The AAMFT Blog

National Hispanic Heritage Month: Embracing Diversity in Marriage and Family Therapy

Written By Julian Crespo, Ph.D., LMFT. 

As we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, it's impossible not to reflect on the rich multiplicity of Hispanic cultures. This annual observance provides marriage and family therapists an opportunity to consider the profound influence of Hispanic heritage on our field and society as a whole.

The Hispanic community defies simple categorization. It's a composite of cultures, traditions, and identities shaped by centuries of mestizaje – the blending of Indigenous, European, African, and other ancestries. This intricate history has fostered a wide array of perspectives on individual and family identity formation. Some Hispanic families celebrate their indigenous roots as a cornerstone of their identity, while others may emphasize their European heritage. Many embrace a fluid, multifaceted identity that honors all aspects of their lineage.

For marriage and family therapists, this diversity within Hispanic cultures is a wellspring of insight. It underscores the need for tailored approaches to therapy, even among seemingly similar cultural groups. Each family brings to the therapeutic space its unique historical narrative, cultural values, and identity constructs. Additionally, the multifaceted nature of Hispanic populations can significantly enrich and foster inclusivity in the United States. As therapists, we can draw valuable lessons from how Hispanic cultures have navigated complex identities and histories. This knowledge can shape our approach to working with all clients, helping us develop more inclusive and culturally responsive therapeutic practices.

Many Hispanic cultures, for instance, place great importance on strong family bonds, respect for elders, and collective decision-making. These values offer fresh perspectives that contrast with more individualistic approaches. By integrating these diverse worldviews, we can broaden our therapeutic toolkit and better serve a wider spectrum of clients.

Furthermore, the richness and complexities of Hispanic cultures can inform and nurture marriage and family therapy practices to adopt a critical stance. They push us to examine our assumptions and biases, encouraging us to create epistemological spaces where the profession can grow in multiple directions.

Take, for example, the concept of familismo – the strong identification and attachment to nuclear and extended family – prevalent in many Hispanic cultures. This concept prompts us to reconsider our understanding of family systems, encouraging us to look beyond the nuclear family and consider the roles of extended family members and close friends who may be considered family.

Similarly, the diverse spiritual and religious practices within Hispanic cultures can expand our approach to addressing spirituality in therapy. From indigenous spiritual practices to syncretic religions like Santería, these varied belief systems remind us of the many paths people take to find meaning and healing.

The linguistic diversity within Hispanic communities offers another valuable lesson. It highlights the importance of not just literal translation, but cultural interpretation in therapy. This insight can inspire us to be more attentive to the nuances of language and communication in all our therapeutic interactions. 

As we mark National Hispanic Heritage Month, let's embrace these lessons from Hispanic cultures. Let's use this richness and complexity to foster more inclusive, culturally responsive, and critically reflective marriage and family therapy practices. In doing so, we not only better serve our Hispanic clients but also enrich our field as a whole, creating space for multiple perspectives and approaches.

National Hispanic Heritage Month serves as a powerful reminder of the invaluable contributions Hispanic cultures make to our society and our field. It challenges us to continuously expand our understanding, question our assumptions, and strive for truly inclusive and effective therapeutic practices. In honoring Hispanic heritage, we also honor the diversity of human experience and the myriad ways families and individuals construct their identities and relationships.

2020 Leadership Symposium: Registration Now Open

Let AAMFT help you meet your personal and professional goals in 2020! The Leadership Symposium is an exceptional resource for MFTs who have leadership aspirations, or who simply want to expand their skills and practice to advance both their career and the profession.

The 2020 Leadership Symposium is in Phoenix, Arizona, from March 12-14. Register early for the lowest pricing.

Highlights:

• Keynote speakers who lead their fields and will provide higher-level insight and inspiration on topics of decisive actions, going from good to great, intersectionality, and reaching new generations.
• Expanded breakout sessions, submitted through an abstract and invitation process, ensure that there are more opportunities to hear from MFT experts, allowing you to tailor your experience.
• 13.5 hours of continuing education as an option for attendees while maintaining the highest value and lowest cost per hour available.
• Networking receptions and dining options to connect with MFTs at every level of experience and background.
• Approved Supervisor Refresher Course available as an add-on for those who need to renew their designation.
• Located in Phoenix, Arizona, a sunny city that unites the beauty of the desert with sophisticated urban amenities.

Visit the Leadership Symposium website to learn more about this event. 

The Role of MFTs in the Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth and their Families

 

Join Daran for a webinar on affirmative care with transgender and gender diverse youth on Friday, March 1, from 3:00-4:30pm EST. Hosted by the Queer and Trans Advocacy Network. Register here.

