Teaching MFT Online - Part 2 + Gender Dynamics in MFT classrooms

Learning and Teaching Systemic Therapy

This week's guest: Dr. Jackie Williams-Reade and PhD Student Rose Lange!

Welcome to the Society for the Teaching of Marriage and Family Therapy (STMFT) podcast hosted by Dr. Sofia Georgiadou. Dr. Sofia facilitates dialogues between seasoned Marriage and Family Therapy educators and PhD students. The experienced MFT Educator(s) respond to questions PhD students in CFT/MFT have about becoming effective CFT/MFT educators. The podcast’s goal is to create mentorship opportunities and enhance PhD students’ knowledge of pedagogy, culturally responsive learning design, as well as effective teaching of CFT/MFT courses. The Society for the Teaching of Marriage and Family Therapy is the official MFT Educators’ Division of the Coalition of Associations for Systemic Therapy (https://coastmft.org). Join our FB group for the Society for the Teaching of Marriage and Family Therapy (STMFT): https://www.facebook.com/groups/stmft Consider joining COAST to support our programming and upcoming initiatives: https://coastmft.org/membership/

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Questions from PhD student guest, Rose Lange, that we discussed in this episode:

1. What was your process of conceptualizing your teacher identity?
2. In my experience, a common talking point is that online programs do not produce as rigorous training as in-person programs. What are your thoughts on that? What can we as educators do in our online classes to make sure our students are well-trained?
3. What tips and resources do you have for finding online programs that are hiring, either for faculty positions or adjunct?
4. How does gender play a role in your teaching identity and philosophy of teaching? (Rose identifies as a genderfluid woman (she/they pronouns) who is cisgender-passing. She has heard stories from female peers in professorial roles who have felt disrespected by male students.) Has this been your experience? How do you navigate this?

On the podcast today we have Dr. Jackie Williams-Reade, LMFT. Dr. Williams-Reade is a Professor at Loma Linda University and has taught both Master’s and Doctoral level MFTs and Counseling students since 2012. Over her career she has taught in a variety of settings from undergraduate to PhD and in several formats including in-person, on-line (synchronous and asynchronous), and week-long intensives. Her specializations in teaching are medical family therapy, integrating spirituality into therapy, and qualitative research. She has numerous publications and presents regularly on a range of topics, including medical family therapy and clinical, supervisory, and teaching innovations. She is co-author of the textbook: "Self-of-the-Therapist in Medical Settings: A Sociocultural and Systemic Perspective" (2019, Springer) and is the administrator of the Medical Family Therapy group on Facebook. Dr. Williams-Reade recently received her institution’s faculty award for Scholar-Researcher Excellence in 2024. She has been regularly involved in AAMFT leadership activities including a member of the Elections Council, Board Member on the California Division, founder of the Family Therapists in Healthcare Interest Network, and on the Board of Directors.

The PhD student we have with us today is Rose Lange (she/they). Rose is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in the state of Illinois. She holds a Masters in marriage and family therapy from Fuller Seminary in California, and she is currently working on her Ph.D. in couple and family therapy at Adler University in Chicago as well as her certificate in sex therapy.

In her clinical work, Rose primarily utilizes contextual therapy with collaborative and emotionally-focused interventions woven in. She is pursuing her Ph.D. to diversify her career with teaching, supervision, and publication opportunities. Rose is especially passionate about teaching and is currently a teaching intern at Adler University in the sex therapy and couple and family therapy programs.

When she isn’t working, you can find her at home with her husband and three house-bunnies watching movies, reading books, and crocheting.