When a tragedy of such proportions as the April 16th shootings on our campus strikes, it can be difficult to know how to respond.   No one in our program was directly harmed, though we've all lost friends or colleagues.

We have been overwhelmed by the hundreds of gestures of kindness and offers of support from faculty and students at other MFT programs, from our numerous alumni, and from friends around the world.   One group has sent us 100 teddy bears for working with survivors.  Many others have offered their expertise.   We will all be forever grateful for these and other deeply touching gestures.

While our road is long, we know we do not travel it by ourselves.  We hope that we will be able to return the kindness shown to us in any number of ways in the coming years, to help change this terrible event into something which ultimately helps all of us live better lives and have closer, more meaningful relationships with friends and family.

While much of our efforts for the foreseeable future will be directed toward helping our community recover, our general clinical work, teaching, and research will continue.   We will continue to seek out the best students from around the world to join our efforts, to minister to those in our community in need, to support the ongoing growth of our profession through service, and to pursue new insights into the nature of relationships and families.   We thank you again for your encouragement and solidarity.

With profound gratitude, I am,

Yours Sincerely,



Scott Johnson, PhD
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Center and Program Director