As Spokane’s only master’s program dedicated solely to marriage and family therapy, Whitworth’s Marriage & Family Therapy Program (MFT) is a 64-credit, full-time day program that begins in June. The current director, Doug Jones, will be retiring this May after almost 12 years at Whitworth.
Starting in July, Professor Mark Baird, President of the Psychology Department Faculty, will move into the position.
Baird has taught in the psychology department at Whitworth since 2012. Before coming to Whitworth, Baird received his Doctorate of Psychology from Rosemead School of Psychology at Biol University in California. From there, Baird did his internship with the United States Army where he worked in hospitals and ran clinics (including a clinic in Iraq) for four years.
After the army, Baird ran the Tacoma and Federal Way Vet Center before moving to Spokane. Baird then started at Whitworth as a visiting assistant professor, teaching clinical courses. After four years, the position was made permanent.
Now, with this semester as his last term as faculty President, Baird is ready for something new. “I got excited the more I thought about it,” said Baird. “I love to lead teams, and I love to mentor.”
The MFT program offers clinical experience at the Marriage and Family Therapy Center located in Tacoma Hall on Whitworth’s campus. There, therapy services are provided by advanced graduate students under the supervision of experienced faculty practitioners.
“It’s a meaningful career where you get to help people and speak into their lives and be with them in their pain,” said Baird. “It’s a quality program.”
The center allows graduate student therapists to gain practical experience in caring for clients in a supportive learning environment and provides community members with affordable mental health services. The center treats all types of clients, including individuals, couples and families, from a relational perspective, as relationship systems are vital for mental health.
“It’s very Whitworth,” said Baird. “It is incorporating the spiritual aspect of one’s being with the education and the emotional aspect of a person.”
Kassandra Thierauf, a student in the program, has been in the program since 2023 and is currently completing her final semester.
“I am excited to see how the program continues to grow under Mark’s new leadership and direction,” said Thierauf. “I believe Mark Baird will be able to continue this legacy and bring a fresh perspective to the program director role.”
The MFT program will also be moving from the School of Education to the School of Health Sciences while Baird is taking over. With the addition of clinical doctoral programs, the move was decided to ensure the program reflects its clinical nature.
“It’s just different leadership, and that’s really the biggest change,” said Mike Ediger, the Dean of the School of Health Sciences. “The students probably will not see any difference whatsoever, other than hopefully when we find ways to improve the program.”
As the program looks to the future, there is hope for an organized program that puts MFT students with other faculty and staff who are doing the same type of learning. “Mark Baird brings a different skill set, but also 20 years of clinical practice,” said Ediger. “He will help move the program forward.”
