1 00:00:00,142 --> 00:00:04,100 [music] 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:06,433 I think every family therapist 3 00:00:06,493 --> 00:00:09,298 has a story and even before they learn 4 00:00:09,358 --> 00:00:10,260 the systemic language, 5 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:12,922 they've always thought that way. 6 00:00:13,506 --> 00:00:15,951 I absolutely love being a therapist. 7 00:00:16,011 --> 00:00:17,140 It's one of the reasons 8 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:18,456 why I became a researcher 9 00:00:18,516 --> 00:00:22,184 and one of the reasons why I became a professor. 10 00:00:49,033 --> 00:00:50,033 Therapy. 11 00:00:50,295 --> 00:00:52,740 It's been getting a lot of attention 12 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:54,123 and more and more people 13 00:00:54,183 --> 00:00:56,428 are becoming open to its benefits. 14 00:00:56,488 --> 00:01:00,115 Historically, therapy has been steeped in stigma, 15 00:01:00,175 --> 00:01:04,362 making it difficult for people to ask for help, but thanks 16 00:01:04,422 --> 00:01:06,764 to the work of incredible therapists 17 00:01:06,824 --> 00:01:10,768 and clients who have normalized it within public discourse. 18 00:01:10,828 --> 00:01:14,340 Therapy is now more accepted than ever before. 19 00:01:15,359 --> 00:01:17,263 On this episode of Jobs of Tomorrow, 20 00:01:17,323 --> 00:01:19,273 we're discussing the world of therapy 21 00:01:19,333 --> 00:01:20,607 and talking to some 22 00:01:20,667 --> 00:01:23,512 of the occupation's leading experts. 23 00:01:34,039 --> 00:01:36,281 The idea of therapy has existed 24 00:01:36,341 --> 00:01:40,783 in many forms over thousands of years, if not longer. 25 00:01:41,825 --> 00:01:44,850 The most general definition is remediation 26 00:01:44,910 --> 00:01:47,293 of health issues through treatment, 27 00:01:47,353 --> 00:01:51,901 but therapy as we know it today typically refers to healing 28 00:01:52,043 --> 00:01:54,347 through conversation or other methods 29 00:01:54,407 --> 00:01:57,529 between a client and a trained therapist. 30 00:01:58,216 --> 00:02:00,421 Marriage and family therapy helps 31 00:02:00,481 --> 00:02:03,288 individual clients and families alike 32 00:02:03,348 --> 00:02:06,094 by understanding all the factors that lead 33 00:02:06,154 --> 00:02:08,940 to the challenges they're experiencing. 34 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:10,341 Rather than focusing 35 00:02:10,401 --> 00:02:13,523 on an individual's issues out of context, 36 00:02:13,704 --> 00:02:16,832 marriage and family therapists work with clients 37 00:02:16,892 --> 00:02:20,170 to connect context with systemic solutions. 38 00:02:21,210 --> 00:02:24,793 For example, take Alex, a teenager with 39 00:02:24,853 --> 00:02:26,955 behavioral issues at school. 40 00:02:27,015 --> 00:02:30,293 Instead of labeling Alex as a troublemaker, 41 00:02:30,405 --> 00:02:34,435 a marriage and family therapist might involve Alex's parents, 42 00:02:34,495 --> 00:02:36,536 teachers, and peers 43 00:02:36,697 --> 00:02:39,260 to understand the various aspects 44 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,434 affecting Alex's behavior. 45 00:02:41,782 --> 00:02:44,048 By looking at the bigger picture, 46 00:02:44,108 --> 00:02:46,252 they could uncover family dynamics 47 00:02:46,312 --> 00:02:48,958 or social pressures that contribute 48 00:02:49,018 --> 00:02:53,604 to Alex's challenges and work towards a holistic solution. 49 00:02:53,809 --> 00:02:57,635 Marriage and family therapists focus on systems 50 00:02:57,695 --> 00:02:59,678 and the interplay of relationships 51 00:02:59,738 --> 00:03:02,040 between self and others. 52 00:03:02,421 --> 00:03:05,587 When proposing solutions, we go 53 00:03:05,647 --> 00:03:08,939 beyond the individual and also consider 54 00:03:08,999 --> 00:03:11,488 the different relationships they're embedded in. 55 00:03:11,548 --> 00:03:15,995 Ivonne Harting is an MFT candidate who specializes 56 00:03:16,055 --> 00:03:19,501 in marriage and family therapy and addictions counseling. 