Couples & Family Institute

Mary Blackwood, LCMFT serves as the Program Director for the Couples & Family Institute. Mary envisioned and created the Couples & Family Institute in 2018, a program that focuses on providing comprehensive and systemic care for families and couples.

She received her MS in Marriage & Family Therapy from Capella University. She completed the 18-month process to become an AAMFT Board Approved Supervisor. Mary’s love and respect for the family positioned her to share this passion with MPB Group, Inc. for the last nine + years. From an intern to Program Director, the focus has always been on providing stellar systemic services by training future dedicated family therapists that help and guide couples and families to discover or rediscover their own family harmony. She has worked extensively with families of adoption, foster care, and guardianship. This vulnerable population and the lack of resources for the families is the first program under CFI where extensive training was developed and introduced to every clinician. MPB Group is now an Adoption Competent Agency.

Vincent Arisukwu served as a Couples and Family Therapist intern at MPB Group while earning his PhD in marriage and family therapy from Eastern University, Pennsylvania. He is a trained Prepare/Enrich Facilitator, which directly connects with his goal to support couples and families. Through the lens of Attachment Theory, Hope-Focused Theory, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Bowenian approach, Vincent helps clients reawaken their search for meaning through deepening their emotional and spiritual connection. Vincent has worked with several community support groups in coordinating marriage and couples enrichment programs. Equipped with philosophical and theological training, Vincent believes that establishing a strong therapeutic relationship is key to healing and recovery in treatment.

Ralnah Brown is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a Registered Nurse who loves working with couples. She interned at MPB Group as a Couples & Family Therapist intern while earning her masters degree. She is a certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator, which directly connects with her goal to help couples make sense of their life stories and experiences. As an empathetic and compassionate listener, she helps pre-marital couples prepare for their marital journey. Through the lens of Attachment Theory, application of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Emotionally Focused Therapy, Ralnah helps individuals and couples establish and/or deepen their emotional connection. Ralnah translates this approach when seeing individuals, for understanding one’s individual story is key to an enriched life. Ralnah sees couples and individuals via teletherapy only.

Sierra Coleman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who earned her Master’s degree from Touro University. She completed her internship at MPB Group and was welcomed back in 2022 after passing her Boards. Her fascination, expertise and interest are working with couples. Sierra guides and addresses the complexities of relationships, communication, and attachment injuries from an Existential perspective utilizing Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Sierra will be pursuing a certification in sex therapy, which will add to CFI’s couples program.

Jasmine Jenkins is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She joined MPB Group as an intern when she made an indelible impact. After completing her MA degree at Capella University, she returned to MPB Group. Jasmine combines her early child development professional experience with training in family therapy using Structural Family Therapy to realign families that need adjustment. Addressing challenges such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, parenting skills and communication, she works with children, adolescents, and teens within the family system to help parents and children better communicate and find their family harmony. She is an Adoption Competent Therapist. She will begin certification for Discernment Counseling in 2022, which will be a great addition to our Couples Program.

Trish is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who earned her MA degree in 2021 at Northcentral University. Her graduate program specialization was Military Families. Trish returned to MPB Group after interning with CFI in 2020. She is working towards her Doctorate of Education in Community Care- Marriage and Family Therapy at Liberty University. She uses Experiential Therapy as her model to create memorable moments in session for families and couples to see family patterns that are getting in the way of synchronicity. She then guides couples and families to take the steps towards positive change. Trish sees couples and families via teletherapy only.

Jennifer Staten is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who earned her MA degree in 2021 at Northcentral University. Her specialization in Child and Adolescent Family Therapy aligns with her passion to bring healing to children and families through creative means. Jennifer connects with children and adolescents well through her vast knowledge of gaming and Anime – this valuable connection is key to aid in the change necessary for communication, respect and unity.
She practices Solution-Focused Narrative Therapy which leads to families exploring and finding solutions to their challenges by constructing their preferred narrative.
Jennifer connects with children and adolescents well through her vast knowledge of gaming and Anime – this valuable connection is key to aid in the change necessary for communication, respect, and unity.