Mudita Rastogi, PhD, LMFT

Department Chair for the Master’s Program in Marriage and Family Therapy
Clinical Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University’s Psychology Department

Education

Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy, Texas Tech University

Academic Bio

Mudita Rastogi, PhD, LMFT, is the department chair for the Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy program, a clinical professor of psychology in Northwestern University’s psychology department, and holds the McCormick Tribune Foundation Chair in Marriage and Family Therapy. Dr. Rastogi obtained her PhD in marriage and family therapy from Texas Tech University, her master’s degree in psychology from University of Bombay, and her BA (Honours) in psychology from University of Delhi.  

As department chair, Dr. Rastogi oversees all aspects of graduate studies in the program, including academic and training design and implementation. An educator for more than two decades, she has taught, supervised and mentored graduate students in couple and family therapy and psychology. Her scholarly interests within the field of systemic family therapy include global mental health, inclusion, diversity, equity, multicultural, cross-cultural and gender issues, intersectionality, South Asian families, immigrant families, parenting, and child-free couples. She is also a co-investigator for an NIH-funded grant at Northwestern University that examines health outcomes for South Asian mothers and daughters.

Dr. Rastogi served as associate editor for the Handbook of Systemic Family Therapy (2020, Wiley) and Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy (2018, Springer), and edited the books “Multicultural Couple Therapy” (2009, Sage), and “Voices of Color” (2005, Sage). She is advisory editor for the journal “Family Process.” Previously, Dr. Rastogi also served as associate editor for the “Journal of Marital and Family Therapy” (2005-2011) and has been a member of the board and reviewer for numerous professional journals. 

Mudita was program director for the SAMHSA funded Minority Fellowship Program at the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy from 2011-2015 where she oversaw two national-level training grants to boost services and grow a more diverse workforce in the areas of substance use and mental health services for underrepresented communities. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a certified executive and career coach, Dr. Rastogi has worked with individuals, couples, families, and organizations reflecting all manner of diversity. She is a clinical fellow and AAMFT approved supervisor with more than 20 years of clinical experience in both India and the United States, and frequently presents workshops nationally and internationally. Additionally, Dr. Rastogi maintains an interest in partnering with grassroots, not-for-profit organizations. She recently led the launch of an online site called “Free Counselling Resources” to improve access to mental health across the world.  

Other Professional Involvement/Leadership Positions

Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor, AAMFT; Founding Member, Indian Association for Family Therapy

Research Interests

  • Systemic family therapy; marriage and family therapy
  • Global mental health
  • Inclusion, diversity, equity, multicultural, cross-cultural and gender issues, intersectionality
  • South Asian families, immigrant families
  • Parenting
  • Child-free couples

Grants Awarded

2021-Present: Co-Investigator, NIH-funded grant # 1R01CA242520-01 (Consultant from 2019-2021) Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine “A Multilevel Physical Activity Intervention for South Asian Women and Girls”

Selected Publications & Presentations

Dr. Rastogi has published numerous articles and books for both professional and general readers. A few recent ones are listed below:

Rastogi, M. (2020). A Systemic Conceptualization of Interventions with Families in a Global Context, in K. Wampler, Ed., Handbook of Systemic Family Therapy. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

Rastogi, M., & Singh, R. (Eds.) (2020). Handbook of systemic family therapy (Vol. 4). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

Sahebi, B., & Rastogi, M. (2020, September 10). Strategies to cope with distance learning: A Systems approach for parents and children. Psychotherapy Networker. https://bit.ly/35mSHfd

Rastogi, M., & Sahebi. B. (2020, July). Raising anti-racist children: Special tips for immigrant families. ParentingLENS. https://www.parentlens.com/blog

Rastogi, M. (2018). Childfree Couples. In: Lebow J., Chambers A., Breunlin D. (eds). Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8

Awosan, C.I., Curiel, Y.S., Rastogi, M. (2018). Cultural Competency in Couple and Family Therapy. In: Lebow J., Chambers A., Breunlin D. (eds). Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8

ChenFeng, J., Rastogi, M. (2018). Ethnic Minorities in Couple and Family Therapy. In: Lebow J., Chambers A., Breunlin D. (eds). Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15877-8

Rastogi, M., & Bhatia T. (2016). Young adult daughters’ experience of maternal loss: Self, relationships, and culture. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 35 (4), 23-40.

Courses

  • Assessment and Treatment of Diverse Populations
  • Family and Couples Therapy
  • Advanced Family and Couples Therapy
  • Systemic Conceptualization of Treatment of Infidelity
  • Psychology of Gender
  • Psychotherapy with Women
  • Family Therapy with Special Populations: Substance Abuse

Academic Activities

Advisory Editor-Family Process (2020-Present; 2014-2017); Associate Editor, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy (2005-2011); Program Director, Minority Fellowship Program (SAMHSA funded, 2011-2015)

Awards

Outstanding Faculty Award (2017), Illinois School of Professional Psychology, Schaumburg

Professional Memberships

Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor, AAMFT Founding Member, Indian Association for Family Therapy

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