MMFT 510 Theoretical Foundations of Systemic Therapy

This course introduces students to the core theoretical foundations of systemic family therapy, including major historical and contemporary models. Students will explore family systems concepts, relational dynamics, and clinical interventions applicable to individuals, couples, and families. Emphasis is placed on the development of a systemic perspective, ethical and legal considerations in family therapy, and integration of spirituality in relational treatment.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

A solid theoretical foundation is essential for developing competent Marriage and Family Therapists. This course provides an in-depth understanding of family systems theory, relational dynamics, and systemic interventions, equipping the student with core clinical skills. By integrating faith-based and ethical perspectives, this course prepares the student to apply systemic principles in real-world clinical settings while upholding professional and ethical standards.

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After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview. 

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will participate in 3 written discussions throughout this course. The student must not attach threads/replies as files. The student must instead type directly into the discussion text box. The student must submit an initial thread of 300-350 words and a reply to 1 peer of 200-250 words. Each post must be in current APA style formatting. For each thread and reply, the student must use the required course textbook and 2 additional scholarly citations. Any additional scholarly citations should have been published in the last five years. All citations should be formatted in current APA style. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

This assignment invites the student to apply foundational systemic concepts from Gehart’s Chapters 1–2 to his/her own family of origin. Rather than evaluating individuals, the student will examine his/her family as an interconnected system organized around patterns, roles, and feedback processes. The student’s task is to describe how his/her family maintained homeostasis, how members responded when the system began to shift, and how these patterned responses contributed to the family’s sense of stability. This assignment emphasizes systemic thinking, circular causality, and interactional descriptions rather than personal judgments or therapeutic analysis. (CLO: A)

Critical Evaluation of AI Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to critically evaluate how generative AI tools perform and reflect on the responsible use of AI in clinical practice and Marriage and Family Therapy. The student will input a specific prompt into an AI tool, then write a 500-600-word critical evaluation of the AI output. The student will compare the output with a previously submitted assignment, identify responsible use of AI tools, and recommend guardrails for using AI tools in professional work. (CLO: B, C)

The purpose of these assignments is to apply theoretical interventions by designing theory‑informed interventions. The student will review a vignette and identify key concerns, then select one intervention from a textbook chapter that could be used to address the presenting concerns. The student will write a 2-3 page paper. For each intervention, the student will name the intervention, describe how the intervention would be used with the client or family, and explain the theoretical rationale for the intervention. The student will write a reflection on his/her experience and include a reflection of how his/her personal values, beliefs, relational tendencies, and self‑of‑the‑therapist awareness influence his/her comfort, challenges, or preferences when using the interventions. (CLO: B, C)

This paper is designed to assess the student’s ability to apply family systems theory to a complex relational case. This assignment serves as a culminating demonstration of the student’s understanding of systemic thinking, relational patterns, theoretical application, and therapist self‑awareness within marriage and family therapy. The student will submit an 8–10 page paper, excluding the title and reference pages, and must follow current APA format. The paper must be grounded in one primary systemic family therapy model (e.g., Strategic, Structural, Experiential, Intergenerational, Psychoanalytic, Cognitive-Behavioral, Mindfulness Based, Solution‑Based, Postmodern, or Sociocultural). The selected approach should guide how the student understands the family’s concerns, relational patterns, and maintaining dynamics.. See assignment instructions in Canvas for additional details. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

This assignment invites the student to evaluate clinical progress by analyzing client feedback, outcome monitoring data, and indicators of the therapeutic alliance. Rather than focusing on diagnosis or treatment planning, the student will examine how client‑reported progress and alliance feedback inform the therapist’s ongoing responsiveness. The task is to interpret nonstandardized indicators of change, reflect on the meaning of ORS/SRS scores, and consider how alliance dynamics shape the direction of therapy. This assignment emphasizes therapist attunement, outcome‑informed practice, and the use of client feedback to guide clinical decision‑making.

There are 8 quizzes required in this course. Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the Module: Week in which it is assigned. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 20 multiple-choice questions, allow for one attempt, and have a 1-hour time limit. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

The student will rate himself/herself on the nine dispositions required for this program. The quiz will contain 9 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay question and will be limited to 60 minutes. The student is allowed 1 attempt to complete the quiz.