Personal Statement

In my teaching, I attempt to create collaborative learning communities where learners can act as critical thinkers, value their own voices, see themselves as knowledge creators, and engage in dialogues of difference. I encourage participants in the learning process to become aware of the origins of their world views in ways that empower them to consider their preferred assumptions within a framework of power, privilege and liberation.

Professional Biography

Teresa McDowell is an associate professor in the Graduate School of Education and Counseling at Lewis & Clark College. Teresa has spent much of her career working to revision marriage and family therapy education in ways that better support social equity and cultural democracy. Her scholarship has focused on race/racism in family therapy practice and education, critical multicultural family research, and internationalizing family therapy programs. Recently her research agenda has included expanding critical multiculturalism in family therapy to include an international focus that addresses disparity and promotes global citizenship. She is a long time clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor.

Prior to coming to Lewis & Clark College, Teresa taught at the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs, CT. While there, she served as Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Doctoral and Master’s programs. Teresa also taught family therapy at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) in Tacoma WA and at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in DeKalb, IL. She has directed university family therapy clinics at NIU, PLU, and UConn. Originally from Arizona, Teresa has spent most of her adult life in Washington State.

Current Projects

Teresa’s current projects include investigating the influences of race, class, gender, and nation of origin in family therapy supervision; exploring U.S. privilege; developing a critical contextual lens to inform clinical work; considering the experience of international students in family therapy training; and promoting culturally centered family therapy approaches. She is currently collaborating with colleagues from Menoufia University in Shebin El-Kom to enhance education on working with families in rural Egypt. Teresa is excited about building relationships with both local and international partners that will foster cross-cultural understanding and alliances for social change.

Selected Publications

Hernandez-Wolfe, P. & McDowell, T. (in press). Intersectionality, Power, and Relational Safety in Context: Key Concepts in Clinical Supervision. Training & Education in Professional Psychology.

Kosutic, I., Garcia, M., McDowell, T., & Anderson, S. (in press). Raising critical consciousness in family therapy supervision. Journal of Feminist Family Therapies.

Hernandez-Wolfe, P., Taylor, B. & McDowell, T. (in press). Perspectives of ethnic minority AAMFT Approved Supervisors. Journal of Systemic Therapies.

Khanna, A., McDowell, T., Perumbilly, S. & Titus, G. (in press). Family Therapy with Asian Indian Families in the U.S. Journal of Systemic Therapies.

Garcia, M. & McDowell, T. (in press). Navigating among worlds: The role of social capital in therapy with Latino youths. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.

McDowell, T., Fang, S., Kosutic, I. & Griggs, J. (in press). International students in family therapy and family studies: A survey. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.

Fang, S., McDowell, T., Goldfarb, T., MacDonald, A., Gonzales-Kruger, G., Perumbilly, S. (2008). Asian Americans in family science literature. Marriage and Family Review, 44(1), 33-51.

Kosutic, I. & McDowell, T. (2008). Diversity and social justice in family therapy literature: A decade review. Journal of Feminist Family Therapy 20(2), 142-165.

Melendez, T., & McDowell, T. (2008). Race, class, gender and migration: Family therapy with a Peruvian couple. Journal of Systemic Therapies (37), 30-43.

McDowell, T., Storm, C., & York, C. (2007). Multiculturalism in couple and family therapy education. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 26(4), 75-94.

McDowell, T. & Fang, S. (2007). Feminist informed critical multiculturalism: Considerations for family research. Journal of Family Issues, 28(4), 549-566.

McDowell, T., Fang, S., Griggs, J., Speirs, K., Perumbilly, S. & Kublay, A. (2006). International dialogue: Our experience in a family therapy program. Journal of Systemic Therapies.

Fang, S., McDowell, T. & Holland, C. (2006). Internationalizing Family Science Programs: A Spherical Expansion of Inclusive Perspectives. In R. Hamon (Ed.) International FamilyStudies: Developing Curricula and Teaching Tools. Ch. 1. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.

