MEET OUR CEO
Dr. Secrist is CEO of Mid-Iowa Family Therapy Clinic, Inc., and the Institute for Therapy & Psychological Solutions, LLC. Dr. Secrist has been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 1993. She received her PhD in Human Development and Family Studies with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Iowa State University.
Dr. Secrist has over 30 years’ experience working with adults, children, couples and families, and those involved in the child welfare system. The fundamental foundation of her work is from a systemic view, where problems are a result of the relationships amongst individuals. She co-created the Community Care Program, which is a statewide voluntary program for children and families who were involved in the child welfare system. Over the past 15 years, this program has served approximately 50,000 families.
Dr. Secrist has extensive experience training in a variety of settings. She has trained on the following topics: Family Systems, Solution-Focused Therapy Approaches, Motivational Interviewing, Foundations of Practice in Working with Families Involved in the Child Welfare System, Interviewing Techniques in Working with Children, The Use of Sand Tray Techniques, Comprehensive Assessments, Trauma, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, The Incredible Years Parenting Program, “Safety Assessment”, “Safety and Safety Planning”, “Understanding Adolescence”, “Basic Training for Child Protective Workers”, “Child Development Principles”, “Interviewing Skills”, “Assessing the Life of a Case”, “Family Team Decision-Making”, and “Case Planning and Permanency”.
Dr. Secrist has presented and co-presented at various conferences throughout the United States, Canada, and the UK, on a variety of topics geared toward marriage and family therapy. Dr. Secrist most recently presented, “Community Care: An Innovative Approach Working with Families to Reduce the Risk of Child Abuse and Neglect”, at the International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect, in the UK. She has also presented, or co-presented: “The Value of In-Home Family Therapy: A Qualitative Study”, “Does it Work? Using Qualitative Research in Examining Outcomes of Family-Based Services”; “Out of the Office and Into the Home: Conducting Family-Based Assessments”, “The Evolution of Family Therapy: From Interventionist to Conversationalist”, “Family Perspectives on the Effectiveness of Preservation Services”, “A Look at the Family’s Construction of Reality Around Family Preservation Services”, “Safety Assessment”, “Safety and Safety Planning”, “What’s Up Doc?”, and a variety of other presentations throughout her LMFT career.
Dr. Secrist is a Clinical Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Child Welfare League of America, and International Association on Child Abuse.