Open house to showcase marriage and family therapy clinic, research academy

An open house for the ECU Family Therapy Clinic and Redditt House: Medical Family Therapy Research Academy will be held from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Jan. 22. Visitors may meet faculty, graduate student interns and tour the facilities at 612 E. 10th St. in Greenville. The event is free and open to the public.

The Marriage and Family Therapy Excellence in Collaboration Award will be presented to Dr. Cal Paries. As the director of Vidant Health Employee Assistance Program, Paries pioneered the integration of medical family therapy services into the Vidant Employee Assistance Program. Despite Paries’ departure from Vidant Health, the collaboration between Vidant Health and Marriage and Family Therapy and Medical Family Therapy Programs continues as one of his legacies.

The Family Therapy Clinic offers a range of services, including individual therapy, couple therapy, family therapy and premarital services. The clinic specializes in medical family therapy services, which provides coping strategies for families with a critically or chronically ill member.

Throughout the treatment process, collaboration with other providers is encouraged, including physicians, social workers and school systems. The clinic is also available as an employee assistance program for small businesses wanting to safeguard the well-being of employees and to reduce employee turnover.

The Medical Family Therapy Research Academy, under the co-direction of Dr. Lisa Tyndall and Dr. Damon Rappleyea, promotes educational and research opportunities for students and professionals with a focus on collaborative health care including local initiatives with Greene County Health Care, Vidant Health, ECU Brody School of Medicine as well as with military and veteran couples and families.

The Family Therapy Clinic and the Medical Family Therapy Research Academy are housed in the Department of Human Development and Family Science.

For additional information contact Dr. Lisa Tyndall at tyndalll@ecu.edu, 252-328-4206.

— Kathy Muse