At the age of 12, Mudita Rastogi happened to attend a lecture on the work of Erik Erikson. and decided right away that she wanted to be in the field of mental health. Currently, she is the Chair of the IAMFT Elections Council who’s hard work it is to recruit potential leaders for the organization.
Tell us about yourself.
I wear multiple hats. Professionally, I am a family and couple therapist, a professor, a consultant, an author and a volunteer. I am also a wife, mother, daughter and a sister. I was born and raised in India and have lived in many cities in the US, India and Hong Kong. I consider both the US and India as being my homes.
Where do you work?
I have a private practice in Arlington Heights where I see diverse clients. I have a special interest in multicultural couple therapy. I am a professor of psychology at Argosy University, Schaumburg, where I teach graduate courses in couple and family therapy and multicultural issues. I am a partner at the company The Happy Leader, LLC, and we provide leadership training with a unique focus on long-term happiness. I have edited two books, serve as Associate Editor for the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, and have authored numerous articles and book chapters. Finally, I volunteer my time at community based organizations.
How did you choose MFT?
During my master's psychology internship at Bombay University in India, I trained with a family therapist who introduced me to Jay Hayley's work. At that moment--BAM!--I was inducted and knew that MFT was "My Thing." I then went on to do my Ph.D. in MFT at Texas Tech University. All these years later I still completely love MFT.
How did you get involved in IAMFT?
I had attended the IAMFT conferences and found them to be a great learning experience. So when Maurlea Babb asked me to run for a position on the EC it sounded like a great way to serve the interests of the organization and the field. I wanted to get involved with the IAMFT, and this position was a great fit. I liked the idea of connecting with people, understanding the changes in our field, and volunteering with a flexibile schedule.
What do you do on the Elections Council?
The EC is comprised of 3 members. Every year we have one position that opens up in the EC. When elected, members serve for 3 years. In their final year the member serves as Chair. We work closely with the ED and the Board and anticipate the openings that IAMFT will have in the coming year. We network at the IAMFT conference to find people interested in running for office and also take suggestions and nominations from lots of sources. The EC members then contact each person to discuss their interests to match them with the openings. Our goal is to get as many talented and diverse people on the ballot as possible. People who agree to run for office send their materials to the Board. When the elections are done the results come to the EC and we announce the new members!
Why should someone get involved/run for office in IAMFT?
IAMFT works hard for us, and this is a great way to volunteer, lead, remain abreast of changes in our field, and network. IAMFT work involves teamwork and a great great opportunity to connect with people who have similar professional interests. Our field will be only grow when talented people step forward to lead and participate in taking MFT forward. Getting involved in IAMFT is one way to make change happen.