Master of Marriage & Family Therapy | Abilene Christian University

Our Methods

After being carefully selected to embark on this two-year journey, you’ll explore theoretical and clinical methods for creating change with emphasis placed on relational, systemic, interactional, and contextual approaches for helping couples and families. Faculty foster a collaborative, student-centered learning environment for students to develop their knowledge and skills and to push their academic and spiritual boundaries.

Supervised Learning

We offer built-in clinical experience for our students through access to our on-site clinic, the Marriage and Family Institute, the largest health provider for low-income residents in Taylor County. The MFI offers a stair-stepped introduction to therapy that includes:

Observing 50 hours relational therapy
Co-therapy teams your first semester of clinical work
Experienced AAMFT Approved Supervisors
10 therapy room, two-way mirrors, and cameras
Large and small therapy room and a play therapy room
500 hour internship
Diverse populations and presenting issues

About MFI

Co-curricular Training

In addition to coursework and clinical hours, students can pursue additional trainings and certifications. Trainings offered are subject to change and availability.

Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Hypnosis
Gottman Level 1
Gottman Level 2
Technology Assisted Therapy (TAS)

Helpful Resources

PROGRAM HANDBOOK

MMFT Degree Plan

MMFT Questions & Answers

Meet the Program Director

Dr. Lisa Merchant

Chair Department of Marriage and Family Studies
Director Marriage and Family Therapy program

Dr. Merchant is Chair of the Department of Marriage and Family Studies and Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy program at Abilene Christian University. Dr. Merchant graduated from ACU’s Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy program (’04) and earned her Doctorate of Marriage and Family Therapy at Texas Tech (’15). Dr. Merchant’s primary research interest is domestic violence and she facilitates a Batterer Intervention and Prevention Program where she teaches classes for men who have been arrested for domestic violence. Dr. Merchant also has a heart for marginalized communities and aspires to make mental and relationship health care accessible to all. She is also the Presiding Member of the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, which is the agency that licenses MFTs in Texas, and is the state delegate to the Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards, which oversees the licensure examination.

Student Spotlight - Becca Trujillo

I love the community in the MFT program. We are a group of students that are working towards a common goal of learning the necessary information to be amazing therapists. As a Latina student, I was reading the literature and realized that a lot of the cultural considerations in the literature were not as applicable as I wanted them to be. So I set out to add to the literature and learn more about what makes therapy helpful for Latino clients.

After graduation, I plan to serve my community as a bilingual therapist in Abilene for a few years and eventually go back to school to get my PhD and become a professor.

I am currently the TAMFT student association secretary, I am also the secretary for Delta Kappa, and I was selected to present at IFTA in Spain this next year.

Becca Trujillo

Fall 1 Spring 1 Summer 1 Fall 2 Spring 2 Summer 2

Family Therapy Diagnosis and Assessment Family Life Cycle
(1 week) Therapy Across Life Span Diversity Integration of Theology
(1 week)

Family Theory Research Methods Ethics (1 week) Family Therapy II Sex Therapy Internship IV
(seeing clients)

Couples Therapy Electives Addiction Elective

Pre-Internship Internship I Internship II
(seeing clients) Internship III
(seeing clients)

Observe 50 therapy hours Start Co-therapy

Fall 1	Spring 1	Summer 1	Fall 2	Spring 2	Summer 2
Family Therapy	Diagnosis and Assessment	Family Life Cycle (1 week)	Therapy Across Life Span	Diversity	Integration of Theology (1 week)
Family Theory	Research Methods	Ethics (1 week)	Family Therapy II	Sex Therapy	Internship IV (seeing clients)
Couples Therapy	Electives		Addiction	Elective
Pre-Internship	Internship I		Internship II (seeing clients)	Internship III (seeing clients)
Observe 50 therapy hours	Start Co-therapy

View MMFT Curriculum

Students will complete either a group or individual research project on topics of their choice and present their results at the Texas Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (TAMFT). Projects can be qualitative or quantitative. Current student research topics include:

Strong Black Woman narrative
Adoption reunification
Twenty-something’s friendship formation
Latino experiences of family therapy

100% of the 2019-2020 MMFT cohort passed the National Exam and found employment,
surpassing COAMFTE’s benchmark of a 70% pass rate for master’s programs.

Graduate Achievement Data

Take the Next Step

Where Students Connect

From the classroom to the clinic, our students are lighting the way for a new generation of marriage and family therapists. With access to clientele within our local community, our students move beyond theoretical study into face-to-face practice with real couples, individuals, and families with complex issues. Fuel your passion for serving others and burn brighter by earning your Master of Marriage and Family Therapy (MMFT) degree.

Reflecting current and future demand, the Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies a 22% increase for the number of marriage and family therapists needed through 2029.

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Dual Language Opportunity

The need for Spanish-speaking therapists in Abilene is ever growing. Multilingual students will conduct therapy in our onsite clinic and serve our diverse population. Increase your employment marketability and earn a scholarship towards your degree by participating in our on-campus MMFT program.

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About Us

Master of Marriage and Family Therapy