COURSE DESCRIPTIONS | 2008-2009

The program requirements include six (6) core courses in family systems and family therapy, and sixteen (16) additional required courses. In addition, students select two (2) elective courses that can be within the MSMFT program or from another department, which augments the study of marital and family therapy. This curriculum is approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).

Core Curriculum:

This series of six (6) courses taken consecutively at The Family Institute spans both academic years of the program, and covers a broad range of topics related to family systems and family therapy, including The Family Institute Model of integrative, problem-centered couple and family therapy. Throughout each course, guest lecturers present on topics of specialization. In addition to attending course lectures, students meet with instructors in small groups for one hour of tutorial each week to discuss the material in greater depth, review relevant publications, apply case examples, submit presentations and papers, and participate in experiential learning exercises.

401 Basic Concepts of Systems Therapy (Fall quarter, first year)

Instructor: Russell

This course is an introduction to the central theoretical underpinnings of systemic family therapy, providing a basic framework for assessment and intervention in family problems. Particular attention is paid to the assumptions basic to a systemic perspective.

402 Methods of Systems Therapy (Winter quarter, first year)

Instructor: Breunlin

This course introduces students to a range of methods used in systems therapy. The methods will be drawn from the integrative traditions emphasized in The Family Institute Model and will prepare students to engage, work with and terminate cases.

403 Self and Other Systems: Theory and Interventions (Spring quarter, first year)

Instructor: Cytrynbaum

This course's purpose is to deepen students' understanding of self and systems. Particular emphasis will be given to aspects of self-development and the therapist's understanding of self when working with systems.

410 Human Development Across the Life Span (Fall quarter, second year)

Instructor: Bingham

This course utilizes a developmental framework to understand individual human functioning across the life span and the dynamic interactions of individuals within families. Physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development will be presented at each age level, including issues regarding culture, gender and sexual orientation. Commonly presented problems and therapeutic interventions will be discussed for each age group.

411 Intimate Relations (Winter quarter, second year)

Instructor: Roloff

This course will elaborate on The Family Institute Model for working with couples, which involves great affective intensity and subtlety of communication. The most common problems that couples present, such as intense conflict, depression, sexual difficulties, separation and divorce, will be addressed.

412 Special Problems and Populations (Spring quarter, second year)

Instructor: Russell

This course provides concepts and skills necessary for working with particular kinds of clients and problems. Unique challenges and special considerations exist when working with families suffering from particularly challenging problems, such as addictions, violence (both sexual and physical), poverty, divorce/remarriage and illness.

Additional Required Courses:

400 MFT Professional Identity Seminar (First & second years)

Instructor: Dwyer

This is a zero-credit seminar that spans the two clinical/academic years of the MSMFT Program.  The seminar is designed to introduce students to the developmental, personal and professional issues in becoming and being a Marital and Family Therapist, in addition to specific issues facing MFT as a profession.

421 Systemic Assessment (Fall quarter, first year)

Instructors: Solomon & Karam

Students will learn how to define the parameters of systemic assessment and how it differs from, and can be integrated with, individual assessment. Students will learn how systemic assessment operates within the current legal and medical context. Students will learn the DSM-IV diagnostic system and how to apply it systematically. Students will learn specific models and measures of systemic assessment, including formal family assessment measures.

422 Family Research (Summer quarter, first year)

Instructor: Karam

This course will focus on the principles and ideas behind using a research informed ideology in order to stay current with the MFT profession and influence decision-making in therapy. The approach stresses the importance of a broad understanding of research in therapist development, and offers practical strategies for MFTs to infuse research informed behaviors into their clinical work. Students completing the course will develop skills to understand common MFT research methods, how research methods are applied, and how to critique research in the field of marriage and family therapy and mental health. Students will also be introduced to empirically based practices in MFT.

 

424 Group Therapy Internship (Summer quarter, first year)

Instructor: Friedman

This course is comprised of three components: a didactic, an experiential, and a clinical part. Its overall purpose is to facilitate effective group work. The didactic component familiarizes students with the theoretical underpinnings of group therapy and assists them in developing a consistent framework for their group work. Participating in a group experience deepens understanding of the workings of a group. Both of these components prepare students for actually conducting a group. Students will be assigned to co-lead a group with Institute faculty or paired with another student to begin a new group. The clinical component will also address the more practical, business aspect of setting up and marketing a group.

427 Family of Origin and Intrapsychic Work from a Systemic Perspective
(Fall quarter, second year)

Instructor: Rubinowitz

Course objectives are (1) to familiarize students with a systemic perspective on the development of intrapsychic structure and function; and (2) to expose students to therapeutic approaches for individuals, couples, and families that emanate from this perspective, including family of origin and transgenerational approaches.

428 Legal, Ethical and Professional Issues in Marital and Family Therapy
(Spring quarter, first year)

Instructor: Masi

The objectives of this course are (1) competence in handling the most significant legal issues relevant to the practice of marital and family therapy, including confidentiality, dangerousness, malpractice, and expert testimony; (2) heightened awareness of the requirements for ethical practice, including an understanding of how your own values will impact your work; and (3) development of a professional identity as a family therapist, and an understanding of how to keep that identity current.