57 00:03:19,561 --> 00:03:21,165 Marriage and family therapists 58 00:03:21,225 --> 00:03:25,074 are extensively trained in approaching problems 59 00:03:25,237 --> 00:03:28,363 from a relational perspective while other counseling 60 00:03:28,423 --> 00:03:32,608 approaches focus on individuals and their symptoms. 61 00:03:32,869 --> 00:03:35,373 This holistic approach really allows us 62 00:03:35,433 --> 00:03:39,282 to empower clients to understand themselves, 63 00:03:39,529 --> 00:03:41,493 the interactions they're a part of, 64 00:03:41,553 --> 00:03:46,261 and how to better affect change Marriage and family therapy, 65 00:03:46,624 --> 00:03:49,470 also referred to as systemic therapy 66 00:03:49,650 --> 00:03:51,295 attempts to understand 67 00:03:51,355 --> 00:03:53,761 underlying dynamics between people 68 00:03:53,821 --> 00:03:55,586 in various relationships. 69 00:03:55,646 --> 00:03:59,170 Dr. DeAnna Harris-McKoy is a licensed marriage 70 00:03:59,230 --> 00:04:01,132 and family therapist who works 71 00:04:01,192 --> 00:04:04,199 as an Associate Professor and Program Director 72 00:04:04,259 --> 00:04:06,607 for the Marriage and Family Therapy program 73 00:04:06,667 --> 00:04:09,596 at the University of Northern Illinois. 74 00:04:09,656 --> 00:04:12,380 I conduct therapy, I conduct research. 75 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,365 I have a lot of meetings because I'm a Program Director. 76 00:04:15,425 --> 00:04:19,195 I meet with students, I meet with community members, 77 00:04:19,255 --> 00:04:23,567 I meet with internship sites, I meet with 78 00:04:23,633 --> 00:04:25,951 various administrators at the university. 79 00:04:26,011 --> 00:04:27,936 I also do consulting work. 80 00:04:27,996 --> 00:04:30,079 My every day looks very different. 81 00:04:30,139 --> 00:04:32,584 Many marriage and family therapists 82 00:04:32,644 --> 00:04:36,149 or MFTs wear a lot of hats, 83 00:04:36,231 --> 00:04:39,133 but what exactly does an MFT do 84 00:04:39,467 --> 00:04:42,449 and how are they different from any other therapist? 85 00:04:42,509 --> 00:04:45,296 We do not only work with families and couples, 86 00:04:45,356 --> 00:04:48,807 we also work with individuals, but it's the how we work 87 00:04:48,867 --> 00:04:50,809 with people that makes them very special. 88 00:04:50,869 --> 00:04:53,071 There's the misconception that therapists 89 00:04:53,131 --> 00:04:54,472 give advice or tell people 90 00:04:54,532 --> 00:04:56,513 what to do, what their problems are. 91 00:04:56,573 --> 00:05:00,051 We actually lead by asking questions 92 00:05:00,717 --> 00:05:03,881 and helping the person gain 93 00:05:03,941 --> 00:05:06,905 insight and attribute meaning 94 00:05:06,965 --> 00:05:09,508 to their life experiences individually. 95 00:05:09,568 --> 00:05:11,992 Dr. Eli Karam is a professor 96 00:05:12,052 --> 00:05:13,814 of Marriage and Family therapy 97 00:05:13,874 --> 00:05:16,738 at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, 98 00:05:16,798 --> 00:05:18,580 where he's responsible for teaching 99 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,777 the next generation of marriage and family therapists. 100 00:05:22,967 --> 00:05:27,180 He's the current host of The AAMFT Podcast. 101 00:05:27,504 --> 00:05:28,986 To me, when somebody says 102 00:05:29,046 --> 00:05:33,712 systemic solutions, it is a way of thinking. 103 00:05:33,772 --> 00:05:35,678 When you think systemically, 104 00:05:35,738 --> 00:05:40,671 you are devoted to looking to the person or people 105 00:05:40,731 --> 00:05:42,495 in all their systemic context, 106 00:05:42,555 --> 00:05:45,000 meaning what is going on at home, 107 00:05:45,060 --> 00:05:47,906 what is going on at work or at school 108 00:05:47,966 --> 00:05:52,797 in all of their interpersonal networks, friends, family. 