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Director of Faculty, Marriage and Family Therapy Program
Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University
Senior Therapist
Education
Postgraduate Training, Marital and Family Therapy and Family Therapy Supervision — The Family Systems Program of the Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago
M.S.W. — Jane Addams School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago
B.S. in Psychology — University of Illinois at Chicago
Academic Bio

William P. Russell is a Senior Staff Therapist at The Family Institute at Northwestern University and the Director of Faculty for the Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy (MSMFT) Program at Northwestern University. He is a Clinical Associate Professor in the University’s Department of Psychology and a former Program Director of the MSMFT program.

He has taught and supervised family and couple therapy in several contexts, with past faculty appointments at The School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University, the Family Systems Program of the Institute for Juvenile Research and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Mr. Russell has presented at national and state conferences on the training of marriage and family therapists, the treatment of veterans and their families and the practice of Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST). He is lead author of the book, Integrative Systemic Therapy in Practice: A Clinician’s Handbook and co-author of the volume, Integrative Systemic Therapy. He has authored journal articles and chapters on such topics as couple therapy, directives in therapy, supervision, and the practice of IST. He is co-editor of the Routledge Family Institute Book Series: Clinical Applications of Integrative Systemic Therapy.

Other Professional Involvement/Leadership Positions

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.

Research Interests
  • The development of a comprehensive, integrative perspective for systemic therap
  • Training in relational therapy
Grants Awarded

Veterans Administration, U.S. Government Contract Award 36C25221C0075 for External Clinical Consultant Services to Vet Center Program, 2021 - 2026.

Selected Publications & Presentations

Russell, W. P., Breunlin, D. C. & Sahebi, B. (In Press). Integrative Systemic Therapy in Practice: A Clinician’s Handbook. New York: Routledge, Taylor and Francis.  

Russell, W. P. & Breunlin, D. C. (2019). Transcending models and managing complexity: Suggestions from integrative systemic therapy. Family Process, 58 (3).   

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.

Courses
  • Basic Concepts in Systems Therapy
  • Special Problems and Populations
  • Core Curriculum Lecture Series (Co-taught by Senior Faculty)
  • Family Systems Theory and the Educational Process I (with L. Bicknell) 
  • Family Systems Theory and the Educational Process II (with E. Manghi)
Academic Activities
  • United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Readjustment Counseling Service
    • Consultant and Trainer; January 2006 – present
  • Journal of Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice
    • Submission Reviewer; July 2017 - present
  • American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
    • Conference Abstract Reviewer; 2017, 2018
  • American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
    • Mentor/Supervisor of candidates for AAMFT Approved Supervisor; September 2005 - present
  • Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy Program, Northwestern University
    • Chair, Curriculum and Accreditation Committee, November 2020 - Present
    • Chair, Accreditation Committee, September 2004 – November 2020
    • Chair, Curriculum Committee, September 2019 – November 2020
    • Member, Curriculum Committee, September 2010 – August 2019
    • Member, Virtual Branch Development Committee, January 2019 - Present
    • Member, Supervision Committee, September 2010 – Present
    • Member, Research Committee, June 2018 – Present
    • Member, Admissions committee, September, 2005 - Present
    • Member, various ad hoc search committees, 2011 - Present
  • The Family Institute at Northwestern University
    • Member, Clinical Practice Advisory Council; January, 2022 - present
    • Member, Task Force on Community-based Mental Health Programs; October 2006 – June 2007
  • American Red Cross
    • Disaster Mental Health Worker; 1988 - 1994
Awards
The Family Institute at Northwestern University Outstanding Academic Contribution, 2018
The Family Institute at Northwestern University Outstanding Professional Accomplishment Award, 2004
The U.S. Veterans Administration, Operation Outreach Outstanding Performance Award – 1986
The U.S. Veterans Administration, Operation Outreach Outstanding Performance Award – 1984
Professional Memberships
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy — Clinical Fellow & Approved Supervisor
National Association of Social Workers — Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) & Register of Clinical Social Workers - #023318
American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work — Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work - #014893
American Family Therapy Academy — Clinical Teaching Membership