430 Working in Community Settings with Culturally Diverse and Underresourced Populations (Winter quarter, first year)

Instructor: Nicholson

Effective community-based work requires a focus on strengths and a valuing of diverse perspectives and talents. The course will review strategies for understanding how culture and context influence the therapeutic alliance individual functioning, how to gather information regarding context and how to use this information to intervene with diverse clients and settings. This course covers the implementation of The Family Institute model with underresourced clients and community settings.

 

436 Family Therapy Treatment Models (Winter quarter, first year)

Instructor: Foy

This course will explore the various approaches to family therapy as they are actually practiced. Important trends and controversies in the field will be examined, including the influence of race, culture, ethnicity and gender in the assessment and treatment processes. Finally, approaches will be measured against each other. Treatment Models is a foundation course offered concurrently with the clinical internship. It stresses the progressive integration of class and practice experiences.

440 Systemic Perspectives in the Treatment for Chemical Dependency and Substance Abuse (Winter quarter, second year)

Instructor: Richardson

This course will examine disease model as well as systemic conceptions of addiction and treatment. Developing a working understanding of the strengths of both models of abuse and addiction is emphasized. A variety of therapeutic approaches will be reviewed with specific attention to strategies of motivational interviewing and stages of change in clinical practice. A review of outcome research is highlighted demonstrating the efficacy of family therapy approaches. Specific attention to issues of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, and other critical historic, socio-cultural contexts and influences in the problems of addiction are appreciatively considered and viewed as essential to any effective approach to treatment.

 

480 Pre-Practicum in Family Therapy (Fall quarter, first year)

Instructor: Hetherington & Dwyer

The purpose of this course is to train the beginning family therapy student in the practical aspects of doing systemic therapy. The course presumes no background as a therapist, and aims to provide skills in conducting interviews with individuals as well as couples and families, making initial assessments, and learning to manage a professional practice. In addition, the course will focus on the role of personal values, beliefs, and interpersonal style in the work of psychotherapy. Students will be encouraged to examine the ways in which their own family background has shaped their perspective, and how to make use of personal experience in their work as a professional marital and family therapist.

481 Internship in Marital and Family Therapy (Winter, spring, summer, first year)

Instructor: Goldstein

Students begin the clinical internship in the winter quarter of the first year in the program. They do clinical work under the supervision of core faculty 15-20 hours per week through the spring and summer quarters.   Clinical faculty provide group and individual supervision on a weekly basis through case discussion as well as direct observation and videotape/audiotape recordings of students' therapy sessions. University regulations require that all students doing internship be registered. Students earn a total of three (3) units of credit for this series.

 

482 Advance Internship in Marital and Family Therapy (Summer, winter, spring, second year)

Instructor: Taussig

In their second year, students continue their supervised clinical training in the Advanced Internship with a deeper emphasis on the model in couple and family work, as well as developmental self-of-the-therapist issues. Newly assigned clinical faculty provide group and individual supervision on a weekly basis. Focus remains on clinical cases, direct observation and videotape/audiotape recordings of students' therapy sessions. University regulations require that all students doing internship be registered. Students earn a total of three (3) units of credit for this series of Advanced Internship in MFT. Additional units may be required to meet the program’s clinical requirements and to comply with clinical competency standards.

 

MSMFT Program Electives: Students must choose at least two (2) electives. (One each is recommended during the spring quarters, first and second year)

429 Sex Therapy (Spring quarter, second year)

Instructor: Sheehan

A multidimensional, biophysical approach to the diagnosis and treatment of sexual difficulty in individuals and couples. Sexual problems discussed include disorders of desire, aversion, arousal, orgasm, and pain.

437 Working with Children in the Context of Family (Spring quarter, first year)

Instructor: Eovaldi

This course is designed for the student-clinician who has had a fundamental background in developmental psychology and human development. This course will provide theoretical and practical knowledge in working clinically with children individually and in the contexts of their families. A systemic framework will be employed as the basis for developing assessments and therapeutic objectives. Specific clinical issues will be covered, such as abuse, divorce, and mood disorders, with the focus on assessment and interventions.

 

MSMFT Program Special Topics Courses may be offered as well.  Students will be informed of the availability of those courses during the fall quarter of the academic year.

 

Some alternative elective options may include:

403-310	Anthropology	Evolution and Culture
623-388	Comm. Sci. & Disorders	Attention Deficit Disorder
622-443-1,2	Comm. Sci. & Disorders	Clinical Theory and Practice in Assessment and Early Intervention
622-342-28	Comm. Sci. & Disorders	Typical and Atypical Development in Infants and Toddlers
230-417	Counseling Psychology	Cognitive Behavior Therapy with Adults and Children
230-418	Counseling Psychology	Psychodynamic Psychotherapy & Counseling for Individuals & Couples
230-414	Counseling Psychology	Psychology of Adult Development: Theory and Research
451-314-26	Psychology	The Self
451-314-68	Psychology	Special Topics in Psychology: The Psychology of Terrorism
471-308-26	Sociology	Sociology of Deviance and Crime
630-434-26	Theatre	Introduction to Storytelling

The Family Institute at Northwestern University reserves the right to modify this curriculum, including courses offered, time of offering and instructors. September 2007