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Couple and Family Therapy

Meet the 2015-16 faculty

Picture at the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan are, from left, Jared Anderson, Nancy O'Conner, Camille Lafleur, Sandi Stith, Joyce Baptist, Marcie Lechtenberg, Amber Vennum, Terry Pfannenstiel and Jared Durtschi.
Picture at the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan are, from left, Jared Anderson, Nancy O’Conner, Camille Lafleur, Sandi Stith, Joyce Baptist, Marcie Lechtenberg, Amber Vennum, Terry Pfannenstiel and Jared Durtschi.

Jared Anderson, Ph.D., LMFT

The associate professor’s research focuses on the cognitive and relational factors that are associated with diabetes management in couples, relationship development in China and processes related to marital quality and stability. He recently presented research at the annual Pairfam users conference in Germany. Jared and several graduate students are developing differentiation-based approaches to relationship education and are conducting basic research on differentiation in committed couples. Jared continues to work on projects with the Kansas Department for Children and Families and the U.S. Air Force.

Nancy O’Conner, LCMFT

A clinical associate professor/director of the Family Center, Nancy works with the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services on Home-Based Family Therapy. This project, in its 9th year, recently launched a fidelity component and has an increased focus on therapist self-care and supervision. Nancy is a state-approved mediator/trainer and co-developed RG Mediation Services which provides affordable mediation services to the community through the Family Center and is a means for students to become state approved mediators.

Camille Lafleur, Ph.D., LCMFT

The research professor is active on the Kansas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Foundation and the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board Advisory Committee. Camille leads trainings for in-home family therapists in Kansas through the Home-Based Family Therapy Partnership in collaboration with the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services. Additionally, she provides individual and family therapy in a private practice setting.

Sandra Stith, Ph.D., LCMFT

A university distinguished professor, Sandi Stith is Virginia Mowrey McAninch professor of family studies and human services, and directs the marriage and family therapy program. Sandi is a board member and Fellow of the National Council on Family Relations. She works with the USAF Family Advocacy Program managing and conducting a variety of family violence-related research projects, including a project to develop and test a risk assessment measure for IPV, and leads a large meta-analysis project examining risk factors for partner violence.

Joyce Baptist, Ph.D., LCMFT

An associate professor, Joyce’s research interests include the impact of war deployment on the sustainability of military families, clinical effectiveness of EMDR therapy, couple relationship maintenance, inter-racial relationships and minority groups. She is conducting a clinical study using EMDR therapy to treat depression and family-of-origin attachment injuries; she will be presenting her research at the EMDR conference. Joyce is the editor-in-chief for the Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, a board member for the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board in Kansas, and the EMDRIA Research Committee. She is an advisor to the Malaysian Student Association at K-State. In January 2016, she will co-lead a study abroad trip to Malaysia.

Marcie Lechtenberg, Ph.D., LMFT

A clinical supervisor and instructor, Marcie is on the interdisciplinary steering committee for the Graduate Certificate in Social Justice and has been a member of the team that has developed coursework for the certificate. Her areas of research include social justice issues in therapy and making changes at mid-life.

Amber Vennum, Ph.D., LMFT

The assistant professor recently received the Dawley-Scholer Award for Faculty Excellence in Student Development from the College of Human Ecology. Amber collaborates with communities to address factors that create disparities in mental health and relational outcomes through intervening during adolescence and young adulthood. She is focusing on improving access to mental health services through school-based family therapy, researching risk and resiliency factors for relationship stability in young adult romantic relationships, and using mobile technology to create adaptive relationship education interventions to help emerging adults establish and sustain healthy, long-term romantic relationships.

Terry Pfannenstiel, Ph.D., LCMFT

A clinical supervisor and instructor, Terry is the former outpatient program director at Pawnee Mental Health where he is currently a senior clinician and supervisor. The past president of the Kansas Psychological Association, Terry currently serves on the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board and as the chairperson for the regulatory board’s complaint review committee. He is an item writer for the National Exam for marriage and family therapists.

Jared Durtschi, Ph.D., LMFT

An assistant professor whose research focuses on predictors and processes linked with relationship quality, relationship quality trajectories, transition to parenthood, and family process between parents and children. In addition to his roles at K-State, Jared works with AAMFT’s Minority Fellowship Program to provide statistical and research mentoring to 25 MFP doctoral students in MFT programs across the country.