Lamson honored for outstanding contributions to marriage and family therapy field

Angela Lamson, professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences (Photos courtesy of Angela Lamson)

Angela Lamson, professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science, received the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy’s (AAMFT) Outstanding Contribution to Marriage and Family Therapy Award for 2020.

At East Carolina University, Lamson has served as the program director for the Medical Family Therapy doctoral program (MedFT), and marriage and family therapy master’s program and as the associate dean for research in the College of Health and Human Performance.

Lamson has also served as division president for the North Carolina Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and as a member of the elections council for the AAMFT. In addition, she is on the executive committee for the Alliance of Military and Veteran Family Behavioral Health Providers at the national level.

Lamson came to ECU in 1999 to create the MedFT program along with her colleague Jennifer Hodgson through the vision of Edward “Mel” Markowski; the program was the first of its kind in the nation.

“There were a lot of challenges that Jennifer and I faced together as we developed the program: we were young Ph.D.s — I was 26 — it was a new field and we were new to the university,” she said. “But ECU was really excited about the program and that was inspiring. The way it worked was that we submitted a proposal to plan the program and then ECU disseminated a timeline for consideration, but we were reviewed and approved much sooner than we’d expected. It’s incredible that the MedFT program, from the first point of creation to commencement of the first graduates, was less than seven years,” she said.

Lamson’s teaching, research and publications have been devoted to medical family therapy and integrated care, particularly in the areas of trauma, chronic illness, loss and compassion fatigue in the lives of individuals, couples, families, and providers. Her training and research initiatives have taken place in community health, primary care, specialty care and military bases.

Her primary focus, though, has been her students. “When I got to ECU, my research was in Alzheimer’s, which is a big passion of mine. The doctoral program launched right as I got tenure and I decided then to focus on students’ research. It is my job to forward my students’ careers,” she said.

Lamson, right, on site at a Greene County Health Care facility.

In 2009, Lamson received funding from the Department of Defense as she built relationships with military leaders. “So few therapists focus on military personnel and families, but several students started to join me in this research during their master’s or doctoral programs,” she said.

“It felt like a return to my research — this was something I really wanted to do; it means a lot to me. It’s so humbling for me. I’m a first-generation college student. I didn’t even know I should go to college until I was 17. The conversation never happened earlier. I never had a conversation about serving in the military. This was a way I could serve those who serve our nation.”

“While the funding was mine, almost all of the publications we produced included students as first authors. That’s always been my philosophy: put students first,” she said.

“It’s so rewarding to see the incredible contributions that our alumni are making in the world,” she added.

Lamson is quick to focus on the success and contributions of her current and former students but this year the focus is on her own.

AAMFT awards committee chair Claudia Grauf-Grounds said in recorded remarks, “When one begins to examine marriage and family therapy research, they will undoubtedly come across the work of Dr. Angela Lamson. She is a foremost authority on its practice in multiple specialties including medical family therapy and work with military families. Her funded and unfunded research, authorship, professional presentations and other scholarship demonstrate her outstanding and exceptional cumulative and empirical contributions to our field.

“Her efforts are also highlighted by her work at East Carolina University, where she served as a director of a nationally recognized marriage and family therapy program that has a significant impact on our profession. Few programs, if any, are better known for their training and contributions to the field of medical family therapy. Dr. Lamson has indelibly helped to shape the future of marriage and family therapy for the better,” Grauf-Grounds concluded.

Lamson works on an article about military couples and life-threatening experiences with ECU marriage and family therapy graduate student Olivia Riser Hutto.

Lamson admits she was surprised to receive the award. “I got the email from AAMFT and I was sure it was an error! I’m maybe mid-career and I’ve gotten this honor?” she said.

Her focus for the next chapter of her career remains on her students, with a clarity that this year has provided.

“It’s incredibly important to me that I stand up for and with women and professionals of color. That if they have a vision to further their education or career, I am going to be here to help them do that. 2020 has been such a pivotal year and my intentionality is laser-focused on this. I’ve witnessed the juggling that women and professionals of color do to further their education and careers. I can do more to stand with them, to make their work known. It’s been super amazing to see the number of women and people of color in our Ph.D. program, when such programs are historically male dominated. It’s impressive and it’s necessary — necessary for the next generation of students to see them,” she said.