LORIEN S JORDAN | 7
WORK Doctoral CandidateUniversity of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
/ PERSONAL
3/307 Willis Street
Wellington, New Zealand 6011
+64.027.649.7391
LORIEN S. JORDAN, MFT, MA, LAMFT
EDUCATIONPh.D. University of Georgia (In Progress) Marriage and Family Therapy
M.F.T. Mercer University School of Medicine (2012) Family Therapy
M.A. New York University (2005) Studio Art
B.A. Arizona State University (2000) Studio Art, Arizona, Cum Laude
CURRENT RESEARCH
Bicultural meanings of social justice in New Zealand’s mental health system
Funded by the Fulbright Fellowship
THESIS
The policy and political participation of marriage and family therapists
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Social justice and social policy; indigenous and critical psychologies, the intersection of effective family therapy and policy practices; marginalized relationship systems; mixed methods research methodologies.
PUBLICATIONS
Jordan, L.S., Seponski, D. (in press). Public participation: Moving beyond therapy’s four walls.
Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.
Jordan, L. S., Grogan, C., Muruthi, B., & Bermúdez, J. M. (2017). Polyamory: Experiences of
power from without, from within, and in between. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 16(1), 1-19.
Seponski, D., Jordan, L.S., (2017). Cross-cultural supervision in international settings:
Experiences of foreign supervisors and native supervisees in Cambodia. The Journal of Family Therapy. Advanced online copy: doi: 10.1111/1467-6427.12157
Bermúdez, J. M., Muruthi, B. A., & Jordan, L. S. (2016). Decolonizing research methods for
family science: Creating space at the center. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 8(2), 192-206.
Abrams-Muruthi, B.A., Nasis, T.,Jordan, L.S.,Grogan, C., Mckoy, M., & Farnham, F.,
(2015). A collaborative language systems approach: Implications for working with Afro-Caribbean families coping with infidelity. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 34(3), 26-43.
MANUSCRIPTS UNDER REVIEW
Jordan, L.S., Seponski, D. (under review). “Being a therapist doesn’t exclude you from real
life”: Family therapist’s beliefs and barriers to political action. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy.
Jordan, L.S., Seponski, D.M., Armes, S.E., Spivey-Young, S. (under review). Taking testimony,
giving voice: Testimonial therapy with refugees resettled in the United States. Contemporary Family Therapy.
Richardson, S. Jordan, L.S. (under review). Qualitative inquiry of sibling relationships:
reinforcement of disability devaluation through the exclusion of voices. Qualitative Inquiry
Seponski, D.M., Alas, C., Mutinda, G., Jordan, L.S., Davis, A.P., Sotelo, J.M., Massoud, M.C.,
& Somo, C.M. (under review). Client recruitment in underserved communities. The Journal of Family Therapy.
Seponski, D.M., Mutinda, G., Alas, C., Jordan, L.S., Sotelo, J.M., Massoud, M.C., & Davis,
A.P., (under review). Utilizing a cultural advisory board in family therapy practice and training. The Journal of Family Therapy.
MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION
Jordan, L.S., (in progress). “My mind kept creeping back to the idea that this relationship can’t
last”: Experiential tasks to address family therapist’s monogamous bias. To be submitted to Contemporary Family Therapy. February 2017.
Oed, M., Jordan, L.S., Seponski, D.M. (in progress). Working with sexual offenders:
Recommendations for family therapists. TBD.
Seponski, D. M.& Jordan, L., Bermudez, J.M. (in progress). The politics of therapy: A data
driven evaluation on the impact for clients. To besubmittedto theJournal of Family Therapy.
Muruthi, B. A., & Jordan, L. S. (in progress). Matrifocality in a patriarchal structure:
decolonizing perspective of black motherhood. To be submitted to TBD.
Farnham, A., Muruthi, B. A., Jordan, L. S., McCoy, M. (in progress). Sexual and financial
coercion in heterosexual intimate relationships: Theoretical conceptualization. To be submitted to TBD.
Chevalier, M. M., Muruthi, B. A., Jordan, L.S. (in progress). The impact of training in cultural
competency, white privilege, and color-blind racial attitudes on therapeutic alliance. To be submitted to TBD.
PRESENTATIONS
International
Seponski, D.M. & Jordan, L. S. (2015, March). Considerations for conducting culturally
responsive international family therapy research. Paper presented at the International Family Therapy Association’s 23rd World Family Therapy Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Seponski, D.M. & Jordan, L. S. (2015, March). Culturally responsive family therapy
supervision. Poster presented at the International Family Therapy Association’s 23rd World Family Therapy Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Bermudez, J. M. & Jordan, L. (2013, October). Co-Creando narrativas preferidas con el uso
del arte y las expresiones creativas (Co-Creating preferred narratives with the use of art and creative expression). 3º Congreso Internacional en Terapia Breve y Familiar: Continuación y Transición de lo Sistémico, Puebla, Mexico.