109 00:05:53,403 --> 00:05:54,307 It is not looking 110 00:05:54,367 --> 00:05:57,154 at a very linear way of thinking, 111 00:05:57,214 --> 00:05:58,673 meaning A causes B. 112 00:05:58,733 --> 00:06:02,040 It's like no, A affects B, 113 00:06:02,100 --> 00:06:05,407 bounces off to C in a very recursive way 114 00:06:05,467 --> 00:06:07,940 instead of a very linear way. 115 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:11,512 We're always looking at that space in between, 116 00:06:11,701 --> 00:06:14,547 and that space is the relationships. 117 00:06:14,659 --> 00:06:16,840 We focus a lot on the relationships 118 00:06:16,900 --> 00:06:18,640 and then there's a context 119 00:06:18,700 --> 00:06:21,292 that influences that relationship too. 120 00:06:21,352 --> 00:06:23,918 We're always looking at people in their context, 121 00:06:23,978 --> 00:06:25,407 whether that's looking at their race, 122 00:06:25,467 --> 00:06:27,886 their ethnicity, their class, their religion, 123 00:06:27,946 --> 00:06:31,492 their sexuality, their gender identity, the type of resources, 124 00:06:31,552 --> 00:06:33,234 or the lack of resources they have. 125 00:06:33,294 --> 00:06:35,076 We're always looking at that space 126 00:06:35,136 --> 00:06:37,412 in between within a context. 127 00:06:37,618 --> 00:06:39,390 It's the system in which they live in 128 00:06:39,450 --> 00:06:41,022 that we also have to analyze. 129 00:06:41,082 --> 00:06:42,283 I think for a very long time, 130 00:06:42,343 --> 00:06:46,887 we only focused on that family system or a community system, 131 00:06:46,947 --> 00:06:48,048 but we also then have to look 132 00:06:48,108 --> 00:06:51,475 at the macro system and look at how oppression 133 00:06:51,535 --> 00:06:54,763 influences the symptoms that people 134 00:06:54,823 --> 00:06:56,773 come in and they're presenting problems. 135 00:06:56,833 --> 00:06:57,740 When we are looking 136 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,000 at systemic solutions, we are looking 137 00:07:01,060 --> 00:07:04,068 at the person in all of their contexts. 138 00:07:04,349 --> 00:07:09,455 Systemic solutions try to lift as many constraints as possible 139 00:07:09,757 --> 00:07:11,473 and work within the constraints 140 00:07:11,533 --> 00:07:12,583 that are not liftable. 141 00:07:12,643 --> 00:07:13,507 Coming up. 142 00:07:13,567 --> 00:07:15,464 I think every family therapist 143 00:07:15,524 --> 00:07:18,969 has a story and even before they learn 144 00:07:19,029 --> 00:07:19,910 the systemic language, 145 00:07:19,970 --> 00:07:21,673 they've always thought that way. 146 00:07:21,733 --> 00:07:26,600 [music] 147 00:07:38,500 --> 00:07:39,959 Imagine wiring a house with 148 00:07:40,019 --> 00:07:42,426 switches in three different rooms: 149 00:07:42,486 --> 00:07:44,068 A, B, and C. 150 00:07:44,611 --> 00:07:47,020 If there's a short in the wire at some point, 151 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:49,989 electricity to the other rooms will be impacted. 152 00:07:50,049 --> 00:07:51,831 Finding that short helps to solve 153 00:07:51,891 --> 00:07:54,855 the issues in other areas of the house. 154 00:07:54,915 --> 00:07:57,358 Similar to this interconnected system, 155 00:07:57,418 --> 00:08:00,943 marriage and family therapists examine the root factors 156 00:08:01,003 --> 00:08:04,125 that influence every aspect of your life, 157 00:08:04,287 --> 00:08:06,592 like a complex electrical network, 158 00:08:06,652 --> 00:08:09,177 various factors including relationships, 159 00:08:09,237 --> 00:08:11,442 family dynamics, experiences, 160 00:08:11,502 --> 00:08:14,519 and emotions can affect your wellbeing. 161 00:08:14,761 --> 00:08:19,124 MFTs seek a holistic view of your unique situation, 162 00:08:19,558 --> 00:08:21,161 recognizing that disruptions 163 00:08:21,221 --> 00:08:24,386 in one area can impact the whole system. 