Kansas State University

Joyce Baptist: The associate professor co-led a study abroad trip to Malaysia this year that included a conference on human/sex trafficking and cultural genocide balanced with a visit to the tallest twin towers in the world and a rustic adventure in Borneo. Joyce edits the Journal of Feminist Family Therapy and is focusing her research on the neurological effects of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) when used to treat depression. She is also entering the next phase, to include the family unit, in her military research. Joyce’s most exciting project is her 21-month-old daughter who is “a spitball of energy whose growth is exponential!”

Marcie Lechtenberg: The instructor/supervisor earned a Ph.D. from K-State’s marriage and family therapy program in May 2014.

Jared Durtshi: The assistant professor was awarded the Dawley-Scholer Award for Faculty Excellence in Student Development from the College of Human Ecology. Jared contracted with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapist’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) to provide an advanced statistical workshop to 25 MFP doctoral students. He attended a 4-day emotionally focused couple’s therapy training with Susan Johnson and Scott Woolley; he now provides psychoeducation to groups of pregnant and postpartum couples geared towards strengthening their romantic relationship as they adjust to parenthood. Jared’s research focuses on predictors and processes linked with relationship quality, relationship quality trajectories, transition to parenthood, and family process between parents and children.

Nancy O’Conner: The clinical associate professor and director of the Family Center received two major awards this year – Service to the Profession award from Kansas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the Barbara Stowe Faculty Development Award for College of Human Ecology to study elder mediation. She became a state approved mediator and trainer for domestic and core medication.  This year she co-led a study abroad experience in conflicts resolution to Northern Ireland and worked with Northern Regional College to develop opportunities for our doctoral students to teach and study trauma there. Nancy also works with the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services on Home-Based Family Therapy.

Jared Anderson: The associate professor was contracted with the Kansas Department for Children and Families as PI or Co-PI to track indicators of child and family well-being and to evaluate the Strong Dads Program. Jared’s research focus areas are cognitive and relational factors that are associated with diabetes management in couples, relationship development in China, and processes related to marital quality and stability using secondary data. Papers related to these studies have been publish or are in press in Health Psychology, Journal of Family Psychology, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, among others. This year Jared is teaching the doctoral MFT Research Methods course.

Camille Lafleur: The research professor and clinical supervisor is a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist who is active on the Kansas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy board and the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (BRSB) Advisory Committee as well as other community boards. Camille leads trainings for in-home family therapists in the state of Kansas through the Home-Based Family Therapy Partnership in collaboration with the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services. She also provides clinical supervision for the MFT masters and doctoral students.

Blake Berryhill: The research associate works with Sandi Stith on the Air Force research team. He received his Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy from K-State in 2014.

Amber Vennum: The assistant professor is leading research projects on students regarding relationship cycling, decision making, commitment, and factors related to emerging adult relationship quality that help better understand how to help them establish healthy, stable relationships. One research team conducted focus groups to find out what emerging adults would find helpful in a smart phone relationship app. Another team focuses on developing a framework for MFTs to increase access to mental health for underserved adolescents and their families and increase school success. Amber is leading a Kansas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy work group to explore amending legislation to include MFTs as approved mental health providers in Kansas schools.

The Family Center is the applied science hub of the marriage and family therapy program.

It is a training clinic.

Last year 39 therapists treated a variety of presenting problems from individual issues to parenting and family problems to couple and interpersonal problems. Four adult therapy rooms and two play therapy rooms are equipped with one-way mirrors for supervision and opportunities for MFT students to observe sessions. The clients come from several different cultures because of the diversity of a university setting and our location near Ft. Riley Army base.

It is home to research teams.

Four projects are based in the center, housed in the Campus Creek Complex along with the communication sciences and disorders clinic. They are:

• Sandra Stith’s Air Force research team that studies domestic violence.
• Camille Lafleur’s Home-Based Family Therapy Partnership that provides training for clinicians who see families in the home. The group has developed a self-care website for clinicians and is engaged in a fidelity study regarding a model of home-based therapy.
• Joyce Baptist’s clinical research study using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) with depressed individuals.
• Amber Vennum’s work with schools program and student therapists to provide services to local high schools.

It is a distinctive opportunity for students.

Through their work with a variety of client populations, therapists at the Family Center have the opportunity to develop specializations. One of them is Erika Smith, a Ph.D. student.

“I am trained in EMDR and am in the process of becoming certified. I have found this treatment modality to be very effective for working with survivors of sexual violence and am grateful for the opportunity to work with survivors here at the Family Center,” she said.

“At the Family Center, I can work with children and families using play therapy to heal,” said Heidi Swanke, master’s degree student.

Jenny Brown, another master’s degree student, welcomed the Family Center opportunities.

“I was able to further my passion for working with the LGBT community – with transgender individuals, couples, groups and families. It has been an amazing experience to support and advocate not only for clients but for the community as a whole,” she added.

“We constantly search for opportunities for students to specialize their work through the Family Center or through external placements,” said Nancy O’Conner, center director. “Our goal is twofold – providing students with a diverse training experience and clients with the opportunity to engage with quality therapy services.”

