Systems Theory for Research Praxis

Systems thinking is by its very nature transdisciplinary and can be a catalyst for thinking outside a disciplinary box about any issue of interest and at any scale- self, organization, and society. This talk will address how systems theory can provide a framework for multiple perspectives and complex interrelationships associated with exploring an inquiry topic. Audience members will gain insights into how a systemic lens can be used to develop an inquiry idea and consider ways to approach researching it.

Guest Speakers

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Dr. Pearl Wong Abood is a group private practice owner with extensive expertise in systems relational thinking and marriage and family therapy. She previously served as an Associate Professor at a private university in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she oversaw the development and delivery of course instruction in systemic theory, research methodologies, intersectionality, complex family trauma, crisis intervention, career development, and therapeutic alliance. Dr. Wong Abood holds a strong passion for training the next generation of marriage and family therapists.

Her experiential humanistic perspective and critical thinking approach to teaching and supervision foster curiosity and self-critical reflection, empowering students to acknowledge their own experiences shaped by multiple identities. In addition to teaching, she has actively participated in multiple doctoral-level committees for doctoral candidates.

With a Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy, Dr. Wong Abood has a specialized interest in cybernetics and the study of systems and their self-corrective behavior. In her private practice, she counsels individuals, couples, and families affected by intergenerational trauma, attachment issues, communication difficulties, complex grief, and self-led leadership. During supervision, she assists counselors in comprehending and addressing intricate systems, emphasizing feedback loops, circular causality, and equifinality. This approach highlights the significance of interconnectedness and values a system’s capacity to achieve the same final outcome conceived by differing various events or processes.

Originally from Hong Kong, Dr. Wong Abood’s family migration to the eastern coast to pursue the American Dream has not diminished the spiritedness of her upbringing in a small southern town as a minority grappling with self-identity. This experience became a catalyst for her attempts to assimilate while simultaneously learning to appreciate differences and concurrently listening to her cultural roots. She aspires to encourage others to construct their own narratives, contributing to a platform that fosters curiosity about their own intersectionality and self-identity, fostering greater connection within their families, communities, and the broader world.

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Dr. Bethany Simmons is Adjunct Faculty at CIIS in the Transformative Studies Ph.D. program and an Associate Professor and Program Director at California Lutheran University Counseling Psychology-MFT Program. She is a Louisiana Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Board Approved Supervisor, Licensed Professional Counselor, and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and Mentor.  She has created and developed doctoral courses in the Transformative Studies Ph.D. program at CIIS including Theoretical Dissertation Research and Foundations in Systemic Thinking and Practice and has served as a chair and committee member for numerous doctoral dissertations for various universities. Dr. Simmons has been teaching and supervising master’s and doctoral MFT students since 2006. She has clinical experience in adult and juvenile psychiatric hospitals, intensive outpatient programs, suicide prevention programs, juvenile drug court and private practice settings. She is the founder of The Big Systems Collective (BSC), a diverse group of therapists and educators from across the United States committed to creating social justice systemic change through cybernetic action. Her teaching, supervision and scholarship applies cybernetic and social constructionist theories to address oppression, social responsibility, power, privilege and social control within mental health practices and societal systems to create 2nd order change.

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