An increased emphasis on the importance of including spirituality and religion in counseling places systemic family therapists in a unique position due to their relational focus. However, research indicates a lack of graduate training to ensure competence in addressing this dimension. This article offers possibilities for integrating spiritual and…

This qualitative study explored couple/marriage and family therapists' experiences following ethnic-racial socialization conversations with Latino families in therapy. Semi-structured interviews with therapists (n = 20) were conducted. A rigorous thematic analysis revealed how multifaceted contextual influences shaped participants' ongoing…

This research study analyzed the curriculum of school counselor preparation programs and programs' emphasis on preparing counselors to support students in their college admissions and college choice processes. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, including surveys of counselor education department chairs and document analysis of the…

This study evaluated the impact of a somatic wellness training pilot program specifically designed for marriage and family therapy (MFT) students. Anchored in mindfulness and the person of the therapist (POTT) model, the program aimed to cultivate heightened self-awareness, emotional regulation, and self-care practices, incorporating respect for…

This qualitative study explores the diverse experiences of Black students who are currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, various marriage and family therapy (MFT) graduate school programs in the United States. This study uses minority stress theory and critical race theory to explore the lived experiences of Black graduate students at…

Racial/ethnic minorities carry a disproportionate burden of mental illness, in comparison to Whites. As such, the integration of cultural humility within mental health oriented (MHO) counseling disciplines seeks to prepare counseling professionals to address root causes of these disparities. Cultural humility requires lifelong learning and ongoing…

This theoretical essay outlines the hermeneutic of Divine relationship, a theological lens through which Christians can develop a deeper appreciation for God's inherently relational nature and desire to be in relationship with all of humanity. In addition to the nature of God, this hermeneutic highlights the nature of human persons, sin and…

Growing evidence suggests that many people do not see the differences between relationship education (RE) and couples therapy (CT). In fact, many lack information regarding the details and processes included in both RE and CT. If the differences are not understood, fewer people may be inclined to attend RE. RE has experienced various recruitment…

The experiences of Mexican immigrant students are underrepresented in the existing research in the field of marriage and family therapy (MFT). Many studies have explored the experiences of Latinx in educational settings and similar fields and some have focused on immigrant students in graduate school from second, third, and higher generation;…

Objective: This article describes the validation of the Religious/Spiritually Integrated Process Assessment Scale (RSIPAS) across five helping professions. The RSIPAS was originally developed to measure clinical social workers' self-efficacy, attitudes, perceived feasibility, behaviors, and overall orientation toward integrating clients' religion…

The direct link between the student-teacher relationship and student success has been heavily researched in the postsecondary educational setting, especially the student-teacher relationship between African American students and African American instructors. The importance of this relationship is often highlighted when there is underrepresentation…

Many important decisions regarding couples and families are made by the legal system. However, this system's adversarial nature often results in relational losses for clients, even when one "wins" a case. Some believe a solution may exist in legally-minded marriage and family therapists, who, as experts in family systems theory, are in a…

Ideal for use in introductory counseling courses, "Orientation to Professional Counseling" is fully aligned with the 2016 CACREP Standards and contains historical perspectives on the foundations of the profession, an overview of counseling specialties and contemporary issues in the field, and a discussion of anticipated future trends.…

Despite efforts to boost mental health treatment-seeking behaviors by combat veterans, rates have improved relatively little since 2004. Previous work suggests that trust and confidence in the mental health community may be a significant factor. This study explored how professional titles may impact trust and confidence among active-duty U.S. Army…

This phenomenological study explored the experiences of international students in CACREP-accredited marriage, couple, and family counseling programs. Seven former international students from the program who have practiced counseling in their home country were interviewed to understand their learning experiences, adaptation process and counseling…