This episode of The House of Family Therapy features a conversation with Dr. Sandra Espinoza, Alliant MFT faculty member and clinician whose work bridges systemic therapy, cultural humility, and social justice advocacy. Dr. Espinoza shares her professional journey from education and community-based youth work into family therapy, private practice, and academia, highlighting how mentorship and saying “yes” to opportunity shaped her career.

The discussion explores her clinical niches—working with interracial couples and undocumented or mixed-status Latinx families—and the ways sociopolitical systems, immigration policy, and forced family separation impact mental health and relational dynamics. Throughout the episode, Dr. Espinoza reflects on the sacredness of creating space for the unspoken and the importance of empathy, mentorship, and systemic awareness for emerging therapists.

This episode of “The House of Family Therapy” features an interview with Dr. Tom Carlson, a licensed marriage and family therapist and Alliant faculty member, who shares insights into his approach to couples therapy called "relational accountability." The discussion delves into the importance of purpose and mission in therapeutic work, Dr. Carlson’s affinity for his specialty of narrative therapy, and the often-forgotten magic of family therapy.

Drs. Tabitha Webster and Gita Seshadri welcome their Alliant faculty colleague, Dr. Nicole Sabatini-Gutierrez, to The House of Family Therapy. They explore Dr. Sabatini-Gutierrez's journey into family therapy, her intersectionality, and the importance of personal stories in therapeutic practice. They discuss the role of rage in therapy, current trends in women empowerment, and the significance of experiential therapy. Dr. Sabatini-Gutierrez shares impactful experiences with students and emphasizes the importance of acknowledging suffering in therapy. The conversation concludes with rapid-fire questions that reveal Dr. Sabatini-Gutierrez's insights and perspectives on therapy.