164 00:08:25,129 --> 00:08:28,293 They aim to understand the complexities of your life 165 00:08:28,353 --> 00:08:31,787 and offer support to create positive changes, 166 00:08:32,460 --> 00:08:35,066 but you must be wondering how does someone get 167 00:08:35,126 --> 00:08:38,574 into this dynamic line of work in the first place? 168 00:08:38,634 --> 00:08:40,960 I have always really been interested 169 00:08:41,020 --> 00:08:42,745 in youth development. 170 00:08:42,805 --> 00:08:46,794 Even when I was in high school, I really wanted to pursue 171 00:08:46,854 --> 00:08:50,132 a profession that allowed me to help youth. 172 00:08:50,410 --> 00:08:51,307 One summer, 173 00:08:51,367 --> 00:08:53,078 I had an experience where I learned 174 00:08:53,138 --> 00:08:57,642 that we cannot only give youth skills, knowledge, and training. 175 00:08:57,702 --> 00:09:01,187 We really also have to help their families and communities. 176 00:09:01,247 --> 00:09:05,577 Luckily for Dr. Harris-McKoy, she took a course that changed 177 00:09:05,637 --> 00:09:08,303 her perspective and career trajectory. 178 00:09:08,363 --> 00:09:09,840 I had an introduction to marriage 179 00:09:09,900 --> 00:09:11,773 and family therapy course 180 00:09:11,833 --> 00:09:15,933 and it just changed my whole view of helping. 181 00:09:16,816 --> 00:09:18,819 I learned that in order to help youth, 182 00:09:18,879 --> 00:09:23,005 I have to help change family dynamics, and systemic thinking, 183 00:09:23,065 --> 00:09:26,163 and marriage and family therapy was going to do that. 184 00:09:26,223 --> 00:09:27,707 Once I learned about the field 185 00:09:27,767 --> 00:09:29,163 of marriage and family therapy, 186 00:09:29,223 --> 00:09:30,954 I went and got a master's in marriage 187 00:09:31,014 --> 00:09:33,116 and family therapy from Drexel University. 188 00:09:33,176 --> 00:09:35,707 Then I went to get a PhD in marriage 189 00:09:35,767 --> 00:09:36,721 and family therapy 190 00:09:36,781 --> 00:09:38,264 from the Florida State University, 191 00:09:38,324 --> 00:09:41,710 so I love the field of marriage and family therapy. 192 00:09:41,770 --> 00:09:44,857 Sometimes, it's personal and rooted 193 00:09:44,917 --> 00:09:47,324 in one's family life all along. 194 00:09:47,384 --> 00:09:49,350 I think every family therapist 195 00:09:49,410 --> 00:09:52,839 has a story and even before they learned 196 00:09:52,899 --> 00:09:53,780 the systemic language, 197 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:55,523 they've always thought that way. 198 00:09:55,583 --> 00:09:58,368 My dynamic is interesting in that I have a twin brother, 199 00:09:58,428 --> 00:10:01,784 which made me interested in sibling dynamics 200 00:10:01,858 --> 00:10:05,849 and a parent that was much older than one parent. 201 00:10:06,153 --> 00:10:07,295 I'm ethnic looking. 202 00:10:07,355 --> 00:10:11,300 I'm 50% Lebanese and Italian. 203 00:10:11,983 --> 00:10:15,328 I had very strong cultural family traditions. 204 00:10:15,388 --> 00:10:18,113 My father passed away when I was 18, 205 00:10:18,173 --> 00:10:21,718 which was a really defining moment in my life. 206 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:23,601 That is when I discovered 207 00:10:23,661 --> 00:10:28,344 the power of family therapy, helping heal grief. 208 00:10:29,366 --> 00:10:32,071 That led me to studying psychology. 209 00:10:32,131 --> 00:10:33,674 I was walking home, couple 210 00:10:33,734 --> 00:10:35,578 of blocks away from where I lived, 211 00:10:35,638 --> 00:10:39,384 and I saw this place called the Family Institute. 212 00:10:39,688 --> 00:10:43,321 It was a recent collaboration 213 00:10:43,381 --> 00:10:45,770 between Northwestern University 214 00:10:45,830 --> 00:10:47,733 and the Family Institute of Chicago, 215 00:10:47,793 --> 00:10:50,473 which was the largest freestanding body 216 00:10:50,533 --> 00:10:51,939 in the Midwest, a hub, 217 00:10:51,999 --> 00:10:54,965 a think tank for systemic family therapy. 