A Butterfly Effect: The Impact of Marriage and Family Therapy Training on Students’ Spouses

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the impact of marriage and family therapy (MFT) training on the marriages of trainees. Analysis of data from 18 spouses of alumni from a training program in an evangelical Protestant seminary found participants reporting mostly negative impacts related to time and finances, both negative and positive impacts related to role changes and adjustments, and mostly positive impacts related to marital communication. The additional contribution of this study has to do with the report of an overwhelmingly positive impact of systemic, integrative MFT training on the student's faith as observed by their spouse and on the spouse's own faith.