Margaret Guzman '20 and Alexandra Anguiano '20 with MFT Chair, Dr. Naveen Jonathan

Margaret Guzman ’20 and Alexandra Anguiano ’20 with MFT Chair, Dr. Naveen Jonathan

We are Margaret Guzman ’20 and Alexandra Anguiano ’20, third-year Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) students. This past fall, we were honored to co-facilitate a psychotherapeutic group for parents of children diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy as part of the “Balanced Families” program. Hosted by the Department of Physical Therapy (PT) with participation from MFT faculty and students, Balanced Families provides support for families touched by Cerebral Palsy while creating an interdisciplinary learning opportunity for Crean College graduate students. Under the supervision of licensed PT faculty, PT students work with children in a rehabilitative dance/ ballet program while MFT students and faculty run a parent psychotherapeutic group.

Being a part of this collaboration had a positive impact on our MFT education by allowing us to gain valuable experience working with families in this community from a psychotherapeutic perspective. Receiving live supervision from MFT faculty allowed us to expand our clinical skills, related to facilitating and conceptualizing when working in a group therapy setting.

Working in collaboration with PT students and faculty allowed us to practice a holistic approach to therapy. It also allowed us to experience what happens when healthcare providers work together to treat the whole family. We were able to learn from the conceptual framework of the Department of Physical Therapy, while the Marriage and Family Therapy program was able to highlight the benefits of working from a systemic approach. This program is truly unique and one that sets the standard for the future holistic care of families with children with disabilities.

For more information about Balanced Families, please contact the Department of Physical Therapy at (714) 997-6822 or email: dpt@chapman.edu