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Courses

A summary of each course to help with your selection.

Academic Year

Programs

Course ID

Course ID	Course
CMFT 683	CMFT 683 Lifespan Development: Attachment Across the Lifespan Course Credits: 3 This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of attachment theory across the lifespan, in particular, in adulthood. Students will explore the key concepts of attachment theory, the different attachment styles, and their impact on development throughout the lifespan. The course will focus on the different phases of adulthood from the early 20s to late adulthood, and how attachment can impact a range of outcomes such as relationships, mental health, and well-being. Additionally, the course will cover the implications of attachment styles on clinical practice, including considerations for cultural sensitivities, family systems, and a biblical view of attachment.
CMFT 684	CMFT 684 Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy Course Credits: 3 The course will familiarize the student with EFIT an attachment-based psychotherapy that helps individuals identify and transform negative emotional patterns to build more secure sense of self and others. EFIT integrates the core principles of attachment theory, humanistic-experiential methods, and emotion theory to help individuals. As an empirically validated approach, it was customized to work with individuals through a series of three stages: Stabilization & Alliance; Restructuring Self & Attachment; and Consolidation and Integration. Through a focus on experiential–systemic therapy, EFIT works to create greater self-coherence and emotional flexibility with individual clients. Prerequisite(s): CMFT 552, 590, and 660.
CMFT 685	CMFT 685 Child & Family Therapy Through Sandtray Course Credits: 3 This advanced experiential course examines Sand Tray Therapy as a flexible, integrative therapeutic approach grounded in trauma-informed, neurobiological, developmental, attachment, and relational frameworks. Students will expand their theoretical and practical understanding of how metaphor within the sand tray supports emotion regulation, attachment repair, right-brain–to–right-brain coregulation, and transformation across diverse client systems. Emerging considerations in virtual play therapy and the ethical use of AI-assisted tools for clinical practice will be explored, with attention to how these technologies can extend accessibility, creativity, and co-regulation in online settings while maintaining therapeutic relational integrity. Prerequisite(s): CMFT 552, 553, 664.
CMFT 686	CMFT 686 Neurosomatic Family Systems Course Credits: 3 This introductory course to working with children ages 12 and younger offers students a developmental framework for understanding the interconnections of nervous system presentations within a multigenerational family system. Using non-pathological approaches, students will learn to conceptualize presenting issues for guardians, children, and family systems through the lens of neurosomatic psychotherapy. Experiential practices will be explored through expressive therapy modalities and play. Students will expand on their knowledge of goal setting and treatment planning in consideration of a nervous system network while gaining experience working directly with children and guardians, moving theoretical knowledge into practice. Prerequisite(s): CMFT 664 and 682.
CMFT 687	CMFT 687 Dialectical Behavior Therapy Course Credits: 3 This course introduces Dialectical Behavior Therapy as a theoretical orientation to assess, manage and treat severe emotional and behavioral dysregulation in teens and adults. Students will learn ways of clinically understanding extreme behaviors such as self-harm and suicidal actions, gain clinical skill and comfort around discussing these topics while assessing risk level and will come to understand the range and appropriateness of clinical interventions needed to ensure client safety and stabilization. Prerequisite(s): CMFT 580 and 590.
CMFT 688	CMFT 688 Bowen Family Systems Course Credits: 3 Teaches students working with couples and families the theoretical foundations of Bowen Family Systems, while applying the theory to their own families and clinical practice. Bowen Family Systems is grounded in the natural sciences and thinking about families as living systems. Presented in this course are Bowen theory’s eight interlocking concepts, including triangles, differentiation of self, nuclear family emotional process, family projection process, multigenerational transmission process, emotional cutoff, sibling position, and societal emotional process. Family of origin work, which involves the effort to understand one's family processes and make consistent efforts towards self-differentiation, will be the main focus of this course. Prerequisite(s): CMFT 590.
CMFT 691	CMFT 691 External Clinical Training I Course Credits: 4 Students will participate in a clinical supervision group on campus under the direction of a faculty supervisor. The supervision group meets two hours per week for a period of 12 weeks. (3 hours per week over 8 classes in the summer). Students will also meet weekly for one hour of individual supervision with their on-site supervisor. Supervision will include collaborative conversations regarding the student’s clinical performance as well as personal and professional development. Attention will be given to client issues of diversity that are related to aspects of age, gender, sexual orientation, health/ability, culture, ethnicity, and spirituality. The goals of the internship experience are covered in the MCS-MFT Practicum/Internship Handbook. Prerequisite(s): CMFT 590, 660, 664, proof of membership with CACFT/AAMFT and approved program candidacy NB: Only open to CMFT student interns who have an approved internship placement. Students must begin their internship placement no later than the second week of class.
CMFT 692	CMFT 692 External Clinical Training II Course Credits: 4 Students will participate in a clinical supervision group on campus under the direction of a faculty supervisor. The supervision group meets two hours per week for a period of 12 weeks. (3 hours per week over 8 classes in the summer). Students will also meet weekly for one hour of individual supervision with their on-site supervisor. Supervision will include collaborative conversations regarding the student’s clinical performance as well as personal and professional development. Attention will be given to client issues of diversity that are related to aspects of age, gender, sexual orientation, health/ability, culture, ethnicity, and spirituality. The goals of the internship experience are covered in the MCS-MFT Practicum/Internship Handbook. Prerequisite(s): CMFT 590, 660, 664, proof of membership with CACFT/AAMFT and approved program candidacy NB: Only open to CMFT student interns who have an approved internship placement. Students must begin their internship placement no later than the second week of class.
CMFT 696	CMFT 696 External Clinical Continuation Course Credits: 0 Students will participate in a clinical supervision group on campus under the direction of a faculty supervisor. The supervision group meets two hours per week for a period of 12 weeks. (3 hours per week over 8 classes in the summer). Students will also meet weekly for one hour of individual supervision with their on-site supervisor. Supervision will include collaborative conversations regarding the student’s clinical performance as well as personal and professional development. Attention will be given to client issues of diversity that are related to aspects of age, gender, sexual orientation, health/ability, culture, ethnicity, and spirituality. The goals of the internship experience are covered in the MCS-MFT Practicum/Internship Handbook. Prerequisite(s): CMFT 691, 692 NB: Only open to CMFT student interns who have an approved internship placement. Students must begin their internship placement no later than the second week of class.

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