218 00:10:55,025 --> 00:10:59,872 I got my PhD in marriage and family therapy from Purdue. 219 00:11:00,753 --> 00:11:03,276 After that, ended up back in my hometown. 220 00:11:03,336 --> 00:11:04,317 That's the short story. 221 00:11:04,377 --> 00:11:08,201 I've been here for the last-- I'm entering my 16th year 222 00:11:08,261 --> 00:11:10,806 as a faculty member and full professor. 223 00:11:10,866 --> 00:11:16,276 Just like Dr. Karam, many early career therapists, like Ivonne, 224 00:11:16,579 --> 00:11:20,210 are starting their journey of exploration while healing 225 00:11:20,270 --> 00:11:22,073 the wounds they have seen 226 00:11:22,133 --> 00:11:24,898 or may have experienced themselves. 227 00:11:25,209 --> 00:11:27,073 Studying psychology definitely 228 00:11:27,133 --> 00:11:30,177 was a part of my self-discovery process. 229 00:11:30,746 --> 00:11:35,193 I had a lot of hardships growing up, and unfortunately, 230 00:11:35,253 --> 00:11:37,777 faced a lot of stigmas around accessing 231 00:11:37,837 --> 00:11:40,439 mental health care in my country. 232 00:11:40,902 --> 00:11:44,710 I decided to try to learn a little bit about 233 00:11:44,770 --> 00:11:46,434 myself through psychology, 234 00:11:46,494 --> 00:11:49,520 understanding the human mind and behavior, 235 00:11:49,580 --> 00:11:52,004 and then through personal therapy. 236 00:11:52,064 --> 00:11:55,049 While she was living and studying in Venezuela, 237 00:11:55,109 --> 00:11:57,714 Ivonne was caught amidst a mass protest 238 00:11:57,774 --> 00:11:59,176 that enveloped the country. 239 00:11:59,236 --> 00:12:04,999 I began to participate in peaceful activism. 240 00:12:05,524 --> 00:12:07,650 Once protests became violent 241 00:12:07,710 --> 00:12:11,098 and people started getting murdered, 242 00:12:11,158 --> 00:12:15,066 captured, and prisoned by police forces, 243 00:12:15,549 --> 00:12:21,936 I decided to start the first aid movement of my university. 244 00:12:22,508 --> 00:12:26,098 We would go to the protests with emergency kits 245 00:12:26,178 --> 00:12:30,549 that were created with the intention of having 246 00:12:30,609 --> 00:12:34,077 resources to heal wounds and be able to pull 247 00:12:34,137 --> 00:12:36,739 people out of the mass protests. 248 00:12:36,843 --> 00:12:37,988 Feeling powerless 249 00:12:38,048 --> 00:12:40,177 while fighting for social changes 250 00:12:40,237 --> 00:12:44,309 also became a defining moment for her of finding power, 251 00:12:44,369 --> 00:12:47,674 making a difference, and providing support to others. 252 00:12:47,734 --> 00:12:50,559 I believe that through the distance, 253 00:12:50,619 --> 00:12:51,760 it's still possible 254 00:12:51,820 --> 00:12:55,225 to make an impact and support others. 255 00:12:55,285 --> 00:12:58,209 I make sure I'm involved with organizations 256 00:12:58,269 --> 00:13:02,472 that support education shelters and food for youth. 257 00:13:03,093 --> 00:13:05,296 I keep my country in mind always 258 00:13:05,356 --> 00:13:07,599 because I definitely would like to go back 259 00:13:07,659 --> 00:13:11,086 to Venezuela eventually and help make the mental health 260 00:13:11,146 --> 00:13:15,435 system over their function more ethically and effectively. 261 00:13:15,495 --> 00:13:19,286 The common thread between these therapists seems 262 00:13:19,346 --> 00:13:21,853 to be their shared interest in marriage 263 00:13:21,913 --> 00:13:23,593 and family therapy, 264 00:13:23,859 --> 00:13:26,183 whether that originates from a desire to help 265 00:13:26,243 --> 00:13:29,690 others or to better understand themselves. 266 00:13:29,750 --> 00:13:32,415 One of the things that you need to know about MFT 267 00:13:32,475 --> 00:13:34,673 is how it's both similar and different 268 00:13:34,733 --> 00:13:37,024 than the other big mental health professions. 269 00:13:37,084 --> 00:13:39,750 I'm talking about clinical psychology, 270 00:13:39,810 --> 00:13:43,018 social work, counseling, psychiatric nursing. 