College of Education and Human Development

Family Social Science

Tai Mendenhall

  • Pronouns: he/him/his

  • Professor, Couple & Family Therapy Specialization

Tai Mendenhall

Areas of interest

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

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

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

Biography

Advising statement

As a principal investigator (PI), Tai has secured funding for four major projects to-date:

1) The Family Education Diabetes Series (FEDS)

2) East Metro American Indian Diabetes Initiative (learn more about this project via videos in the Family Social Science YouTube playlist at the CEHD Channel).

3) Community-based Participatory Research to Decrease Smoking Prevalence in a High Risk Young Adult Population: A Collaboration between Job Corps and Family Medicine

4) Hmong Women United Against Depression (HWUAD) and Sisters Helping Sisters (SHS)

Publications

Mendenhall, D., McIntosh, D., & Hottinger, D. (in-press). Walking-the-walk: Attending to the “spiritual” in Medical Family Therapy’s biopsychosocial/spiritual care. Advance online publication. Contemporary Family Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-021-09619-0

Rivera-Kloeppel, B., & Mendenhall, T. (in-press). Examining the relationship between self-care and compassion fatigue in mental health professionals: A critical review. Traumatology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000362 [1.388]

Braughton, J., Mendenhall, T., & Kazlauskaite, V. (in-press). Identification of resiliency processes in dual-trauma couples: An exploration of self-reported relational strengths and weaknesses. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tra0001112 [2.673]

Hunt, Q., Krauthamer Ewing, E. S., Weiler, L., Mendenhall, T., Ogbaselase, F., McGuire, J., *Monet, M., Kobak, R., & Diamond, G. (in-press). Family relationships and the interpersonal theory of suicide in a clinically suicidal sample of adolescents. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmft.12549

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

Mendenhall, T. (2021). Community wisdom: Walking in balance with Indigenous cultures. Psychotherapy Networker, 45(3), 28-33. https://www.psychotherapynetworker.org/magazine/article/2544/community-…

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 [1.077]

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 [1.680]

Li, Y., Zuiker, V., Mendenhall, T., & Montalto, C. (2021). Parental financial socialization, financial experiences, and financial behaviors: Comparing Asian American and International Asian college students. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 32(1), 68-85. https://doi.org/10.1891/JFCP-19-00008 [0.25] 

Hunt, Q., Weiler, L., McGuire, J., Mendenhall, T., Kobak, R., & Diamond, G. (2020). Testing basic assumptions of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire-15 in a sample of clinically depressed and suicidal youth. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 50, 372-386. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12594 [3.032]

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 [2.471]

Landers, A., Dimitropoulos, G., Mendenhall, T., Kennedy, A., & Zemanek, L. (2020). Backing the blue: Trauma in law enforcement spouses and couples. Family Relations, 69, 308-319.  https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12393 [2.39]

Mendenhall, T., Plowman, E., & Trump, L. (Eds.). (2019). Intimate relationships: Where have we been? Where are we going? (3rd edition). Kendall Hunt Publishing. 2nd edition published in 2016 (with one student author/editor). 1st edition published in 2014 (with one student author/editor)

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

Hodgson, J., Lamson, A., Mendenhall, T., & Crane, R. (Eds.). (2014). Medical family therapy: Advanced applications. Springer.

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 8013: Qualitative Family Research Methods

FSoS 8047: Integrative Research Seminar

FSoS 8295: Couple/Marriage & Family Therapy Practicum

Supervisor, Undergraduate Clinical Internship: Family Social Science

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

Co-Coordinator of Behavioral Medicine Education, St. John’s Family Practice Residency

Honors and Awards

2023 Marty and Jack Rossman Award, College of Education and Human Development

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

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