McDowell, T., Dashiell, W., Holland, C., Ingoglia, L., Serizawa, T., & Stevens, C. (2005). Breaking the mold: Multiracial awareness in family therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 31(4), 399-411.

McDowell, T. (2004/5). Practicing a relational therapy with a critical multicultural lens. Introduction to a Special Section, Journal of Systemic Therapies, 24(1).

McDowell, T. (2004). Listening to the racial experiences of graduate trainees: A critical race theory perspective. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 32(4), 305-324.

McDowell, T. & Jeris, L. (2004). Talking about race using critical race theory: Recent trends in the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 30(1), 81-94.

McDowell, T., Fang, S., Gomez Young, C., Brownlee, K., Khanna, A. & Sherman, B. (2003). Making space for racial dialogue in MFT education. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 29(2), 179-194.

McDowell, T. & Shelton, D. (2002). Valuing social justice in MFT curriculum. Contemporary Family Therapy, 24, 313-331.

McDowell, T., Fang, S., Brownlee, K, Gomez Young, C., & Khanna, A. (2002). Transforming a MFT program: A model for enhancing diversity. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 28(2), 179-191.

Recent Presentations

McDowell, T. (2008). Acting as a white ally: Strategies for anti-racist activity, Annual AFTA conference, Philadelphia, PA.

McDowell, T. & Storm, C. (2008). Family Therapy: A Strength Based Approach, Menoufiya University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt.

McDowell, T. & Storm, C. (2008). Family Therapy: An Introduction from the U.S. Presented to students and faculty of psychology, Menoufiya University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt.

Kosutic, I. & McDowell, T. (2007). Diversity and Social Justice in Family Therapy Literature, Annual AAMFT Conference, Long Beach, CA.

McDowell, T., Fang, S., Griggs, G., & Kosutic, I. (2006). Internationalizing MFT and family studies programs: A student survey. Annual AAMFT Conference, Houston, TX

Perumbilly, S., Titus, G., Khanna, A. & McDowell, T. (2006). Family therapy from an Asian Indian perspective. Annual AAMFT Conference, Houston, TX

Fang, S., McDowell, T., Gonzalez-Kruger, G., & Goldfarb, K. (2005). Methodological issues in the study of Asian American families: Content analysis of referred publication in family science journals. Annual Conference of the National Council on Family Relations, Phoenix, AZ

Fang, S., McDowell, T., Dersheid, L. (2005). Crossing borders: Moving toward internationalizing Family Science Programs. Annual Conference of the National Council on Family Relations, Phoenix, AZ

Carlson, T., McDowell, T., Erickson, M., Tubbs, C., Lawless, J., McGeorge, C. (2005). New Directions in Couple and Family Therapy Education at the AAMFT 63rd Annual Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, October 20 - 23, 2005.

McDowell, T., Fang, S., Griggs, J., Kublay, A., & Perumbilly, S. (2005). Crossing borders: The transferability of culturally bound family therapy knowledge. International Family Therapy Association-American Family Therapy Academy 2005 Conference, Washington, D.C.

McDowell, T., Chen, H., Khanna, A., Wallace, L., & Williams, C. (2004). Critical race dialogue in MFT. AAMFT National Conference, Atlanta, GA.

McDowell, T., Dashiell, W., Holland, C., Ingoglia, L., Serizawa, T., & Stevens, C. (2004). Breaking the mold: Multiracial awareness in family therapy. AAMFT

Selected Professional Activities

Clinical Member & Approved Supervisor, American Association for Marital and Family Therapy (AAMFT)

Member, American Family Therapy Academy (AFTA)

Editorial Board, Journal of Marital & Family Therapy

Editorial Board, Journal of Systemic Therapies

Academic Credentials

Ed.D. 2003 Northern Illinois University
M.A. 1985 Pacific Lutheran University

Washington State Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, #LF00001571