271 00:13:43,078 --> 00:13:46,650 MFT really prioritizes strength, health, 272 00:13:46,710 --> 00:13:49,160 and interconnectedness of people. 273 00:13:49,220 --> 00:13:55,551 Pursuing a career in therapy definitely means signing up 274 00:13:55,611 --> 00:13:58,967 for a self-discovery journey yourself 275 00:13:59,467 --> 00:14:01,924 because for many people, 276 00:14:01,984 --> 00:14:03,348 including myself, becoming 277 00:14:03,408 --> 00:14:05,754 a therapist is a trauma response. 278 00:14:05,814 --> 00:14:08,301 You become the person you wish 279 00:14:08,361 --> 00:14:11,717 you had growing up or the person you needed. 280 00:14:12,329 --> 00:14:13,873 It can really be a part 281 00:14:13,933 --> 00:14:16,051 of that healing experience 282 00:14:16,700 --> 00:14:19,967 for anybody that wants to be a part 283 00:14:20,027 --> 00:14:21,923 of the change they want to see in the world. 284 00:14:21,983 --> 00:14:22,740 Coming up. 285 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:24,837 I think that we have changed 286 00:14:24,897 --> 00:14:28,587 the definition of what therapy looks like. 287 00:14:28,647 --> 00:14:29,707 You don't have to have 288 00:14:29,767 --> 00:14:33,123 a diagnosable mental illness to go get help. 289 00:14:33,367 --> 00:14:39,395 [music] 290 00:14:48,192 --> 00:14:50,174 Just as a writer finds inspiration 291 00:14:50,234 --> 00:14:53,398 in a Dog-eared book of poetry, or a mechanic sees 292 00:14:53,458 --> 00:14:56,861 the Mona Lisa under the hood of a Rolls Royce, 293 00:14:56,921 --> 00:15:00,724 a therapist finds purpose in stories of resilience, 294 00:15:00,784 --> 00:15:04,165 growth, and the potential to be better. 295 00:15:04,747 --> 00:15:06,049 For each of our therapists, 296 00:15:06,109 --> 00:15:08,434 that meant looking inward to find out 297 00:15:08,494 --> 00:15:11,717 what drove them and looking outward 298 00:15:11,858 --> 00:15:13,960 to recognize the societal shifts 299 00:15:14,020 --> 00:15:17,162 that forever changed them and so many others. 300 00:15:17,222 --> 00:15:20,129 I was in an MFT classroom the day in 9/11, 301 00:15:20,189 --> 00:15:22,754 and I remember that that changed everything. 302 00:15:22,814 --> 00:15:24,600 I grew up in a world 303 00:15:24,667 --> 00:15:26,373 where you did not have to worry 304 00:15:26,433 --> 00:15:29,486 about school shootings or mass terrorism. 305 00:15:29,546 --> 00:15:32,668 MFTs are more in demand than ever before. 306 00:15:32,810 --> 00:15:36,275 There are so many social challenges 307 00:15:36,335 --> 00:15:38,157 impacting us now. 308 00:15:38,739 --> 00:15:42,484 What the pandemic has taught us, it's taught us a lot about 309 00:15:42,544 --> 00:15:46,411 a profession and that people especially disconnected, 310 00:15:46,471 --> 00:15:49,275 shut in, need connection with other people. 311 00:15:49,335 --> 00:15:50,398 Since the pandemic, 312 00:15:50,458 --> 00:15:53,187 there was a lot of awareness gained 313 00:15:53,247 --> 00:15:56,858 around the importance of mental health and mental health care. 314 00:15:56,918 --> 00:15:59,542 I believe that's very impactful 315 00:15:59,868 --> 00:16:04,979 to be able to walk with someone and aid 316 00:16:05,039 --> 00:16:07,559 in their self-discovery process 317 00:16:07,704 --> 00:16:11,372 that allows breaking cycles of violence, trauma. 318 00:16:11,733 --> 00:16:13,176 Progressively, I believe 319 00:16:13,236 --> 00:16:15,461 that makes the world a better place 320 00:16:15,521 --> 00:16:18,925 if people go to therapy and gain 321 00:16:18,985 --> 00:16:21,808 that self-knowledge and heal 322 00:16:21,868 --> 00:16:24,071 from the different trauma they've experienced. 323 00:16:24,131 --> 00:16:25,873 I believe the world can definitely 324 00:16:25,933 --> 00:16:27,335 become a better place. 