because of a variety of political, social and economic factors. The association between forced migration and poor mental health is well documented, with many families and youth experiencing violence, loss of identity or status, racism, and discrimination. Despite these adversities, families and youth have leveraged individual and collective resources that have assisted in their integration, and overall well-being as they have acculturated to the United States (US). To explore the phenomenon of what refugee youth viewed as a healthy community during their transition to the US, a community based participatory research photovoice study was conducted with youth between 13-18 years of age. Through the photovoice process three main themes were identified by refugee youth that they felt were critical in making a healthy, thriving community, with thematic analysis revealing additional subthemes. Participants described how these themes were not only intertwined, but necessary for their social, emotional, and mental stability and the stability of members of their community. Implications regarding how to apply these results in both the clinical and human service fields are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is crucial for scholars and clinicians to have a thorough understanding of the effect cancer has on family systems. Since romantic partners play an important role in the support and care of patients with cancer, they are particularly impacted by the cancer diagnosis and treatment. In the current study, we explored the association among the biological, psychosocial, spiritual, and interpersonal adaptive processes associated with romantic relationship quality and stability in couples with cancer (N = 160). Implications are provided for clinicians, and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examines whether parents involved in the child welfare system, due to substance abuse, who receive solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) counseling experience more hope and positive emotions than those receiving treatment-as-usual counseling services. Methods: Randomized controlled trial design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of SFBT in primary substance use treatment services for parents (n = 123). Difference-in-Difference (DiD) estimation was used to assess the effect of SFBT intervention on hope, positive emotions, and negative emotions. Results: DiD analyses showed SFBT parents had slightly worse scores on hope and emotion subscales at baseline and demonstrated slightly greater positive changes on all scales at posttest, though these findings were not statistically different from control group. Positive associations between SFBT and hope subscales were found; however, effects were not statistically significant. Conclusion: SFBT may help increase positive emotions and hope in parents through a solution-building approach, but more research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural stigma combined with limited available qualified mental health professionals in the setting of political conflict and a refugee crisis represent great challenges toward providing mental health care to patients in the country of Jordan. We conducted focus groups with eight physicians to evaluate the Global Mental Health Certificate Program (GMHC) a novel program for primary care physicians intended at improving mental health diagnosis and treatment utilizing psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. With the use of educational modules focused on mental health with major component on family therapy the program had positive impacts on information and attitude of mental health over and above other continuing education opportunities. However, it was also shown that stigma, time limitations, resources, and gaps in continuing education limit the application of these benefits. We provide recommendations for those teaching and designing mental health programs based on focus group recommendations and current literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this qualitative case study is to understand the experiences of receiving solution-focused brief therapy for couples raising a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Five couples received six sessions of solution-focused brief couples therapy (SFBT) and were interviewed after the first, third, and last therapy sessions. Couples engaged in a semi-structured interview and were asked about their experiences in therapy. After using descriptive and in vivo coding to analyze the fifteen transcripts, the codes were placed into major themes. The six themes include: (a) therapy as a "blessing"; (b) positive experiences with the therapist; (c) helpful conversations; (d) reactions to the miracle question; (e) clarifying the couple and co-parent identity; and (f) the growth of the parent-child relationship. The current study is the first to identify parents' experiences of treatment, while raising a child with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A majority of sexual minority (SM; lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer) adults identify as religious and use religious coping strategies for dealing with life's stressors. SM people report experiencing unique minority stressors of interpersonal rejection in family and religious settings as a product of religious doctrine that rejects same-sex relationships and attraction; however, the usefulness of religious coping strategies for handling minority stressors for improving the mental health of SM people is still unknown given mixed findings in previous studies. In addition, locating particular measures of religiously based minority stress may aid in identifying key factors affecting mental health. This study utilized quantitative data from a web-based survey to explore the relationships between religious coping, interpersonal religious discontent, minority stressors of family rejection and internalized stigma, and depressive symptoms of SM adults from religious families (n = 384). Moderation analysis demonstrated the significant interaction of religious coping and interpersonal religious discontent with minority stress factors for exacerbating the influence of greater minority stress on greater depressive symptoms when religious coping and interpersonal religious discontent were higher. In addition, those who left their religious affiliations experienced decreased minority stress and used less religious coping strategies. Implications for family psychotherapy and future research are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Materialism is a value that reflects the principle that possessions are imperative in people's lives. Relational satisfaction is a partner's subjective assessment of a relationship. Prior literature has documented the negative relationship between materialism and life satisfaction. Method: The research question asks, if there an impact between living a materialistic lifestyle and relational satisfaction? Results: A hierarchical multiple regression found that materialist values are a statistically significant predictor of relational satisfaction. Discussion: MFTs can address materialistic tendencies within the couples that may be negatively influencing their relationship. Limitations, implications for clinical practice, and future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of students enrolled in COAMFTE-accredited Couple and Family Therapy programs who transitioned to telehealth and telesupervision during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Likert scales and free response prompts, 77 graduate students provided insight into how their academic programs and external internships prepared them for the transition. Results indicated webinars, articles, and additional supervision were the most frequently used training methods. Many participants reported feeling supported by their academic program and external internship supervisors, particularly through well-being check-ins, candid and open discussion, and increased availability of supervisors. A smaller proportion of participants experienced a lack of communication from leadership, leading to feelings of disorganization and isolation. These results highlight specific ways supervisors and instructors can support students in times of transition and crisis. Recommendations regarding communication with students and engagement of interns for academic programs and external internship sites are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology has fundamentally shaped the way we communicate with acquaintances, family members, and romantic partners. Digital technologies permit us to be accessed (and access others) at any time, through a variety of electronic means irrespective of geography. The purpose of this article is link factors germane to technology to explain why they fuel intimate partner violence. This article outlines key characteristics of behaviors associated with intimate partner violence, outlines the specific functions of technology that exacerbate these symptoms, and introduces guidelines for training and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying experiences in adolescence has become a nationwide problem as 28% of the children report being bullied over the past school year. Adolescents who report being bullied have been found to have higher rates of anxiety and depression. Although several studies have examined family support and school connectedness as protective factors that buffer the link between being bullied and mental health, little is known about racial/ethnic differences in bullying victimization. Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory proposes that a child's environment (e.g., family cohesion, school connectedness) is a potential protective factor between bullying experiences and mental health. Adolescent data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study were used to analyze a structural model, postulating frequency of being bullied on the adolescents reports of perceived health, directly and as mediated by anxiety symptoms, was assessed among adolescents who were Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, White, Multiracial, and other races not specified in the assessment. Additionally, we examined whether reports of family cohesion and/or school connectedness moderate the link between frequency of being bullied and anxiety. Modest, yet significant results indicated that there were group differences for the model, and school connectedness was linked with lower rates of anxiety symptoms and better reports of perceived health for most groups. These findings provided insight into the importance of considering contextual factors such as race when examining bullying victimization as well as provides insight for school and helping professionals such as family therapists striving to stymie the effects of being bullied among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnancy loss is a traumatic event that affects many families. 1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage, and 1–2 out of every 100 births are stillbirths. Mothers report depression, shame, and guilt following a pregnancy loss. They also report a lack of social and emotional support, as Western culture tends to discourage mothers from grieving. Additionally, the impact on partners often goes unnoticed, as pregnancy loss is primarily framed as a birth parent's issue. As couples struggle to deal with the emotions of pregnancy loss, many approach the process of grieving in ways that inhibit healing, which can negatively impact their relationship. Given the potential difficulties, many couples seek therapy to help them with the challenges that may follow pregnancy loss. However, there is a lack of literature that discusses how to systemically treat pregnancy loss. This article aims to address that gap by presenting a narrative approach to treating pregnancy loss. Narrative therapy is a natural fit when treating grieving couples as it allows them to coauthor their story of loss and coauthor a story of healing. Narrative therapy provides a space for couples to share their story, externalize problems related to the loss, find unique outcomes to support an alternative story, and solidify a new narrative related to their pregnancy loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, hope has been studied from a cognitive, not experiential, lens and rarely from an attachment perspective. The aims of this research were to explore how couples experience hope when using a reflecting team (RT) as part of their counseling process as well as if their experience of hope differed based depending on their attachment style. To examine these questions, couples (n = 13) completed attachment measures as well as participated in interviews assessing their experience of hope in relation to the reflecting team. The research was methodologically directed by interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), which draws on the participants' meaning-making of the reflecting team process. Participants' attachment strategies impacted which interventions used by the reflecting teams were most relevant and powerful in inducing hope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self of the therapist is an important component of marriage and family therapy training and treatment outcomes. There are several training exercises that focus on developing the self of the therapist, but limited literature on role-plays that center on self of the therapist training. This article provides recommendations for trainers that wish to focus marriage and family therapy role-plays on the self of the therapist. It also includes several examples that illustrate supporting the development of self-awareness and effective use of self through self-reflection and attention to the cultural context of both therapists and clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supervisory relationship is one of the most important relationships in academic programs (Haug & Storm, 2014). Supervisors help provide direction, ethical guidance, and model adherence during supervision. Unfortunately, there are numerous challenges and issues that occur within supervision that cause tension and problems within the supervisory relationship (Todd & Storm, 2014). Not discussing diversity, models of therapy, or expectations in supervision can lead supervisees to enter a customer, complainer, or visitor relationship. This article introduces a new process for conducting supervision and enhancing the supervisory relationship. Transparent supervision aims to alleviate various challenges that arise in supervision by providing supervisors a framework for openly and transparently discussing topics in supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Whole Name Exercise is a self of the therapist training strategy designed to highlight the significance of family history and culture in the everyday lived experiences of the participants. This activity can facilitate self-reflection, group bonding, and play an important role in demonstrating values of equity and social justice. This article provides background on the significance of names, including historical and modern-day practices of dehumanizing people through naming and renaming practices. The Whole Name Exercise is described and suggestions to enhance the facilitation of the activity are discussed. Finally, two esteemed colleagues share the stories and significance of their names by responding to the questions in the exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a commentary on Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) with Chinese American clients, examining the cultural nuances and considerations in therapy. It acknowledges the importance of considering cultural factors in therapy and highlights the need to understand the nuances and differences within the Chinese American population. It states that the commentary calls for further research and discussion on adapting treatment approaches to fit the cultural context.