In his clinical practice, Mr. Russell (he/him) treats individuals, couples and families. While his approach to therapy is respectful, straightforward and strengths-based, he appreciates the variety and complexity of factors that may be involved with the issues people bring to therapy. His practice of Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST) systematically draws ideas and interventions from a variety of approaches, including the major couple and family therapy models, CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy), EFT (Emotion Focused Therapy), mindfulness-based therapy and psychodynamic therapy. Clinical interests include couples, family life stage transitions, men’s issues, adolescent and young adult adjustment, addictions, veterans, post-traumatic stress disorder and loss/grief.
Mr. Russell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Board-Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work, and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor. For over 40 years, he has practiced systemic psychotherapy, developed and administered mental health service programs, and trained and supervised therapists. He has worked in academic institutions, community agencies, a private practice, a therapeutic school and the Veterans Administration. For over thirty years, Mr. Russell has worked at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, where he has held leadership positions (Director of Community Programs and Director of the Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy Program); taught and supervised graduate students; and conducted an active clinical practice. In his current role as Core Faculty Director of the MSMFT program, he participates in all aspects of program development and administration and sits on the admissions, curriculum, supervision and accreditation committees. As chair of the accreditation committee, he has successfully led three reaccreditation efforts on behalf of the MSMFT program and recently co-led a fourth.
Mr. Russell has published two books and numerous articles. He has also given many presentations for professional audiences. A few of his recent presentations and publications are listed below:
Select Publications:
Russell, W. P., Breunlin, D. C. & Sahebi, B. (2023). Integrative Systemic Therapy in Practice: A Clinician’s Handbook. New York: Routledge, Taylor and Francis.
Russell, W. P., Breunlin, D. C. & Lofton, H. C. (2023). Integrative systemic therapy: A feedback-driven perspective. Fokus Pa Familien, 51 (4).
Breunlin, D. C., Russell, W. P., Chambers, A., & Solomon, A. (2022). Integrative Systemic Couple Therapy. In Snyder, D. & Lebow (Eds.) Handbook of Couple Therapy.
He, Y., Hardy, N. & Russell, W.P. (2021). Integrative Systemic Supervision: Promoting Supervisees’ Theoretical Integration in Systemic Therapy. Family Process, 61 (1).
Russell, W. P. & Breunlin, D. C. (2019). Transcending models and managing complexity: Suggestions from integrative systemic therapy. Family Process, 58 (3).
Pinsof, W. M., Breunlin, D. C., Russell, W. P., Lebow, J. L., Rampage, C., & Chambers, A. L. (2018). Integrative systemic therapy: Metaframeworks for problem solving with individuals, couples and families. Washington D.C.: APA Books, American Psychological Association.
Select Presentations:
Russell W. & Breunlin, D. (2023). Integrative Systemic Therapy. Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg. October 18, 2023.
Rastogi, M., Russell, W. Henry, R. & Sabey, A. (2023).
Healing the Healer: Therapists Seeking Mental Health Services. Systemic Family Therapy Conference, American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. October 25, 2023.
Russell, W. P., Breunlin, D. C. & Sahebi, B. (2023). What to do when what you are doing is not working: Integrative systemic therapy. Illinois Affiliation of Marriage and Family Therapists (IAMFT), Semi-annual Conference. Evanston, Illinois. May 13, 2023.
Chambers, A., Russell, W. P., Breunlin, D. C., Lebow, J., & Sher, T. (2019). Navigating the complexity of couple therapy using integrative systemic therapy (IST). American Psychological Association (APA) Conference. Chicago, Illinois. August 10, 2019.