325 00:16:27,395 --> 00:16:32,806 For the first time in decades, the entire world was shaken 326 00:16:32,866 --> 00:16:34,530 by an event that would lead 327 00:16:34,590 --> 00:16:37,354 to increased depression and anxiety 328 00:16:37,756 --> 00:16:40,744 among a number of other mental illnesses. 329 00:16:40,804 --> 00:16:43,291 People were ready to talk. 330 00:16:43,532 --> 00:16:47,219 We see a lot of celebrities talking about going to therapy. 331 00:16:47,279 --> 00:16:51,407 We see a lot of reality stars talking about going to therapy, 332 00:16:51,467 --> 00:16:54,794 and they actually have therapy sessions online. 333 00:16:54,854 --> 00:16:56,858 I think that we have changed 334 00:16:56,918 --> 00:17:00,627 the definition of what therapy looks like. 335 00:17:00,687 --> 00:17:02,493 You don't have to have a diagnosable 336 00:17:02,553 --> 00:17:04,600 mental illness to go get help. 337 00:17:04,660 --> 00:17:07,766 But in third-world countries like Venezuela, 338 00:17:07,826 --> 00:17:12,534 there's still a lot of pushback against mental health care 339 00:17:12,594 --> 00:17:14,107 because there are a lot 340 00:17:14,167 --> 00:17:18,234 of cultural influences that stigmatize mental health 341 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:23,248 for being something that is for "crazy people". 342 00:17:23,331 --> 00:17:25,307 Therapy may seem like 343 00:17:25,367 --> 00:17:27,887 it's becoming less stigmatized, 344 00:17:28,184 --> 00:17:31,407 but the truth is many cultural communities 345 00:17:31,467 --> 00:17:34,745 are still wary of seeking mental healthcare 346 00:17:34,900 --> 00:17:38,374 as an act and as an institution. 347 00:17:38,765 --> 00:17:40,287 MFT has come a long way, 348 00:17:40,347 --> 00:17:43,992 in that in the '70s, your major models, by and large, 349 00:17:44,052 --> 00:17:49,083 were designed by white non-diverse men, 350 00:17:49,143 --> 00:17:51,892 groups of men focused on working with 351 00:17:51,952 --> 00:17:54,018 white middle to upper-class families. 352 00:17:54,078 --> 00:17:56,806 In the last several decades, MFT 353 00:17:56,866 --> 00:17:58,852 has done a great job of expanding 354 00:17:58,912 --> 00:18:04,167 the lens not only in recruiting diverse therapists, 355 00:18:04,233 --> 00:18:07,825 but also working with diverse client populations. 356 00:18:07,885 --> 00:18:11,115 Many minorities are skeptical of mental health 357 00:18:11,175 --> 00:18:14,284 because they have been burned by the system, 358 00:18:14,344 --> 00:18:17,071 or they feel like my therapist doesn't look like me. 359 00:18:17,131 --> 00:18:19,274 People that have been historically marginalized, 360 00:18:19,334 --> 00:18:21,796 that are currently marginalized have dealt with 361 00:18:21,856 --> 00:18:25,212 a lot of oppression since the the beginning. 362 00:18:25,324 --> 00:18:27,973 A lot of what's happening is not new for people, 363 00:18:28,033 --> 00:18:29,973 I think it's potentially more visible 364 00:18:30,033 --> 00:18:32,307 for some people that can increase 365 00:18:32,367 --> 00:18:34,714 the intensity of people's symptoms. 366 00:18:34,774 --> 00:18:37,020 Maybe they had sadness before or maybe 367 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:39,438 they had some anxiety before. 368 00:18:39,585 --> 00:18:41,307 Seeing a lot of the trauma 369 00:18:41,367 --> 00:18:42,507 that's happening constantly, 370 00:18:42,567 --> 00:18:43,994 whether that's on social media 371 00:18:44,054 --> 00:18:46,800 while it's watching the news or experiencing 372 00:18:46,860 --> 00:18:48,826 low employment or underemployment 373 00:18:48,886 --> 00:18:50,972 or lack of resources, increases 374 00:18:51,032 --> 00:18:53,479 the intensity of people's symptoms. 375 00:18:53,539 --> 00:18:55,240 Therapy is one of the ways to help 376 00:18:55,300 --> 00:18:57,886 people manage and regulate some of that. 377 00:18:57,946 --> 00:19:01,311 Accessing therapy can sometimes feel dehumanizing. 378 00:19:01,371 --> 00:19:06,132 People sometimes feel left out by the system or misunderstood. 