Help for individuals, couples, relationships and families. Discover the possibilities for change.
Services
Since 1979, therapists at the Family Therapy Center of Virginia Tech have provided low-cost, high quality marriage and family therapy and mental health services to individuals, couples, and families in the New River Valley and surrounding areas. The Family Therapy Center is the clinical and research training facility for doctoral students in Virginia Tech’s marriage and family therapy program area, within the Department of Human Development and Family Science.
Please note that the Family Therapy Center is not an emergency service, hotline, or crisis center. We cannot provide emergency support. If you are in crisis or are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, such as uncontrollable feelings about hurting yourself or others, call 911, RAFT at (540) 961-8400, or go to your local hospital emergency room.
What is Marriage and Family Therapy?
We spend our lives in relationships. Sometimes our relationships can be a source of support, but sometimes our relationships can be a source of stress. Marriage and family therapy focuses on understanding people in the context of their relationships and using that information to improve the lives of individuals, couples, and families. Research suggests that a number of mental health issues and relationship problems are effectively treated using marriage and family therapy.
Watch this video to learn more about marriage and family therapy and how it can help:
Services at the Family Therapy Center are provided without discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or on any other basis protected by law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our therapists can help with a number of issues that impact individuals, couples, and families including loss, trauma, depression, anxiety, physical illness, grief, self-esteem, stress and coping, and substance abuse, among others.
As marriage and family therapists, we specialize in helping couples and families overcome difficulties in their relationships. Some of the issues we help our clients with include divorce/separation, infidelity, pre-marital counseling, couple and marital enrichment, couple and family communication and conflict resolution, parenting and step-parenting, infertility, sexual difficulties, and work-family balance.
Therapists at the Family Therapy Center hold master’s degrees in marriage and family therapy or closely related fields such as counseling, psychology, or social work. They are all in the process of completing their doctorates in the marriage and family therapy program area, within the Department of Human Development and Family Science, at Virginia Tech. To learn more about the therapists at the Family Therapy Center, and how they are supervised, click here.
At times, the Family Therapy Center also serves as a clinical internship site for master’s and/or doctoral students in the Virginia Tech Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.
Our services are fully confidential. This means that our staff does not discuss or share clients’ identities or records with anyone except in cases of 1) child or dependent adult abuse/neglect, 2) immediate and specific threats of harm to self and others, 3) court orders, or 4) with the client’s written permission. All competent adults who have been in therapy together must agree to any release of information before records can be released about any of them, with the exception of the circumstances mentioned above.
Services at the Family Therapy Center are offered on a sliding fee scale, and no one is turned away for inability to pay. For information about the cost of services at the Family Therapy Center, click here.
You can request an appointment at the Family Therapy Center online or by phone. Click here for more information about making an appointment. We look forward to seeing you.
Your assigned therapist will contact you by phone to schedule your first appointment, and will provide detailed information regarding completing initial intake paperwork online prior to your first session. This paperwork helps your therapist learn more about you and your history, and the concerns that brought you to therapy.
After you finish your paperwork and meet with your therapist, your therapist will go over several topics including what you can expect from therapy, your rights and obligations as a client, the fees for services, and your therapist’s obligations as a mental health professional. This is also a good time to ask any questions you might have about your therapist and/or the services at the Family Therapy Center. Once you have all of the information and your questions are answered, your therapist will verify that you have signed a therapy consent agreement, a payment agreement, and a form about our privacy policies.
After all of the paperwork is completed, you’ll have a chance to tell your therapist about your concerns and goals for therapy. Your therapist will likely ask you questions about yourself, your history, and your therapy goals, in order to develop an idea of how best to assist you with your concerns.
Still have questions about what to expect from the first appointment or therapy in general? Ask your therapist. Your therapist will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
The Family Therapy Center is not an emergency service, hotline, or crisis center. We cannot provide emergency support. If you are in crisis or are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, such as uncontrollable feelings about hurting yourself or others, call 911, RAFT at (540) 961-8400, or go to your local hospital emergency room.
The FTC staff will utilize email in the following circumstances: 1) to offer a convenient way for clients to access secure weblinks to complete clinical and related paperwork; 2) to send appointment and/or payment reminders. While we recognize it may be an inconvenience to not access your therapist through email or via text, please understand that e-mail and text messages do not ensure the privacy of your communication with us. Because your privacy and confidentiality are extremely important to us, we ask that you communicate with your therapist by telephone or in-person.
