DFI is a vibrant therapy provider and learning community for couples and family therapy. We recognize the central importance of relationships in the well being of individuals, couples, families and communities. Additionally we honor the diversity in relationships and of individuals in our world. We welcome students, faculty and clients from different cultures, lifestyles and backgrounds. We have a clear non-discrimination policy in our program. We integrate cultural competence and respect for diversity in all our courses and supervision
Our faculty, we believe, is second to none in the Rocky Mountain region. Combined, they possess over 175 years of clinical experience! At the same time our faculty continues to evolve, grow and adapt new ideas in the ever changing field of family therapy. Students, in our training program, do not teach or provide supervision. Rather, we hire experienced clinicians we are successful in their own private practices, consultation work or agency employment. This creates a dynamic faculty community of dedicated professionals who can inspire and challenge each other to provide an excellent learning experience for our students. Our students routinely praise the quality of the coursework, with comments like, "This course was better than any graduate class I ever had", not being uncommon. At the same time instructors bring their unique strengths, skills and background to facilitate learning.
We welcome your inquiry regarding our couples and family therapy training program and relationship clinic. Denver Family Institute was established in 1982 and is a COAMFTE accredited program.
In addition, DFI coursework is noted for the amount of direct applicability to clinical work. Our faculty teaches subjects that clinicians want and need to learn about. DFI coursework focuses on allowing therapists to become the best therapist they can. Role plays and other experiential exercises are common in our classrooms. We also infuse our coursework with the latest information and ideas about marriage and family therapy from John Gottman and Sue Johnson to contemporary applications of structural family therapy. Throughout the courses, we weave in issues of diversity, oppression and disenfranchisement as they affect our clients and ourselves. We also integrate into our coursework the use of self and the importance of self-awareness for therapists.
These themes hold true in the area of supervision as well. All our supervisors are Approved Supervisors through, AAMFT, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Our students tell us that the supervision alone is reason enough to attend Denver Family Institute.
We are not interested in turning out large numbers of graduates or providing the quickest, cheapest way to licensure. Once licensed, clinicians rely on their DFI experience to guide them in their work. We take that seriously. Supervision focuses on bringing out the strengths of each therapist; supportively challenge blind spots and roadblocks, and encourage the practice of developing a systemic hypothesis for each case from which to guide treatment planning and interventions. To do so, we build strong, supportive relationships with our supervisees. We also foster the development of a community with our trainees.
All of these efforts are then reflected in the work in our relational clinic. Students express appreciation for the diversity of clientele and presenting problems they encounter in the clinic. For potential clients, we want you to know that DFI welcomes people from all walks of life, backgrounds, faiths and cultures. Our only requirements are that you are able to pay our low reduced fees, transport yourself to one of our two clinics, and agree to be videotaped for training purposes only. We strive to treat each of our clients with openness, effectiveness and respect. Denver Family Institute is proud to announce our renewal for six more years as an accredited program through the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education.