Family support is a vital protective factor for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth who are at high risk for mental health concerns, particularly suicidality. We also know that larger systems like schools and communities are important buffers for young people as they navigate a world that often does not understand or validate their experience. Young people do better when they are allowed to express their authentic selves.  For TGD youth, it can be life-saving.

MFTs play an essential role in the lives of TGD youth. First, MFTs can help young people explore their gender identities and expressions. Gender affirmative therapy assumes that gender diverse expressions and experiences are normal, and therapists should validate, de-stigmatize and support this diversity.

Second, youth often require a letter of support from a therapist for a medical transition, making us gatekeepers in their transition. This means assessing levels of distress, exploring options around gender transition, supporting families, and advocating for the youth in school and community systems. It is important, therefore, for MFT’s to have a deeper understanding of gender identity development, the challenges that TGD youth face along the way, and to adopt an affirmative lens in therapy.

Finally, MFTs are in a unique position to work with families of TGD youth. Families come to therapy at various stages of acceptance and understanding of their child’s gender expressions. MFTs can assess and increase family members’ attunement to the young person’s identity and/or expression. Therapy is a place for families to process their own feelings and learn to accept, protect and support their child. Working with immediate and extended family members often becomes a central part of the therapeutic process.

By affirming gender identity and expression, advocating across multiple systems, and supporting family members, MFTs can help TGD youth live authentically.

 

Daran Shipman is a LMFT, a member of QTAN, and an expert in transgender mental health. Daran has a private practice in Syracuse, NY, where he specializes in working with transgender and gender diverse clients. He also teaches and supervises marriage and family therapy students at Syracuse University and delivers workshops nationally through PESI. Daran has published in peer reviewed journals on working with families of gender diverse youth.  His most recent article on the special considerations for transgender therapists in clinical practice and supervision was published in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.

Submit an Abstract for AAMFT19

Austin, Texas provides a perfect backdrop for hosting a conference featuring innovation in family therapy. AAMFT19 will be held in Austin from August 29 - September 1, 2019.

Abstracts that push the envelope in service delivery, training, education and policy development are welcome. Maybe your ideas will lead to some form of disruptive technology that invigorates attendees and radically alters the profession. Think big! During the week, maybe you will collaborate on a new model, technique, research topic or method while enjoying a music venue and catching the buzz of this highly ranked city. 

Submit your abstract by December 1, 2018. If you have questions concerning submitting an abstract, contact Alexander Hunt at 571-303-0114 or [email protected]. 

 

 

2017 Annual Conference Registration is Open

The 2017 AAMFT Annual Conference will build on the victories and exciting changes of this last year, with a conference mantra that could very well be “Ambassadors of the Profession.” The workshops will not only provide the best in training for MFTs, but will emphasize the ways in which you can advance the profession locally and nationally

We’ve modified the schedule this year to give you more flexibility in your learning options. Added are additional workshops in one-hour increments and an improved research discussion schedule. Returning to the program is the career development track, MFT exam prep track, and other great sessions that aid members in growing and nurturing their career.

AAMFT’s Annual Conference is the world’s leading education and networking event for marriage and family therapists. It is an opportunity to learn from leaders in the field, network with peers, and discuss cutting edge research and techniques over four days filled with educational and professional development activities. Earn up to 28.5 continuing education credits by attending innovative and high-quality presentations.

View the 2017 Conference Website to learn more about the sessions, events, travel, pricing, and registration information. Register before June 30 to save $100!

Polyamory and Kink Relationships

More and more, clinicians are seeing couples who fall outside of the traditional roles when it comes to relationships. Two examples of relationships I see popping up more includes couples who are polyamorous and couples who live kink lifestyles. As clinicians, it is important that we be helpful to couples in all walks of life with various backgrounds, beliefs, and lifestyles. However, it can be confusing to know when and how best to intervene, especially if you are not familiar with the lifestyle approach.

What is polyamory? Essentially, polyamory is when a couple believes they can have multiple loves for a variety of people. These relationships are meant to be completely consensual for all parties involved. Polyamorous couples can organize in a variety of ways. Some have a primary couple, and then have extra relationships on the side such as one night stands or even boyfriends/girlfriends. Other polyamorous couples try to hold each relationship as equal and will organize into triads or even groups of two couples living together.

