M.S.W. — Jane Addams School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago
B.S. in Psychology — University of Illinois at Chicago
In his clinical practice, Mr. Russell treats individuals, couples and families. While his approach to therapy is respectful, straightforward and strengths-based, he appreciates the variety and complexity of factors that may be involved with the issues people bring to therapy. His practice of Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST) systematically draws ideas and interventions from a variety of approaches, including the major couple and family therapy models, CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy), EFT (Emotion Focused Therapy), mindfulness-based therapy and psychodynamic therapy. Clinical interests include couples, family life stage transitions, men’s issues, adolescent and young adult adjustment, addictions, veterans, post-traumatic stress disorder and loss/grief.
For over 40 years, Mr. Russell has practiced systemic psychotherapy, developed and administered mental health service programs, and trained and supervised therapists. He has worked in academic institutions, community agencies, a private practice, a therapeutic school and the Veterans Administration. For the past twenty-six years Mr. Russell has worked at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, where he has held leadership positions (director of Community Programs and director of the Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy Program); taught and supervised graduate students; and conducted an active clinical practice. In his current role of core faculty director of the MSMFT program, he participates in all aspects of program development and administration and sits on the admissions, curriculum, supervision and accreditation committees. As chair of the accreditation committee, he has successfully led three reaccreditation efforts on behalf of the MSMFT program.
Mr. Russell has given many presentations on his clinical interests, including recent talks at national and state-wide professional conferences on the training of marriage and family therapists, the treatment of veterans and their families, and Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST). He is lead author of the IST chapter in the 2016 Handbook of Family Therapy and co-author of the 2017 volume, Integrative Systemic Therapy: Metaframeworks for Problem Solving with Individuals, Couples, and Families. He has written a variety of chapters and articles on IST as well as other topics related to the practice of couple and family therapy. He has been named co-editor for The Family Institute's Routledge book series.
Russell, W. P. (2018). Directives in Couple and Family Therapy. In J. Lebow, A. Chambers, & D. Breunlin (Eds.), Encyclopedia of couple and family therapy. New York: Springer.
Russell, W. P. (2018). The concept of system in family systems. In J. Lebow, A. Chambers, & D. Breunlin (Eds.), Encyclopedia of couple and family therapy. New York: Springer.
Russell, W. P. (2018). Contributors to the field of couple and family therapy: Douglas C. Breunlin. In J. Lebow, A. Chambers, & D. Breunlin (Eds.), Encyclopedia of couple and family therapy. New York: Springer.
Russell, W. P. (2018). The web of human experience in couple and family therapy. In J. Lebow, A. Chambers, & D. Breunlin (Eds.), Encyclopedia of couple and family therapy. New York: Springer.
Breunlin, D.C., Russell, W.P. & Pinsof, W. (2018). Integrative Systemic Therapy. In J. Lebow, A. Chambers, & D. Breunlin (Eds.), Encyclopedia of couple and family therapy. New York: Springer.
Pinsof, W. M., Breunlin, D. C., Russell, W. P., Lebow, J. L., Rampage, C., & Chambers, A. L. (2018). Integrative systemic therapy: Metaframeworks for problem solving with individuals, couples and families. Washington D.C.: APA Books, American Psychological Association.
Russell, W.P., Pinsof, W., Breunlin, D.C. & Lebow, J. (2016). In T.L. Sexton and J. Lebow (Eds.), Handbook of Family Therapy (4th edition). New York: Routledge.
Pinsof, W. M., Breunlin, D. C., Chambers, A. L., Solomon, A., & Russell, W. P. (2015). Integrative, multi-systemic and empirically informed couple therapy: The IPCM perspective. In A. Gurman (Ed.). Clinical handbook of couple therapy (5th ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.
Breunlin, D.C., Pinsof, W., Russell, W. and Lebow, J. (2011). Integrative problem centered metaframeworks (IPCM) therapy I: Core concepts and hypothesizing. Family Process, 50 (3): 293-313.
Pinsof, W. Breunin, D., Russell, W. and Lebow, J. (2011). Integrative problem centered metaframeworks (IPCM) therapy II: Planning, conversing, and reading feedback. Family Process, 50 (3): 314-336.
Pinsof, W., Breunlin, D., Russell, W., & Lebow, J. (2010). Problemzentriete metarahen: eine empiriebaserte perspecktie fur die familien-, paar- und enzeltherapie. Psychotherapie im Dialog. Nr. 1. Marz, 2010, 11. Jahrgang. Pp. 34-41.
Pinsof, W., Breunlin, D., Russell, W., & Lebow, J. (2010). Ein problemzentriertes systemisches Rahmenmodell: auf dem Weg zu einer empirisch fundierten und integrativen psychotherapie. In W. Lutz (Hrsg.), Lehrbuch Psychodtherapie (S. 237-263). Bern: Verlag Hans Huber, Hogrefe.
Breunlin, D., Breunlin, C., Kearns, D. and Russell, W. (1988). A review of the literature on family therapy with adolescents: 1979-1987. Journal of Adolescence, 11 (309-334).
Linton, T. and Russell, W. (1982). PROVE: An innovative high school program for educating antisocial adolescents. The High School Journal, 66 (1).