Alumni fellow combines family therapy and medicine
Elizabeth Purcell-Keith, or Dr. Elizabeth as patients and co-workers call her, was the College of Human Ecology’s Alumni Fellow for 2013. At K-State she completed her undergraduate and master’s work in family studies and child development and received her Ph.D. in MFT in 1979.
She works in the neonatal unit as a medical family therapist and crisis intervention specialist at the Medical City’s Children Hospital in Dallas. Dr. Elizabeth provides support, care, and stability for families with children who are facing life-threatening illnesses and has been doing so for over thirty years now. Her involvement in this specialized area began when she started working as a staff nurse in the newborn nursery and labor and delivery. Her experiences as a nurse showed her that although the babies were provided with wonderful treatment, parents were left out in the hall crying, not knowing what was going on with their children.
Dr. Elizabeth has since dedicated herself to helping families understand exactly what to expect when their babies are born with a certain illness, assisting them in navigating through the medical jargon. She aids them in preparing for what comes next through her comforting presence. Her extensive medical background along with her ability to connect and build trusting relationships with families provides a rare and much sought-after combination of skills. Her unique training and experiences allow her to overcome remarkable challenges as a medical family therapist.
Swinton receives Entrepreneur Alumni Award
Jonathan J. Swinton, who received his Ph.D. in 2011, received the College of Human Ecology’s Entrepreneur Alumni Award. He established a flourishing private practice in Salt Lake City, a daunting task in today’s market, in less than two years.
As a businessman and therapist, Swinton markets and runs his practice, Swinton Counseling, PLLC, in a way that revolutionizes the scope of therapy. For instance, his office is completely paper-free. He maintains his client files on an Electronic Medical Record system (EMR), which is linked to an app on his iPad, allowing for automatic updates to the electronic files. He has a system to send out appointment reminders using various forms of communication. Clients are also able to schedule appointments and fill out necessary intake paperwork online, or they can complete the paperwork on an iPad when they arrive at his practice. He uses an internet marketing firm to make sure that his website appears at the top of every search engine.
Not only has Swinton changed the landscape of private practice through integration of technology and entrepreneurship, but he is also willing to share his experiences and mentor others to help them on their endeavors. For a closer look at his practice, you can visit www.swintoncounseling.com.