379 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:09,324 When you, as a therapist yourself, 380 00:19:09,384 --> 00:19:11,866 come from a background that includes 381 00:19:11,926 --> 00:19:13,088 a lot of resilience, 382 00:19:13,148 --> 00:19:18,014 I think people can overcome that barrier of this person 383 00:19:18,074 --> 00:19:21,220 won't be able to relate or understand me because I will. 384 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:25,367 I'm someone that has endured and faced trauma myself. 385 00:19:25,428 --> 00:19:29,474 Marriage and family therapy is special in that therapists 386 00:19:29,534 --> 00:19:32,858 see the fruits of their labor in many places, 387 00:19:32,918 --> 00:19:37,504 clinical settings, research findings, and the real world. 388 00:19:37,626 --> 00:19:40,551 Dr. Karam believes that an important part 389 00:19:40,611 --> 00:19:42,233 of this is that marriage 390 00:19:42,293 --> 00:19:45,655 and family therapists should never stop learning. 391 00:19:45,715 --> 00:19:47,356 We need more MFTs doing 392 00:19:47,416 --> 00:19:50,077 the research and collaborating with 393 00:19:50,137 --> 00:19:54,000 the researchers in order to have real world 394 00:19:54,060 --> 00:20:00,650 research that impacts service delivery, dissemination. 395 00:20:00,930 --> 00:20:03,355 We have to also package research 396 00:20:03,415 --> 00:20:06,683 in a way that informs clinicians. 397 00:20:06,743 --> 00:20:09,430 They need the information presented 398 00:20:09,490 --> 00:20:12,318 in a way that's usable and that helps them, 399 00:20:12,378 --> 00:20:14,463 not in the ivory tower of research. 400 00:20:14,523 --> 00:20:17,148 I like to stay modern, up to date. 401 00:20:17,208 --> 00:20:21,834 If it's not evidence-based, I don't take it into account. 402 00:20:22,376 --> 00:20:28,089 I really like making sure that my training is ongoing, 403 00:20:28,149 --> 00:20:32,600 and that what I'm doing is coherent and aligned 404 00:20:32,660 --> 00:20:35,206 with best practices that are ethical. 405 00:20:35,266 --> 00:20:37,731 I absolutely love being a therapist. 406 00:20:37,791 --> 00:20:40,340 It's one of the reasons why I became a researcher 407 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:43,952 and one of the reasons why I became a professor. 408 00:20:44,012 --> 00:20:45,618 I love teaching students 409 00:20:45,678 --> 00:20:48,182 how to be a marriage and family therapist. 410 00:20:48,242 --> 00:20:53,670 There's always this one moment in their two-year program, 411 00:20:53,730 --> 00:20:55,872 where they really just understand, 412 00:20:55,932 --> 00:20:57,855 they get systemic thinking. 413 00:20:57,915 --> 00:21:00,246 It's not intentional for them anymore, 414 00:21:00,306 --> 00:21:02,235 but it just becomes a lens in which they're able 415 00:21:02,295 --> 00:21:06,085 to answer questions in a way that considers culture, 416 00:21:06,145 --> 00:21:07,610 that considers context. 417 00:21:07,670 --> 00:21:08,873 They just get it, 418 00:21:08,933 --> 00:21:11,816 and it's just an amazing experience 419 00:21:11,876 --> 00:21:15,872 watching them grow into professional therapists. 420 00:21:16,899 --> 00:21:20,303 Everyone has days that are good or frustrating, 421 00:21:20,363 --> 00:21:22,480 exciting or uncertain, 422 00:21:22,806 --> 00:21:25,494 but what's important is to take things one day 423 00:21:25,554 --> 00:21:29,005 at a time and to seek support when you need it, 424 00:21:29,065 --> 00:21:32,851 and marriage and family therapists can do just that. 425 00:21:32,911 --> 00:21:35,107 Helping you understand your situation better 426 00:21:35,167 --> 00:21:37,577 with a holistic view of your life. 427 00:21:37,637 --> 00:21:38,940 Thanks for watching. 428 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:40,764 I'm your host, Kristin Marand. 429 00:21:40,824 --> 00:21:42,627 We'll see you on the next episode 430 00:21:42,687 --> 00:21:45,451 as we explore the jobs of tomorrow.