National
Jordan, L.S., Sepoinski, D., Armes, S. (2016, September). Developing a
Polyamorous Affirmative Family Therapy Practice. Seminar presented at the 2016 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Jordan, L.S., Seponski, D., Somo, C. (2016, September). Policy, social justice, and the family
therapist, Poster presented at the 2016 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana. Selected as a Cutting Edge Research presentation.
Seponski, D., Armes, S., Jordan, L. S., Somo, C. (2016, September) Mental health issues and
psychotherapy support for Cambodia women. Poster presented at the 2016 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Somo, C., Seponski, D., Armes, S., Jordan, L.S., (2016, September) Predictors of attempted
suicide in Cambodian young women. Poster presented at the 2016 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Jordan, L.S., Armes, S., Seponski, D. (2016, June). The policy-oriented family therapist:
Recommendations for training. Poster presented at The American Family Therapy Academy’s 38th Annual Meeting and Open Conference, Denver, Colorado.
Jordan, L.S., Seponski, D., Armes, S., Somo, C. (2015, November). Communities in conflict:
Testimonial therapy, structural violence, and psychopolitical well-being. Paper presented at the 2015 National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Jordan, L.S., (2015, September). What a difference a degree makes: Student to pre-clinical
fellow. Invited career development workshop at the 2015 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Austin, Texas.
Oed, M., Jordan, L.S., Seponski, D. (2015, September). Overcoming bias: A framework for
work with sex offenders. Workshop presented at the 2015 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Austin, Texas.
Bermudez, J. M., Stinson, M., Abrams, B., & Jordan, L. (2015, September). Heading for
a crisis? Narrative therapy as an intervention. Workshop presented at the 2015 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, Austin, Texas.
Seponski, D., Lewis, D., Jordan, L.S. (2015, January) Addressing poverty and mental and
familial health through public policy: A discussion for researchers and therapists. Paper presented at the 2015 National Multicultural Conference Summit of the American Psychological Association, Atlanta, Georgia.
Jordan, L. S., Abrams, B. A., & Grogan, C. (2014, November). Encountering polyamory with
a postmodern approach: Facilitating a multi-partner perspective in therapy. Paper
presented at the 2014 National Council on Family Relations annual conference, Baltimore, Maryland.
Jordan, L. S. (2014, June). Building couple resilience in the face of poverty: An
interpretation of the ambiguous loss model. Poster presented at the meeting of The American Family Therapy Academy Annual Meeting and Open Conference, Athens, Georgia.
Jordan, L. S., & Steele, J. (2014, June). Where is the family in polyamory? A review of
polyamorous studies literature. Poster presented at the meeting of The American Family Therapy Academy Annual Meeting and Open Conference, Athens, Georgia.
State
Jordan, L.S. (2015, February). Social justice and social responsibility: Family policy, family
possibilities. Keynote speech at the Inaugural Family and Consumer Science Day Dedication and the State Capitol. Atlanta, Georgia.
Jordan, L. S., & Steele, J. (2014, May). Encountering polyamory and non-monogamy in family
therapy. Pre-conference Institute at the meeting of The Georgia Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Annual Conference, St. Simons Island, Georgia.
Jordan, L. S., (2012, may). LGB affirmative training in Georgia’s couple and family therapy
training programs. Poster Presentation at The Georgia Association of Marriage and
Family Therapy Annual Conference. St. Simmons Island, GA.
POLICY EXPERIENCE
Legislative and Governmental Affairs Co-Chair, Board of the Georgia Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, 2013- Present
• Works actively with the board, membership, and other mental health boards in the state to create effective legislation for the profession and clients.
• Meet with elected and appointed state legislatures to discuss MFT and family priorities, attend events, fundraisers, and dinners to network and affiliate with other policy makers.
• Arrange and conduct yearly trips to the State Capitol with students from around the state to learn about and interact with the policy process.
• Represents the interests of families by testifying at committee and study hearings on behalf of family policies.
• Sample of recent legislative work includes;
House Bill 429; Legislative Session 2015-2016 worked with colleagues in the legislature
to be added to HB 429 which now covers MFTs for private health plan reimbursement for the treatment of autism by family therapists. HB 429 was signed into law by the governor on July 1, 2015.
House Bill 692; Legislative Session 2015-2016 drafted and introduced bill to add the
ability to 1013/2013 clients. 1013s are for mental illness and 2013s are for addictive disorders. By gaining the right to 1013/2013, MFTs will be able to request emergency involuntary transport by a peace officer of a person who is a danger to themselves of others to a facility for evaluation. HB 692 was introduced in 2015 and will be voted on in 2016.
