marriage and family therapy

For those seeking a master’s in marriage and family therapy, it is more than a degree; it is a calling to make a positive difference in the lives of those who need it most.

We live in a world that seems to be ever changing and evolving. This can lead to multiple stressors for families. One solution for today’s family is to turn to therapists who specialize in marriage and family therapy.

In its landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of the United States declared that “The Fourteenth Amendment requires a State to license a marriage between two people of the same sex,” making same-sex marriage legal across the country. As couples in the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning) community enter marriage, they may experience the same relational issues as heterosexual married couples, and potentially a unique set of challenges as well. For marriage and family therapists who specialize in LGBTQ couples counseling, understanding those challenges is important.

Military families who are exposed to stressors caused by repeated deployments, injuries, and even death may find the need for military family therapy. According to a 2015 study cited in Contemporary Family Therapy, roughly 2.7 million families have experienced significant periods of separation from their military family member since 2001. While children are resilient, and spouses of military members prepare themselves for separations, there can remain significant problems.

Social media is everywhere. Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. Snapchat. LinkedIn. YouTube. There are also dating and gaming sites, and more. Social media is a part of the fabric of our lives today, and can be an integral part of our lives. You may want to consider establishing a few ground rules to avoid any potential dangers of social media on your relationships.

The Pros of Social Media and Relationships

Claira Hart is our second NCU Marriage and Family Sciences Community Hope Scholarship recipient. She is a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) in Las Cruces, New Mexico, who works with children who have been diagnosed with autism. She implements applied behavior analysis techniques to help them reach age-appropriate milestones. Hart graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Arts in Family Studies and Psychology, and had been hoping to return to graduate school so she could gain full licensure in her desired field of marriage and family therapy.

Lauren Shields is one of our two NCU Marriage and Family Sciences Community Hope scholarship recipients, and will soon begin her studies to complete her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy at Northcentral University. We caught up with Shields to talk about her career goals, and what the scholarship means for her future.

A rabbi and a therapist walk into a classroom ... No, this isn't the start of a joke. It was, in fact, the start of Rabbi Daniel Schonbuch's journey to find his true calling.

Schonbuch was always interested in psychology, but with a large family and professional obligations demanding his attention, he didn't have the luxury of pursuing his passion as a traditional student. He researched online programs and found NCU.

As one of the July NCU Bright Future Scholarship recipients, Peter-Nam Dinh believes that this opportunity symbolizes and confirms that he has chosen the right career path. 

According to Dinh, “Without the burden of tuition, I can devote much more of my energy to becoming the best I can be in my chosen field.  This scholarship is a life changer.” 

“Regardless of what is going on in your life, never give up on your passion,” says Marcia Ublies, one of the June winners of the NCU Bright Future Scholarship. “If you continue to press through the pain, in the end you will be victorious.”

Overwhelmed with so much going on in her life and compounded by a death in the family, Ublies came close to not finishing her scholarship application, but ultimately she persevered.