What is a kink lifestyle? A kink is most directly defined as a bend from a straight line. If you are thinking about sexuality, a kink lifestyle would be a bend or difference from a typical vanilla relationship. Usually people accept making out, massage or heavy petting, oral sex and penetrative sex as vanilla in terms of sexual style. A kink lifestyle could include any sexual life choice that falls outside this definition. There are different levels to the kink lifestyle. Some couples enjoy trying new sexy things here and there. At a more advanced level, there are couples who get very into doing kinky things and even go to classes or public events in which they can engage in their specific kinks. Some couples go beyond this and enjoy kink in their day to day lives.

How is polyamory different from living a kink lifestyle? One does not equal the other. There are polyamorous individuals who are relatively vanilla in the kinds of sexual acts they enjoy. There are kinky individuals that are monogamous and there are kinky individuals who have multiple partners.

If you are interested in learning more about how you as a clinician can better serve kink and polyamorous clients, please join my webinar on March 10 from 3-4:30pm Eastern where I will cover basic information about these lifestyles, a model for sexual ethics that expands across sexual lifestyles, and helpful strategies for working with clients in these lifestyles. This will be offered using a sex positive approach.

Angela Skurtu, M.Ed., LMFT is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist in St. Louis, MO. You can visit her website at www.TherapistinStLouis.com for more information or to follow her video and podcasting blogs on sexual and relationship health. You can also follow her on https://www.facebook.com/MarriageFamilyTherapy/

Working with Immigrant Families

Over the past decade, the Latino/a population in the United States has increased, and Latinos now account for a large sector in the total U.S. population. Immigration is a major source for this influx and has been largely motivated by immigrants who want to escape violence, war and poverty from countries such as Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador. As Latino immigrants come to the United States, some are able to apply for paths towards citizenship, while many remain with undocumented status. Having undocumented status prevents many individuals from finding stable work or having access to other state resources. Yet despite the legal barriers and stresses of acculturation, many are able to settle into the United States and form families. It is estimated that 20% of children in the United States are growing up in immigrant homes (Suarez-Orozco, Todorova & Louie, 2002). The immigrant families in the United States are evolving and generating what we know as “mixed-status” families. Mixed-status families refer to those who have individual family members with different legal statuses. A common example is a family where both parents are undocumented immigrants and the child is born a United States citizen.

With the rise in immigration enforcement, these families experience many risks and face unique circumstances. Mixed-status families face daily fear of ICE raids, economic hardship and acculturative stress. They are also vulnerable to deportation and unprecedented separations where families are torn apart abruptly, leaving U.S. born children in a state of limbo. The deportation of a parent can bring on emotions of grief, rejection and abandonment as well alter attachment styles. These effects brought on by the forced separation shape the way children relate to others and may also impact how they perceive intimate relationships as adults. Many adult children of deported parents report feelings of shame, fear and an inability to trust others when reflecting on their experience (Espinoza, 2015).

The family shift that deportation triggers can have a long-standing impact on an individual’s emotional and psychological development. As we strive to be culturally sensitive clinicians, we have a responsibility to educate ourselves with the unique needs of this population. By attending the workshop “Working with Individuals and Families Impacted by Deportation.” at AAMFT 2016, mental health professionals will be given the opportunity to acquire skills in treating individuals and families impacted by deportation. Participants will learn how to apply culturally sensitive interventions for this group as well as learn how to engage these marginalized families in order to provide effective treatment.

» Choose session 505 Working with Individuals and Families Impacted by Deportation during registration, or if you are already registered for AAMFT16, call us at 703-838-9808 to change your session. 

Sandra Espinoza is a Visiting Assistant Professor for the Couple and Family Therapy program at Alliant International University, Los Angeles. She holds a Psy.D. in Couple and Family Therapy from Alliant University and has years of experience working in community mental health treating the Latino population. She focuses her research on issues of immigration, deportation and the impact these systems have on mental health and attachment styles. 

Medical Family Therapy in Primary Care: Research Updates

The excerpt below from Family Therapy Magazine is by Jennifer Hodgson and Daniel Marlow. Jennifer is co-presenter of one of the workshops chosen for AAMFT16. Interested in this topic and many others featuring the latest clinical issues in the field of marriage and family therapy? Explore the workshops and register here for AAMFT16 in Indianapolis, IN on September 15-18. 

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There has been an explosion of research and opportunities in healthcare for family therapists in the past 15 years. We have an opportunity, now more than ever, to apply systems concepts and family therapy approaches to patients receiving medical care and their family/support systems. The challenges we have are actual (e.g., insurance, such as Medicare) but not insurmountable. We need to position ourselves as professionals who are trained in integrated care, who know how to help change occur at the relevant systemic levels, work with more than one person in the therapy/exam room, be cost and clinically effective at it, and trained to collaborate with healthcare teams and providers. To ensure our place in this movement, we must be working now to train ourselves and the next generation of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) to do this work.