House Bill 359; Legislative Session 2015-2016 met with Secretary of State’s staff to
discuss opposition to the voting procedure changes bill seeks to amend. Offered amendments specific to MFT licensing law.
Senate Bill 128; Legislative Session 2013-2014 added diagnose to the MFT scope of
practice. In this 2 year process, I worked with council to draft SB 128, lobbied state senators and representatives, lobbyists representing varying professions, and representatives from various health organizations in the state. SB 128 was signed by the governor into law on July 1, 2014.
Social Policy/Human Rights Committee, American Family Therapy Association, 2015-Present
• Work to maintain AFTA’s corecommitment to equality, social responsibility and justice with particular attention to marginalized and underserved groups.
• Addresses above issues through forums on social issues, creating position papers, public statements, advocacy, and through direct action.
• Work to ensure AFTA’s organizational behavior is socially responsible and brings recommendations to the Board.
The Feldman Outstanding Research Proposal for Research in Family Policy, The National Council on Family Relations, 2014
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
MFST 696: Supervision of Therapy, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA
Supervisor, Spring 2016
Supervise 6 master’s level student in their final year.
Supervisee’s work at medical centers, community agencies, and the Mercer clinic
Supervisee’s caseloads include; individual, couple, and families; high levels of trauma and psychopathology, crisis cases, abuse, and adjustment issues.
HDFS 4130: Family Policy, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
Instructor of Record, Spring 2015
Re-developed an existing course
Utilized new academic literature, popular policy topics, and foundational texts to create a broad range of information
Utilized discussion groups on current policy, bills, and court rulings to engage students and to connect students to the importance of policy-awareness
HDFS 4870: Human Sexuality across the Lifespan, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
Teaching Assistant, Spring 2014
HDFS 2200: Introduction to Lifespan Development, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
Teaching Assistant, Fall 2013, Fall 2014
Invited Lectures
Jordan, L.S. (2014, October). Couple and family therapy and the context of therapeutic and
family policy work. SOWK 6011: Social Welfare Policy and the Social Work Profession,
University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
Jordan, L. S. (2014, February). The Georgia state assembly: An overview and introduction into
how a bill is passed. HDFS 4130: Family Policy, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Co-investigator, P.I., Dr. J. Maria Bermudez, University of Georgia; 2014- present
• “The Policy Participation of Marriage and Family Therapists”
• Created a revised measure for assessing therapist’s political and policy participation.
• Obtained IRB approval. Data collection completed.
• Currently analyzing data and completing manuscripts.
• Project was awarded NCFR’s Outstanding Research Proposal in Policy, and AAMFT’s Cutting Edge Research Award
Co-investigator, P.I., Dr. Desiree Seponski, University of Georgia; 2015- present
• “Cambodian Therapists Experiences of Training and Supervision”
• Conducted literature review relevant to culturally responsive supervision practices and Cambodian culture
• Received permission from Royal University of Phnom Penh for research.
• Obtained IRB approval. Data collection was completed in December 2015 through in person interviews in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
• Currently transcribing data for analysis.
Co-investigator, P.I., Dr. Desiree Seponski, University of Georgia; 2015- present
• “Deconstructing Mononormativity in Family Therapy”
• Conducted literature review of mononormativity, polyamory, and self-reflective exercises
• Prepared IRB for evaluation of reflection questions
• Conducted workshops and evaluation of exercises, prepared manuscript
Research Assistant, Dr. Desiree Seponski, University of Georgia, 2015- Present
• In Cambodia (December 2015) to assist with data analysis (both qualitative and quantitative) on an international collaboration between the Cambodian Government, the Royal University of Phnom Penh, and Non-governmental Organizations to address the identified challenges of the Cambodian population of poverty, gambling, intimate partner violence, and addiction of families infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in Cambodia
• Conducted literature reviews on Cambodian mental health, trauma, and poverty
• Assisted with grant applications
• Prepared manuscripts on Supervision in Cambodia, politics of therapy
Research Lab Member, Dr. Desiree Seponski, University of Georgia, 2015-Present
• Assisted in preparing grant for travel to Cambodia at the Royal University of Phnom Penh in December.
• Manuscript and presentation preparation on testimonial therapy
Research Assistant, Dr. J. Maria Bermudez, University of Georgia, 2013- 2015
• Conducted literature reviews on decolonizing research methodologies, undocumented Latino families, experiences of risk and resilience.
• Assisted in obtaining Internal Review Board approval for study on resilience in undocumented Latino families