The FTC is a training site for doctoral students in the marriage and family therapy program area of the Department of Human Development and Family Science (HDFS). We equally value clinical services and research, and we are training our students to be adept scholar-practitioners. We have partnered with Brigham Young University’s Marriage and Family Therapy – Practice Research Network to collect clinical data on a weekly basis to assist our therapists in their work with you. The only way this data can be used for research purposes is with your written permission and informed consent. While completion of the weekly assessments is an essential part of our clinical services, we will not require you to take part in research as a condition of your treatment.
Virginia Tech is committed to protecting the rights of and ensuring the safety of human subjects participating in research conducted by faculty, staff and students of the University and for research in which Virginia Tech is engaged. Virginia Tech’s Human Research Protection Program reviews research studies, including any conducted at the Family Therapy Center, to make sure that rights and safety of research participants are protected.
If you have a concern about the services you received at the Family Therapy Center, or any other questions about our services, contact the Clinical Director, Dr. Jenene Case Pease, at 540-231-7201.
Appointments
Please note that the Family Therapy Center is not an emergency service, hotline, or crisis center. We cannot provide emergency support. If you are in crisis or are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, such as uncontrollable feelings about hurting yourself or others, call 911, RAFT at (540) 961-8400, or go to your local hospital emergency room.
To make a face-to-face or telehealth appointment at the Family Therapy Center, complete the online appointment request form, or call us at (540) 231-7201. If you submit an online appointment request or leave a voicemail message (that includes your phone number and the best time to return your call), someone will respond to you within two business days. We use email primarily for outgoing messages such as appointment/payment reminders and to provide access to assessment links. We do not make appointments or dialogue with clients via email. Click here to view our Therapy Agreement.
Appointments are available from 9am to 7pm, Monday through Thursday, and on Fridays from 9am to 4pm.
If you have issues submitting the appointment request form or you do not receive a return call from an FTC therapist or staff member within two business days, please contact our Office Manager at 540-231-7201.
Fees
Therapy services provided through the Family Therapy Center are charged at a rate of $100 per 50-minute session. Sessions scheduled for longer periods of times are charged on a pro-rated basis. No one is turned away for inability to pay and a portion of the fees may be subsidized by the Family Therapy Center based on the client’s ability to pay. The following sliding fee scale is used to determine the fees for services:
Annual Gross Family Income |
Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 – $6,999 | $15 |
| $7,000 – $10,999 | $20 |
| $11,000 – $14,999 | $30 |
| $15,000 – $19,999 | $40 |
| $20,000 – $29,999 | $50 |
| $30,000 – $39,999 | $60 |
| $40,000 – $49,999 | $70 |
| $50,000 – $59,999 | $80 |
| $60,000 – $69,999 | $90 |
| $70,000 – Above | $100 |
| Virginia Tech Students (Full-Time) | $15 |
| Virginia Tech Employees & Dependents | $25 |
Fees may be paid via University Billing, and all fees are to be paid upon receipt of the university billing statement. We do not accept insurance.
Fees for Additional Services
Fees for services such as 1) reports for attorneys, social service agencies, or educational institutions, 2) subpoena responses, 3) court appearances, or 4) other services are charged at $100 per hour.
Please note that responding to a subpoena involves significant resources, including supervision time, consultation with University attorneys, time of the clinical faculty, and resources. We must therefore charge any client or person whose counsel issues a subpoena to us $100.00 per hour for all time devoted to responding to it from the time the subpoena is served, regardless of whether the subpoena is later quashed or excused. We ask all concerned to therefore think carefully before causing any subpoena to be served, since you will be billed by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Contact Us
Phone: 540-231-7201
Fax: 540-231-7209
Address: 840 University City Blvd., Suite 1, Blacksburg, VA 24060
Hours of Operation:
- Monday – Thursday, 8am to 8pm; Friday 8am to 5pm
- The Family Therapy Center is closed when Virginia Tech is closed and for all legal holidays.
For weather-related closure information, please contact us.