To be prepared means knowing and doing the necessary research on clinical, operational, and financial sustainability models. These three worlds in healthcare need to be considered simultaneously when entering into any healthcare setting (Peek, 2008; Peek & Heinrich, 1995, 1998). Family therapists may need to learn a new language, models of collaboration, and how to provide clinical care outside the box (literally outside the four walls of your office and in under 20 minutes).

Why is this Important?

Despite mental health providers’ (MHP) efforts to de-stigmatize psychotherapy services, most American adults prefer to have their behavioral health needs met by their primary care provider (Kessler & Stafford, 2008; Reiss-Brennan, 2010; Strosahl, 1994). With as many as 70 percent of primary care visits having a psychosocial component (Fries, Koop, & Beadle, 1993; Gatchel & Oordt, 2003), and up to 84 percent of the most common primary care symptoms found to have no known organic cause (Kroenke & Mangelsdorff, 1989), there is a place for mental health in medical settings, such as primary care; now known as the defacto mental health system (e.g., DeGruy, 1996). 

read more: The Role of MFT in Healthcare: Models of Collaboration FTM, July/August 2011, Vol. 10, #4

206 Medical Family Therapy in Primary Care: Research Updates

Jennifer Hodgson, Angela Lamson

Increasing numbers of family therapists are securing positions in primary care settings as integrated behavioral healthcare leaders, clinicians, and researchers. This presentation will highlight current trends in primary care involving family-centered models, integrated behavioral healthcare research, opportunities for clinical and research initiatives, and a blueprint for getting your professional foot in the primary care door. Register

Jennifer Hodgson, PhD, LMFT, is an associate professor in the Departments of Child Development and Family Relations and Family Medicine at East Carolina University.  She is a Clinical Member of the AAMFT, an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, COAMFTE Commissioner, and a longtime member of the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association. She is president of the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association and has published in several journals and has given several presentations locally and nationally on collaborative and integrated care. 

Family Therapy in Global Humanitarian Contexts

The excerpt below from Family Therapy Magazine is by Laurie Charles, co-presenter of one of the workshops chosen for AAMFT16. Interested in this topic and many others featuring the latest clinical issues in the field of marriage and family therapy? Explore the workshops and register here for AAMFT16 in Indianapolis, IN on September 15-18.

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While the content of what I deliver as a family therapy trainer in different countries is often similar, my method of delivery changes considerably from place to place. Like client families, trainee groups are really unique in their dynamics, and those unique dynamics are also totally dependent on context. As in therapy, I can plan ahead for how the training might proceed, but when I arrive in Tripoli, on the ground with 42 Arabic speaking family therapy trainees in post-conflict Libya, I have to negotiate what I planned to deliver with the unfolding dynamics of the training group I have just met and the presenting context in which they are living and working.

While family therapists may have skills that enhance the capacity to contextualize the suffering of the clients, supervisees, or trainees we work with, in global mental health one must be able to do this in relation to the broader political and economic factors in the country (Batniji, Van Ommeren, & Saraceno, 2005; Zarowsky, 2004). And it is here where family therapists need “scaling up.” Preparing U.S.-based family therapy trainees to work effectively as systemic family therapy clinicians in humanitarian relief contexts requires a shift from the nationalist focus of traditional family therapy training toward one that has a critically global lens (Platt & Laszloffy, 2010).

In training groups, I am still very conscientious about my social location (my intersectionality and identities such as gender, nationality, education and economic status, race and ethnicity, religion, ability) but must have heightened focus on how intersectionality is performed and discussed (or not) within the training group. That is because while my background may be interesting to the group for a variety of reasons, what I find is that usually I am irrelevant, because I am an outsider. What becomes more important, as in a family session, is to observe how individuals interact and perform their intersecting roles with each other, and to build on the capacity of what I see and hear. This is complex because the trainings are intense, in multiple languages besides English, and because the training group are citizens living in a highly dynamic country situation, which is often reflected in the training dynamics. My qualitative research skills of participant observation and attention to nuances of dialogue and personal expression are critical in this regard.

