Couple and Family Therapy, (M.A.)

Program Overview

The Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy (MCFT) program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE). It is a clinical program through which students acquire therapy skills emphasizing the enrichment and treatment of couples and families, as well as individuals. When working with couples, families, and individuals, students are trained to understand relational or systemic concerns within the broader contexts of development, family roles and functioning, as well as community and social circumstances. The clinically intensive coursework and practicum experiences provide students with strong conceptual, assessment, treatment planning, and intervention skills based on the major models of couple and family therapy.

Graduates of the program have the core professional identity as a Couple and Family Therapist (CFT) qualified for membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). CFTs are mental health professionals who recognize that relationships and patterns of engaging influence individual and relational functioning, and therefore need to be part of the therapy process. CFTs work with couples, families, and individuals in a wide variety of clinical settings such as, but not limited to, community mental health centers and agencies, group and private practices, hospitals, schools, substance abuse treatment programs, correctional facilities, and residential treatment programs. Couple and Family Therapists work with couples, families, and individuals including children, adolescents, teenagers, adults, and geriatric populations; their training is not limited to serving only couples and families.

The curriculum and supervised training are intended to help students who complete the degree to meet the educational requirements for licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Illinois. Licensure requirements can vary from state to state in their expectations of practicum hours and coursework. Students are strongly encouraged to review the licensing requirements in any state in which they would anticipate practicing. COAMFTE-accreditation improves portability across states as the curriculum and training meets the highest standards and rigor in the field.

The Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy program is dedicated to training quality Couple and Family Therapists firmly grounded in systemic theories who are socially responsible and sensitive to diversity, with a clear professional identity as a Couple and Family Therapist. This mission is achieved through a commitment to our program goals and student learning outcomes.

Program Goals

1. To role model a clear professional identity as an ethical Couple and Family Therapist
2. To train students to develop a systemic worldview in their work as a Couple and Family Therapist
3. To graduate socially responsible professional Couple and Family Therapists sensitive to social justice and diversity

Student Learning Outcomes

1. To understand and apply systems, modern, and postmodern couple and family therapy theories
2. To assess ethical, legal, and professional issues related to clinical practice
3. To demonstrate cultural competency in practicing couple and family therapy with diverse populations
4. To display proficiency in clinical skills in the practice of couple and family therapy
5. To demonstrate knowledge of Adlerian principles that can complement systemic work with couples, families, and individuals
6. To illustrate knowledge and integration of couple and family therapy research
7. To describe, understand, and identify issues of social justice, social responsibility, and oppression with couples and families
8. To establish a clear professional identity as a Couple and Family Therapist

Program-Specific Admission Requirements

In addition to admission requirements common to all of the Adler graduate clinical programs, the MCFT program will review undergraduate transcripts (and graduate transcripts, if applicable) and letters of recommendation. It is recommended that applicants’ essays describe why they are choosing the field of couple and family therapy, as well as addressing any deficits where students do not meet the stated admissions requirements. Application requirements include:

• A baccalaureate degree from a college or university regionally accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or an equivalent degree from an international college or university
• A grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate coursework and/or a 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all graduate coursework

Approved applicants will be invited to participate in an on-campus interview with core faculty as a final step in the application process.

CFT Professional Development - Self of the Therapist

The mission of the MCFT program is to train quality couple and family therapists firmly grounded in systemic theories who are culturally competent and socially responsible. To bring the curriculum, social justice lens, and clinical practicum experience together, the CFT program attends to self-of the-therapist growth and development throughout the curriculum and specifically in the following course sequence:

Orientation -> 510 -> 660 -> 537 -> 600 -> Practicum Seminars -> 512 -> Capstone Project.

Because of this sequence, students cannot transfer in any of these courses, but may use a transferred graduate level equivalent to these to meet the program’s elective requirement following the university’s transfer policies.

Social Justice Practicum (SJP)

The Social Justice Practicum (SJP) is a first-year, non-clinical and non- discipline-specific experiential practicum that occurs during the fall and spring terms. Students gain the knowledge, skills, and perspectives to utilize collective power and social justice strategies to build a more equitable society. The SJP is designed to help students learn how to work alongside the community as agents of social change and serves as the catalyst for students to realize and understand their own strengths and responsibility to contribute to social equity.

The SJP unites our academic institution and larger communities, which is an anchor of student learning at Adler University. Upon completing the SJP, students gain, maintain, and strengthen connections to communities by developing critical problem-solving skills necessary to be socially responsible practitioners. All students must complete the SJP before advancing on to any clinical or discipline- specific training, regardless of the program in which they are enrolled. SJP requirements include:

1. completion of a minimum of 200 hours at an approved SJP site;

2. attendance at a monthly, campus-based Civic and Community Action workshop; and

3.  a formal SJP presentation at the Annual Social Justice Symposium. Students must also receive a grade of “Pass” for the midterm and final evaluation to receive credit for completing the SJP.

The SJP may not be waived, and life credit is not admissible to meet this requirement.

MCFT Clinical Practicum

The clinical practicum is a vital part of training at Adler University. Providing therapy for couples, families, individuals, and groups while under close supervision is the primary path that transforms Couple and Family Therapy (CFT) students into entry-level therapists.

Over the course of practicum, weekly clinical supervision is provided at the practicum placement by the site supervisor and also by an AAMFT-Approved Supervisor or Supervisor Candidate through the practicum seminar on campus. Site supervisors are licensed mental health professionals meeting the supervision requirements as set by the state of Illinois. Additionally, they have the necessary experience and expertise with the clientele of the site.

Practicum seminar supervisors are AAMFT-Approved Supervisors or Supervisor Candidates and have experience and expertise in both providing systemic therapy and supervising from a systemic perspective. This combination of supervision ensures that student therapists provide quality care to clients, as well as facilitate their growth and identity development as CFTs.

The clinical practicum occurs in the second year of the program for two-year, full-time students. Students spend approximately 20 hours per week for twelve months at an approved practicum site. The practicum is composed of a minimum of 350 hours of direct client contact with couples, families, individuals, and groups including a minimum of 140 relational or conjoint hours. Additionally, a minimum of 100 hours of supervision, including hours with an AAMFT- approved Supervisor or Supervisor Candidate, must be completed. Up to 100 hours of supervision can also be used toward LMFT licensure requirements in the state of Illinois.

Students must maintain continuous enrollment in practicum until they have completed all practicum requirements. The Clinical Training Director of the CFT program will collaborate with students to identify the clinical experiences that meet the needs of the CFT profession and the goals of the student. Additional resources regarding clinical practicum are available in the CFT Clinical Training Manual.

Capstone Project

The Capstone Project required of all MCFT students consists of two parts - the Master of Arts Qualifying Exam (MAQE) and the Professional Portfolio. The Capstone Project is used as part of the evaluation of students’ competencies across the program’s eight Student Learning Outcomes and is completed within MCFT-512. Students only receive credit (CR) for the course once they have successfully completed and passed all parts of the Capstone Project.

Graduation Requirements

1. Successful completion of the foundational curricular areas as specified in the curriculum requirements
2. Successful completion of the foundational practice component
3. Successful completion of the capstone project including the Master’s Qualifying Examination (MAQE) and professional portfolio
4. Successful completion of Social Justice Practicum I & II
5. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and no more than two grades (or six credit hours) of C
6. Submission of completed Graduation Application and full payment of all outstanding tuition and fees
7. Demonstration of professional attitude, decorum, and ethics commensurate with the profession of couple and family therapy
8. Faculty approval for graduation and recommendation to the Board of Trustees for the conferral of the Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy