A Need of Further Training for Marriage and Family Therapy Students’ on Food Addiction and Related Eating Disorders

The purpose of this study was to explore Marriage and Family Therapy students’ perspectives regarding food addiction and associated eating disorders, as a clinical treatment issue. In a standard addictions course housed in a Marriage and Family Therapy program approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), 20 students completed a qualitative survey where they reflected on the topic of food addiction, Binge Eating Disorder, and Bulimia Nervosa, within the context of individual, couple, and family relationships. In the study four major themes emerged, which included (1) Defining Food Addiction, (2) Perceptions of Eating Disorders, (3) Conceptualizing Systemic Treatment, and (4) Experiences in clinical training. Clinical implications, recommendations for MFT education, clinical practice, and future research are discussed. Findings suggest that while MFT students in the study were well versed in conceptualized systemic treatment, it was of a general treatment and understanding using MFT theory, and not in relation to or specifically concerning food addictions and their connection or distinction from Binge Eating Disorder and/or other eating disorders found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, potentially impacting the level of skillfully and appropriately working with clients.

Ethical Decision-Making in Marriage and Family Therapy: An Introduction of a New Model

Ethical decision-making within marriage and family therapy is complex and often convoluted due to the relational-systemic nature of the clinical services provided. The aim of this article is to provide an overview for a new model for ethical decision-making in marriage and family therapy. This new model, entitled the Butterfly Model, will then be applied to a case vignette for illustration. It is hoped that the Butterfly Model can provide marriage and family therapists with a guide for ethical decision-making that is tailored more for the relational-systemic work they engage in.

Ethical Decision-Making in Marriage and Family Therapy: A Review of the Literature

It is common knowledge that marriage and family therapists are ethically obligated to provide competent care to their clients and that they need to engage in systematic decision-making processes to ensure they are providing the best care. Yet, a comprehensive guide for ethical decision-making specifically accounting for the unique nuances of working with relational-systemic clients from a relational-systemic conceptual lens is lacking. Thus, the aim of this article is to outline the current understandings of the unique ethical issues experienced when working with relational-systemic clients and to review currently utilized ethical decision making models in the hopes of providing guidance regarding the development of a specific relational-systemic ethical decision-making model.

Leadership in Marriage and Family Therapy Programs is Under-Explored: A Thematic, Narrative Overview

Institutions of higher education rely on identified leaders to continue the mission of the organization, hire and retain quality faculty and staff, and sustain and further develop vigorous academic programs that retain students and prepare graduates to enter the work force. Discipline specific departments are subject to many demands and resources are pulled in different directions. As a result, the body of literature on leadership in higher education is robust and diverse. However, research on leadership in graduate marriage and family therapy programs is paltry in addressing if a relationship exists between leaders and student capacity to employ skills in a field focused on relationships. This study was a thematic, narrative overview. An exhaustive search of literature was conducted over the span of four years. Articles were assessed for relevance and appropriateness, organized by theme, and the findings were consolidated and are presented within this article. The three identified themes were: leadership in higher education, rigor in marriage and family therapy programs, and leadership in marriage and family therapy programs and other mental health fields. Gaps were identified in the literature and include the role of leadership style identification and self-exploration, the extent to which program leaders interact with students, and how the relationship between administrators and students impacts the development of field related skills. Keywords: leadership, higher education, marriage and family therapy, MFT programs, relational