FTM, July Aug 2015, Vol 14, #4

407 Family Therapy in Global Humanitarian Contexts

Laurie Charlés, Catalina Perdomo. Deborah Healy, Daisy Ceja, Kathryn Dunne, Kotia Witaker

This workshop will focus on critical issues specific to the practice of family therapy within the humanitarian sphere. Presenters offer practical information and content specific to the training, supervision, and delivery of systemic family-based services where human rights and humanitarian intervention are part of the context, with a focus on making this work accessible across a variety of settings. Register

Laurie L. Charlés, PhD, has taught family therapy content, performed qualitative rapid needs assessments, and supervised and trained psychiatrists, psychosocial workers, and family therapists for programs in Kosova, Syria, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Burundi, Libya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Egypt, and the U.S. She is currently a Consultant with the World Health Organization, Ebola Outbreak Response, Conakry, Guinea, and is a full time assistant professor at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, TX. A former U.S. Senior Fulbright Scholar (Colombo, Sri Lanka 2010-2011), Charlés is a Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor of AAMFT, a Board Member of the American Family Therapy Academy (AFTA ) and chair of its Publications Committee.

MFTs in Schools

Schools are where children spend the majority of their time outside of the home. Schools are also the only place where some children have access to services that promote and maintain health. Educational systems are making increasing use of mental health services to support academic achievement. Early intervention by collaborative health teams is aimed at preventing problems that can escalate into behavior dyscontrol and violence.

In recent years, schools have begun to employ system-wide programs and services to improve school climate and address the social and emotional variables that are precursors to learning. It is an auspicious time for systems-trained marriage and family therapists to join school teams. As the MFT profession matures and obtains such specialized credentials as school certification along with licensure, clinicians need to understand the culture of school systems and multidisciplinary teams in order to practice effectively on in schools.

MFTs who practice and/or consult to schools need to appreciate the unique culture of school systems and our initial “guest” role in order to engage comprehensively. We also need to appreciate the history of special education in America schools, as well as the more recent systemic initiatives such as Response to Intervention, Multitiered Systems of Support, and Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support, in order to have a fuller appreciation of the shift from linear to systemic thinking in education. 

Such orientation is necessary in order to appreciate how timely school certification for MFTs is and how relevant MFTs are to school teams. The profession of marriage and family therapy has a strong multidisciplinary history, and we are in a unique need position to appreciate the “necessary redundancies” that all mental health professionals share, as well as the singular contributions of each profession. Multidisciplinary collaboration is necessary in order to navigate the health and educational needs of all students, as well as to advocate collectively for the health needs of students and their families in in education.

Childhood trauma can profoundly affect a child’s readiness to learn, although the effects may be difficult to observe. “Squeaky wheels” most often get the grease, and often children who struggle with numbing violence at home or in their communities may experience more “invisible” symptoms of anxiety and depression that are not readily observed in an educational setting. Mental health teams who can screen and advocate for students with trauma histories can help prevent undue strife and possible violence later. 

Health care systems across the U.S. are beginning to develop a Medical Home framework, where patient and family-centered mental health services are provided in primary care settings. Likewise, health care teams in schools can provide an Educational Home in schools to promote the health and resilience of all students, particularly those in need of special services to help them achieve.

Join Kathleen for a three-part webinar series on MFTs in Schools. Learn more and register here.

Kathleen Laundy, PsyD, LMFT, MSW, is a Past President of the Connecticut Division of AAMFT and she helped pass the first legislation certifying MFTs for school-based practice in the U.S. in 2007. She is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and Trainer, and she is on the clinical faculty of Central Connecticut State University, where she teaches preparatory courses for school certification. She is the author of Building School-Based Collaborative Mental Health Teams:  A Systems Approach to Student Achievement.

MFTs: Connect With Employers at the Virtual Career Fair

Since AAMFT launched the AAMFT Job Connection in 2012, thousands of employers and job seekers have had successful experiences matching qualified MFTs with their dream jobs. In our efforts to make these connections even more convenient, we are excited to announce the first ever virtual career fair that will be held Friday, June 3 from 11: a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The AAMFT Virtual Career Fair is an opportunity for qualified MFTs to connect directly to employers with open job opportunities from the comfort of your home, office, smartphone or tablet. As an attendee, you will get access to a wide variety of employers, learn more about their organizations, scout open positions, and share your resume - all for free!

AAMFT will also offer skype integration during the virtual career fair to facilitate face-to-face interactions and even conduct an initial interview with your next potential employer.

Who is this event ideal for?

• All professionals seeking new career opportunities or passively exploring career options
• All professionals who are ready to begin their careers
• All professionals looking for nationwide opportunities

How does the event work? It’s simple!

• Register as a jobseeker for FREE
• Once the virtual career fair starts, choose which employers you want to interact with and then engage in one-on-one text-based conversations with a recruiter at those organizations.
• Interview via online chat or Skype and make connections with recruiters and employers that interest you
• Find an exciting new job to propel your career forward!

Register for FREE as a jobseeker and take the next step to fulfilling your passion for marriage and family therapy.

Employers, sign up to find qualified MFTs here.