The AAMFT Podcast Celebrates Women’s History Month

Women’s History Month is observed every March in the United States to honor the contributions, achievements, and impact of women throughout history. It began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, CA, in 1978 and later expanded into a national observance. In 1987, Congress officially designated March as Women’s History Month.

The month recognizes the vital roles women have played in shaping society across fields such as politics, science, education, arts, business, and social justice. It also highlights the ongoing pursuit of gender equity and encourages reflection on the progress made and the work that still remains.

As we know in the systemic therapy world, women have played a transformative role in the development and advancement of marriage and family therapy (MFT), shaping its clinical models, research foundations, feminist critiques, and training standards. Virginia Satir, known as the “Mother of Family Therapy,” pioneered experiential family therapy and emphasized self-esteem, communication patterns, and family systems dynamics. Monica McGoldrick, a pioneer in multicultural and feminist family therapy, expanded the use of genograms, and emphasized cultural context, gender roles, and intergenerational patterns. Her work brought attention to ethnicity, gender, and social justice in clinical practice. Sue Johnson developed Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples, and her attachment-based model is one of the most empirically supported approaches for couples therapy worldwide. Her research strengthened the scientific credibility of relational therapies.

Of course, these are just a few.

As part of this special month, Dr. Eli Karam, PhD, LMFT, along with AAMFT, will present the eighth season of the AAMFT Podcast featuring three of the most influential women living in our field: Froma Walsh, Celia Falicov, and Mary Jo Barrett. Eli noted: “These are foundational voices whose scholarship, practice, and leadership have shaped the way systemic therapy is taught and practiced around the world. This panel exemplifies an intergenerational and cross-theoretical dialogue. Walsh’s resilience framework, Falicov’s cultural perspectives, and Barrett’s trauma-informed systemic work each emphasize different aspects of family therapy, yet their conversation reveals deep commonalities in how they conceptualize strength, adaptation, and healing within relational systems.”

As an added bonus, upcoming podcasts will have a video component, providing a more enriching experience. Check issues of eNews for new podcasts.

To learn more about what to expect in this year’s AAMFT Podcast All-Star Panel Series, read the overview article in Family Therapy magazine.

Join us on the AAMFT Podcast as we celebrate Women’s History Month and salute all the vibrant, leading women of the systemic therapy field!