Profession of Systemic Family Therapy

This first volume of the The Handbook of Systemic Family Therapy includes extensive work on the theory, practice, research, and policy foundations of the profession of CMFT and its roles in an integrated health care system. Developed in partnership with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), it will appeal to clinicians, such as couple, marital, and family therapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists. It will also benefit researchers, educators, and graduate students involved in CMFT.

Karen S. Wampler, PhD, retired as Professor and Chair of the Human Development and Family Studies department at Michigan State University. She previously served as Department Chair, Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Program Director, and the C. R. and Virginia Hutcheson Professor at Texas Tech University. Prior to that, she developed and directed the MFT Program at the University of Georgia. Her research focused on applying attachment theory to couple interaction, family therapy process research, and observational measures of relationships. A past editor of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, she received the AAMFT Contribution to MFT, NCFR Distinguished Service to Family Therapy, and NCFR Kathleen Briggs Mentor Awards.

Richard B Miller, PhD, is Chair of the Sociology Department, a former Director of the School of Family Life, and a former Associate Dean in the College of Family, Home, and Social Science at Brigham Young University (BYU). He is also a professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Program at BYU. Prior to teaching at BYU, he taught at Kansas State University for 11 years, serving as Director of the MFT Program. His program of research focuses on therapist effects and qualities of effective therapists. He has published over 100 journal articles and book chapters, and, along with Lee Johnson, edited Advanced Methods in Marriage and Family Therapy Research.

Ryan B. Seedall, PhD, is associate professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Utah State University, having received his training from Brigham Young University (MS) and Michigan State University (PhD). He is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and Clinical Fellow. His research focuses on understanding and improving relationship and change processes through examining interaction and support processes. He is also interested in protective family dynamics and prevention, including ways to reduce mental health disparities. He has conducted research on identifying specific interventions that are useful when working with couples (e.g., enactments) and therapist- and client-related factors that are strongly associated with process and outcome in therapy.