Students received an array of scholarships and accolades this year, ranging from fellowships to leadership awards.

Scholarship and grant awardees are:

• Erika Smith – Kansas State University Division of Continuing Education Distance Learning Grant and EMDR International Association Memorial Scholarship;
• Bryan Cafferky, Una Henry, Allen Mallory, Jonathan Kimmes , Kimberly Van , Chandra Lasley and Charity Clifford – Donoghue Scholarships;
• Allen Mallory, Charity Clifford and Sharon Luu – Hellen Jones Manus Memorial Scholarship;
• Charity Clifford – Hoag and Robi Scholarship;
• Una Henry, Nathan Hardy, Erika Smith and Scott Sibley – Poresky Assistantship in Family Studies and Human Service;

Research awards went to:

• Maria Dominguez, Prerana Dharnidharka, Erika Smith, Jessica High and Bryan Cafferky, “The intergenerational transmission of family violence: A meta-analytic review,” Research and the state, second place poster;
• Erika Smith, Maria Dominguez and Bryan Cafferky, K-State Research Forum First Place Poster in Social Sciences, Humanities and Education;
• Kristy Soloski, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy Doctoral Apprentice Reviewer of the Year Award.

Student honors through AAMFT:

• Maria Dominguez, Sharon Luu, Una Henry, Erika Smith , Chandra Lasley, Jonathan Kimmes, and Kristy Soloski- AAMFT Minority Fellowship Program Fellows;
• Una Henry and Jonathan Kimmes- Minority Fellowship Program Research Grant;
• Jonathan Kimmes and Aaron Norton- AAMFT Thesis Award;
• Una Henry and Kristy Soloski- Minority Fellowship Dissertation;
• Una Henry “Growth Trajectories of Delinquency Among Minority Youth” AAMFT Cutting Edge Research Posters;
• María Dominguez, Bryan Cafferky, Erika Smith, Prerana Dharnidharka “Childhood Exposure to Violence: A Meta-Analysis” AAMFT Cutting Edge Research Posters;
• Bryan Cafferky “Four Group SEM Comparing Differences Among Military Wives” AAMFT Cutting Edge Research Posters;
• Bryan Cafferky, María Dominguez, Prerana Dharnidharka, Nicole Lawson and Nicole Bird “A Meta-Analysis of Relationship Factors Impacting Couples with IPV” AAMFT Cutting Edge Research Posters;
• Kristy Soloski “Growth Mixture Modeling: Relationship Quality Trajectories” AAMFT Cutting Edge Research Posters.

Student honors and awards:

• Aaron Norton- Golden Key International Honor Society’s Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year;
• Sharon Luu and Maria Dominguez- NCFR Honors Student;
• Marcie Lechtenberg- Tony Jurich Community Commitment and Leadership Student Awards;
• Erika Smith- Kansas Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Jurich Student Leadership Award;
• Kristy Soloski- KAMFT New Professional Award;
• Kyle Horst, Chandra Lasley and Marcie Lechtenberg- Family Process – New Writers Institute;
• Nicole Bird, Sol Erdozian and Heidi Swanke- KC Play Institute 2014 Graduates;
• Bryant Miller, Jessica High and Jordon Weideman- Mediation and Conflict Resolution Certificate;
• Scott Sibley, Erika Smith and Jessica High- GTA Recognition of Achievement in Professional Development;
• Bryan Cafferky- University Distinguished Professor Development.

Sarah F. Webb is now assistant dean and director of student life at K-State. Her duties include being liaison with the Colleges of Agriculture, Education and Human Ecology, and the Global Campus to provide direct support to students experiencing a variety of academic and personal challenges. She also serves as a co-chair of the Kansas State University Critical Incident Response Team.

Jenna Tripodi is a coordinator for K-State’s Center for Advocacy, Response and Education, formerly the Women’s Center, where she  advocates for survivors of sexual violence on campus and create/implement educational campaigns to combat sexual violence on campus.

Kristy L. Soloski joined Texas Tech University as an assistant professor in the marriage and family therapy program. She teaches child and adolescent development, diversity and grant writing and conducts research related to adolescent substance use in an effort to influence the current systemic treatment practices in the field.

Aaron Norton accepted a position as an assistant professor in family therapy at Texas Woman’s University, the first public university in Texas to offer M.S. and Ph.D. degrees for marriage and family therapists.

Friends and alumni of Marriage and Family Therapy make a difference in the lives of our students in many ways. They offer internships, travel to Manhattan to talk to classes, hire graduates, help guide the program and donate financial support. A special thank you to each of you.

To explore ways to give to the MFT Excellence Fund, contact Jennifer Rettele-Thomas, senior development director for Human Ecology, at the Kansas State University Foundation, 2323 Anderson Ave., Suite 500, Manhattan, Ks. 66502, or jenniferr@found.ksu.edu or 800-432-1578.

Stay connected by phone by calling Amanda Bender at 785-532-6984 or by email at ksumft@k-state.edu or at family@k-state.edu. Visit us on line at he.k-state.edu/fshs/programs.

College of Human Ecology

John Buckwalter, dean

School of Family Studies and Human Services

Dorothy Durband, director