Kristina S. Brown

Kristina S. Brown, Ph.D., LMFT is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Couple and Family Therapy at Adler University's Chicago campus. She has held leadership roles in national organizations including the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), and has contributed significantly to systemic therapy through research, editorial work, and professional service.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Syracuse University, an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego, and a B.A. in English with a minor in Women’s Studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Dr. Brown identifies as a feminist qualitative researcher with a strong focus on the lived experiences of women across diverse identities. Her research spans topics such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on couples and families, sexual harassment in higher education (#MeToo), medical family therapy related to endometriosis, infidelity, and innovative qualitative methods including dyadic interviewing and autoethnography. She also explores creative intersections such as therapy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and academics who swear.

Her recent publications show a consistent trend in feminist-informed, collaborative, and often autoethnographic research, particularly centered on academic women, couple dynamics during crises, ethical systemic practice, and alternative approaches to pain and intimacy. These works appear in leading journals such as Family Process, Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, and International Journal of Qualitative Methods, reflecting her interdisciplinary and socially conscious scholarship.

• Family Relations Top Cited Article (2021-2022)
• 2021 SSTAR’s Best Conceptual Poster Award
• Adler University Excellence in Teaching Award
• 2014 Distinguished Service Award for Education (MOAMFT)
• 2014 President’s Award from Forest Institute
• 2014 Family Process New Writer’s Fellowship
• Springfield Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 (2013)

Dr. Brown serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Feminist Family Therapy and Editor of the upcoming AAMFT Systemic Ethics Textbook. She has delivered over 80 units of continuing education and presented more than 50 times at regional, national, and international conferences. While no specific grants are mentioned, her extensive collaborative research projects suggest active engagement in funded and volunteer-driven scholarly initiatives. She mentors through her leadership in peer consultation groups and international research collectives.

She is actively involved with global mental health outreach, including volunteering with Floating Doctors in Panama, and contributes to community wellness through creative projects like donating handmade quilts to Project Linus.