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group types, and legal and ethical issues. During the course students will also be
introduced to various specialty/advanced competency areas in group work. The
development of core skills will occur through a combination of didactic lecture in group
theory, classroom discussion, and an experiential group (during the second part of each
class meeting). Offered summer term.
SFTM 5335 – Human Development Across the Life Cycle
Human Development covers the stages of the individual life cycle, and of the family life
cycle, in cultural context. The interplay of individual development, unique individual
difference, culture, socioeconomic context, and family context, will be considered and
integrated with major models of family therapy. Therapy techniques appropriate for each
stage of development will be explored. Offered fall term.
SFTM 5350 - Research in Marriage and Family Therapy
This course offers a review of quantitative and qualitative methods of inquiry, as
exemplified in recent marital and family therapy research studies. The course focuses on
teaching students to be intelligent, critical consumers of research in the field.
Prerequisite: SFTM 5310. Offered winter term.
SFTM 5355 – Introduction to Equine Assisted Family Therapy
This course will provide students with an introduction to all aspects of equine assisted
mental health approaches. Beginning with an overview of the rapidly growing Animal
Assisted Therapy field, the course will cover in greater depth equine assisted
psychotherapy, team building, and therapeutic riding programs. Through hands-on
experience working with horses, students will be introduced to the Equine Assisted
Family Therapy model being developed as a collaborative effort between the NSU Family
Therapy program and Stable Foundations, an independent equine-assisted therapy
program in the community. Offered fall and winter terms.
SFTM 5356 – Religious and Spiritual Diversity
The Religious and Spiritual Diversity course is a basic course on religious/spiritual
difference that uses systemic and relational family therapy theory to train mental health
professionals in the art and skill of acceptance and respect of other human being’s deeply
held faith/non-faith beliefs. The instructor will use basic therapeutic skill in creating a
class community that is inviting, open, and honoring. Students will be challenged
through the use of didactic, experiential, and written activities, related to both personal
and professional experiences with religion and spirituality (R/S).
SFTM 5357 - Developing a Private Practice in Coaching and Therapy
This course examines applications of family therapy methods and ideas in private
practice settings. The course will prepare students to develop a private practice as a
marriage and family therapist, as a career/college/health and wellness coach, or both,
depending on previous background and additional coursework. Students will learn the
basics of developing a referral base, understanding managed care and insurance
systems, and developing workshops and community outreach. The ethics of private
practice and the need for practitioner self-care will also be stressed. This course will be
useful for those planning a private practice career as all or part of their professional
journey. Offered summer term.
SFTM 5358 – Solution Focused Coaching
This course prepares the student for professional practice as a solution focused coach. In
this course, the distinctions between therapy, education, and coaching are clearly
presented, and the student learns basic skills and approaches to solution focused
