The Marriage and Family Therapy Program
The Marriage and Family Program prepares students to work with individuals, couples, and families in a variety of clinical settings. The in-person program requires 51 semester hours and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). The deadline for admission into the Fall cohort is February 1. Applications will open in early fall for the following fall admissions to the MFT Masters of Arts Program.
Two MFT Alumnae Continuing on to Doctoral Programs
Congratulations to Bree Eldridge and Chris Soto, class of 2025, for accepting admission into doctoral programs! Bree Elridge will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy at Florida State University and Chris Soto will attend Campbell University's Doctor of Behavioral Health program.
Sage Miller Awarded Provost Fellowship
MFT student, Sage Miller, was awarded the Provost Fellowship. He was recognized at the Graduate School Awards. Read more about the award. Congratulations, Sage!
Faculty Presented at Annual NCAMFT Conference
MFT faculty presented at the North Carolina Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (NCAMFT) annual conference. Dr. Jon Winek, Dr. Lauren Power, and Dr. Tatjana Farley presented an ethics presentation titled Alternative Modes of Delivery from Practice through Ethics. The NCAMFT conference took place in Winston-Salem, NC March 13-15, 2025.
Faculty Presented at Annual IFTA Congress
MFT faculty presented at the International Family Therapy Association 2025 IFTA Congress March 27-30 in Aberdeen, Scotland. Dr. Winek presented How Imagination Can Invite Future Change. A Socio-Neurobiological Narrative of Change. Dr. Farley presented Defining Anger and Aggression: A Qualitative Comparison of Youth Experiences.
MFT Faculty and Alumna Presenting at the 2025 IRSFT Annual Conference
MFT alumna, Bree Eldridge, and MFT faculty, Dr. Lauren Power and Dr. Tatjana Farley, will present at the 2025 annual Intervention Research in Systemic Family Therapy Annual Conference. Together, they will present a poster entitled Sex Differences in Experiences of Anger and Aggression: A Qualitative Exploration. The IRSFT conference will take place in Columbus, OH September 4-5, 2025.
MFT Program No Longer Requires GRE
In our effort to make graduate education more accessible, the MFT Program no longer requires the GRE. Additional admission requirements include a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher AND at least two reference letters (from professors from whom the applicant has taken at least one course) OR five or more years of professional human services or family systems-related work experience.
MFT Graduates LCAS Eligible
Marriage and Family Therapy students who complete the requirements for the Addictions Counseling Certificate and complete an internship working with addition and recovery with a credentialed supervisor are now eligible to be certified as a North Carolina Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS). Appalachian State University MFT/Addictions Counseling Certificate is now recognized as Criteria C pre-approved substance abuse/addictions Master’s degrees, which is an accelerated path to LCAS certification.
AAMFT Statement on MFT Responsibility to Counter Racism
The MFT Program at Appalachian State endorses the AAMFT statement regarding our responsibility to actively counter racism. We reject systemic racism and work to counter white supremist ideologies. We continue to be reflective and commit to ongoing work to improve our accountability to inclusively train MFTs. Read the entire AAMFT Statement on MFT Responsibility to Counter Racism.
AAMFT Statement on Anti-Transgender Legislation
The MFT Program at Appalachian State endorses the AAMFT statement opposing anti-trangender legislation. Many of these legislate efforts would enact laws that violate the AAMFT Code of Ethics and counter evidence-based clinical best practices for work with transgender clients and their families. Read the entire AAMFT Statement on Anti-Transgender Legislation.
Dr. Jon Winek Appointed to NC LMFT Board
Dr. Jon Winek was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to serve on the North Carolina Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board. Dr. Winek will work with other LMFTB members to review and approve license applications, enforce ethical standards, and attend to regulatory standards.
Dr. Tatjana Farley Earns RCOE Outstanding Mentoring Award
Dr. Tatjana Farley, MFT Program Director, was presented the 2025 Reich College of Education Outstanding Mentoring Award. The Reich College of Education presents annual awards to faculty and staff. Recipients are nominated by RCOE faculty, staff, and students. Congratulations, Dr. Farley!