College of Education and Human Development

Family Social Science

Tai Mendenhall

  • Pronouns: he/him/his

  • Professor, Couple & Family Therapy Specialization

  • Office Hours

    I am not accepting new advisees for fall 2024 in the MA, PhD, and MA/PhD programs.

Tai Mendenhall

Areas of interest

Medical Family Therapy
Families and Chronic Illness
Trauma and Fieldwork
Citizen Health Care
Community-based Participatory Research

Degrees

Ph.D., Marriage and Family Therapy, University of Minnesota
M.S., Marriage and Family Therapy, Kansas State University
B.S., Family Social Science, University of Minnesota

Publications

See CV for complete list

1. Doherty, W., & Mendenhall, T. (2024). Becoming a citizen therapist: Integrating community problem-solving into your work as a healer. American Psychological Association.

2.  Mendenhall, T., Plowman, E., & Trump, L. (Eds.). (in press). Intimate relationships: Where have we been? Where are we going? (3rd edition). Kendall Hunt Publishing.

  1. 3rd edition published in 2019 
  2. 2nd edition published in 2016 
  3. 1st edition published in 2014 

3.  Mendenhall, T., Lamson, A., Hodgson, J., & Baird, M. (Eds.). (2018). Clinical methods in medical family therapy. Springer.  

4. Kazlauskaite, V., & Mendenhall, T. (in press). Providers working with parents who are diagnosed with cancer: Education and role perceptions regarding communication efforts between parents and children. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05208-6 

5. Fatiha, N.*, Mendenhall, T., & Berge, J. (2023). How to do research with Native communities: Lessons from students’ experiences and Elders’ wisdom. AlterNative, 19(2), 366-376. https://doi.org/10.1177/11771801231171234 

6. Berge, J.M., Trofholz, A.C., Aqeel, M., Norderud, K., Tate, A., Fertig, A., Loth, K., Mendenhall, T., & Neumark-Sztainer, D. (2023). A three-arm randomized controlled trial using ecological momentary intervention, community health workers, and video feedback at family meals to improve child cardiovascular health: The Family Matters study design. BMC Public Health, 23(708), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-15504-2 

7. Rivera-Kloeppel, B.*, & Mendenhall, T. (2023). Examining the relationship between self-care and compassion fatigue in mental health professionals: A critical review. Traumatology, 29(2), 163-173. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000362 

8. Mendenhall, T., McIntosh, D.*, & Hottinger, D. (2022). Walking-the-walk: Attending to the “spiritual” in Medical Family Therapy’s biopsychosocial/spiritual care. Contemporary Family Therapy, 44, 44-54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-021-09619-0

10. Simpson, J.*, & Mendenhall, T. (2022). Community-based participatory research with Indigenous youth: A critical review of literature. AlterNative, 18(1), 192-202. https://doi.org/10.1177/11771801221089033

11. Braughton, J., Mendenhall, T., & Kazlauskaite, V. (2022). Identification of resiliency processes in dual-trauma couples: An exploration of self-reported relational strengths and weaknesses. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 14(S1), S109-S118. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001112 

12. Lamson, A., Hodgson, J., Pratt, K., Mendenhall, T., Wong, A., Sesemann, E., Brown, B., Taylor, E., Williams-Reade, J., Blocker, D., Caspari, J., Zubatsky, M., & Martin, M. (2022). Couple and family interventions for high mortality health conditions: A strategic review (2010-2019). Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 48, 307-345. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12564 

13. Jensen, E. J., Mendenhall, T., Futoransky, C.*, & Clark, K. (2021). Family medicine physicians’ perspectives regarding rural behavioral health care: Informing ideas for increasing access to high-quality services. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 48(4),554–565. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-021-09752-6

14. Mendenhall, T. (2021). We are in this together: Maintaining our healthcare teams’ wellness during challenging times. Families, Systems, & Health, 39(3), 541-543. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/fsh0000650 

15. Jensen, E.*, Weiling, E., & Mendenhall, T. (2020). A phenomenological study of clinicians’ perspectives on barriers to rural mental health care. Journal of Rural Mental Health, 44, 51-61. https://doi.org/10.1037/rmh0000125 

Recent News

Teaching and Learning

FSoS 1101: Intimate Relationships

FSoS 3431: Counseling Skills Practicum II

FSoS 4107: Traumatic Stress & Resilience in Vulnerable Families across the Lifespan

FSoS 8047: Integrative Research Seminar

FSoS 8103: Qualitative Family Research Methods - I

FSoS: 8196 & 8296: Couple/Marriage & Family Therapy Practicum & C/MFT Internship

FSoS 8396: C/MFT Supervision of Supervision

FSoS 8560: Citizen Professional Work with Families

Supervisor, Doctoral MFT/MedFT Clinical Placement: Family Social Science

Supervisor, Undergraduate Clinical Internship: Family Social Science

Instructor, Disaster Behavioral Health (UMN Health Emergency Response Office)

Instructor, Psychological First Aid (UMN Health Emergency Response Office)

Honors and Awards

Marty and Jack Rossman Faculty Development Award, University of Minnesota/College of Education and Human Development; 2023 

Certificate for Dedication to Student Learning, UMN College of Education and Human Development; 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Families and Health Professional Clinical Practice Award, National Council on Family Relations; 2020

Ramsey County Public Health Award (University of Minnesota + Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul / Department of Indian Work); 2017

Wingspread Award; Collaborative Family Healthcare Association (CFHA); 2016

Excellence in Academic Advising and Mentoring Award; University of Minnesota; College of Education and Human Development; 2016

Community Outreach and Engagement Faculty Award; University of Minnesota; College of Education and Human Development; 2015

Robert H. Beck Faculty Teaching Award; University of Minnesota; College of Education and Human Development; 2010

Rising Star Award; University of Minnesota; College of Human Ecology; 2005

Best Behavioral Medicine Presentation regarding Innovative Strategies of Providing Care to Over-serviced/Under-served Patients; University of Minnesota Medical School; Department of Family Medicine and Community Health; 2004

Recognition of Excellence in Clinical Work and Patient Relations; Wake Forest University School of Medicine; Department of Psychiatry; 2003

Recognition of Excellence in Teaching: Ramsey Family Physicians Clinic; Department of Family & Community Medicine; 2002