Staff
The Family Therapy Center is the clinical and research training facility for doctoral students in Virginia Tech’s marriage and family therapy program area, within the Department of Human Development and Family Science. Most of the therapists at the Family Therapy Center are doctoral students specializing in marriage and family therapy.
Therapists assigned to see couples and families at the Family Therapy Center hold master’s degrees in marriage and family therapy or closely related fields such as counseling, psychology, or social work. They have approximately 500 hours of experience providing marriage and family therapy services and uphold the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct. They follow the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Code of Ethics and all relevant laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Because the Family Therapy Center is a training facility, therapists are closely supervised by the program’s clinical faculty. Our faculty supervisors have years of experience as therapists and supervisors of marriage and family therapy and hold credentials as American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisors.
At times, the Family Therapy Center serves as a clinical internship site for master’s and/or doctoral students affiliated with the Virginia Tech Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. These student counselor interns primarily serve individual clients.
Administrative Team & Clinical Supervisors
Kristen Benson, PhD, LMFT
Director, Family Therapy Center
Associate Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Science
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisor
Jenene Case Pease, PhD, LMFT
Clinical Director, Family Therapy Center
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Science
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisor
Virginia Board of Counseling Approved Supervisor
Megan Dolbin-MacNab, PhD, LMFT
Clinical Supervisor
Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Science
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisor
Virginia Board of Counseling Approved Supervisor
Jody Russon, PhD, LMFT
Clinical Supervisor
Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Science
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisor
Virginia Board of Counseling Approved Supervisor
Certified Supervisor & Trainer, Attachment-Based Family Therapy
Chloe Pennington
Office Coordinator
Marriage and Family Therapy Program
Undergraduate Internships
The FTC is accepting undergraduate internship applications.
I felt that I had a ‘head start’ [for graduate school] in some ways, because I had been introduced to some theories and models by my mentors, had watched the process of case planning and therapy, and had learned about the epistemology of family therapy.
As I watched from the other room, it was an experience like no other. I mean, when else do you watch someone in their most intimate and vulnerable state? It taught me an array of things, such as gratitude, respect, and humility.
My mentor gave me extensive insight to what life would be like in graduate school. I was able to prepare myself before starting my program because of the advice my mentor shared with me. That was the best thing I could have ever asked for from my mentor.
Undergraduate internships are available at the Family Therapy Center during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. The internship meets the requirements for a 3-credit enrollment in HD 4964: Field Study for Human Development majors and may count as a similar course for other majors. Interns work at the Family Therapy Center for 10 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters, and 12 hours per week during the summer semester. The time at the Family Therapy Center is divided equally between clinical observation and clerical work. Typically, one or two students are selected for undergraduate internships each semester.
The Application Process & Deadlines
Any student interested in an undergraduate internship at the Family Therapy Center must submit an application to Dr. Jenene Case Pease by the application deadline. Only those students who submit complete applications will be considered for an internship position. After an initial review of the applications, selected students will participate in an interview with Dr. Case. Final placement decisions will be made following the interviews.
All applications should be emailed to Dr. Case as a single PDF document by the following deadlines:
- Applications for spring and summer internship placements are due by 5pm on the eighth Friday of the previous fall semester.
- Applications for fall internship placements are due by 5pm on the Friday of Spring Break.
Undergraduate Internship Application
Applications for undergraduate internships at the Family Therapy Center include two parts, which are described below. Both parts of the application must be complete, in order for the entire application to be considered complete. Only applicants with complete applications will be considered for internship positions at the Family Therapy Center.
Part I: Student Application
All applications for undergraduate internships at the Family Therapy Center must include the following:
- The Family Therapy Center of Virginia Tech Undergraduate Internship Application Cover Sheet
- A personal statement of 1 to 2 double-spaced pages. The personal statement should a) outline why you are interested in an undergraduate internship at the Family Therapy Center and b) describe the personal qualities and educational and/or professional experience and interests that will enable you to successfully contribute to the operations of the Family Therapy Center.
- An unofficial transcript
- A current resume
All of these materials should be emailed, by the applicant, to Dr. Case as a single PDF document by the deadline.
Part II: Recommendations
In addition to the application materials described in Part I, two recommendations from professionals (e.g., professor, supervisor) with knowledge of your academic or work performance are also required. Your recommenders should submit their recommendations online using this form. Both recommendations must be received by the application deadline, in order for your application to be considered complete.