About
Phyllis A. Swint, PhD, LMFT is an Associate Clinical Professor and Director of Clinical Training for Counseling and Family Therapy (COFT) housed in the department of Psychology and Brain Sciences. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Pennsylvania, and Approved Supervisor for Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT).
Swint maintained a long-standing relationship with COFT post-graduation, after completing both her Master of Family Therapy (MFT) degree in 1995 and PhD in Couple and Family Therapy (PhD) in 2009. Prior to her faculty appointment, she held director positions in various community mental health organizations for over two decades. In those roles, Swint partnered extensively with the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities, Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and Philadelphia Family Court to name a few with the goal to further strengthen services and advocacy efforts for Philadelphia’s most vulnerable and marginalized populations. In addition, she worked to increase clinical training and career opportunities for MFT graduate students.
Swint’s doctoral research emphasized the importance of interprofessional collaboration and treatment in the Philadelphia prisons to reduce recidivism outcomes for incarcerated women. This was the culmination of years of prison-to-community clinical work that continues to inspire her clinical, scholarly, and research interests that include: advancing clinical training education as it relates to curriculum and supervision, workforce development for clinicians and interns, and advancing Contextual Theory and Therapy as an evidence-informed approach to family therapy practice. Families impacted by incarceration, mental health and addiction; and the formulation of equitable healthcare and family policy for vulnerable and marginalized communities remain foci in her research agenda.