Every Family Deserves to Heal Together.

Your Gift Makes it Possible

Make your Gift

Every family has a unique story.
We're here for all of them.

By focusing on the entire family system rather than just the individual, Ackerman creates lasting mental health success and resilience.

At Ackerman Institute for the Family, donations fund real change. From a child’s first therapy session to training the next generation of family healers, here is exactly where your generosity goes. Explore below to see how every dollar you give is maximized to strengthen families, advance vital research, and spark a ripple effect of profound impact.

Happy family together at beach

Where Your Donation Goes

Annual Fund for General Operating Support

The backbone that holds everything together.

This unrestricted fund keeps Ackerman running — clinic operations, support groups, training programs, and research. Donors who want maximum flexibility in their impact give here, knowing every dollar goes where the need is greatest.

Clinic / Direct Family Services

No family is turned away because of what they cannot afford.

Each year, Ackerman treats hundreds of families regardless of ability to pay — covering nearly 50% of all costs for families seeking treatment. Your donation funds:

  • Financial aid and subsidized therapy for low-income families
  • Hiring additional clinicians to meet growing demand
  • Support groups for families in crisis

Therapist Training Programs

Train one therapist. Heal a thousand families.

This is a cornerstone of Ackerman’s impact. Your gift trains the next generation of diverse family therapists through several distinct programs:

  • Ackerman Core Training: An immersive, multi-year program in relational, couples, and family therapy with seminar courses and live clinical components.
  • Practicum: Advanced systemic training for graduate students in Marriage and Family Therapy.
  • Fellowship: Advanced clinical training beyond the core program for exceptional candidates.
  • International Training: Extending Ackerman’s model to communities around the globe.

Workshops & Community Training

Mental health knowledge belongs to everyone.

Ackerman runs continuing education workshops for working mental health professionals, including live in person, live online, and on demand programs, as well as:

  • Short Courses: multi-day intensives for professionals seeking deep dives
  • Community Trainings: customized programs for agencies, schools, and organizations
  • Parent Workshops: open to the public, helping parents and caregivers strengthen relationships and support their children’s emotional wellbeing

Donations help subsidize access and expand reach to communities that might not otherwise afford it.

Projects & Centers for Specialized Clinical Initiatives

Every family deserves expert care. These projects and centers make that promise real.

Each Center and Project serves a distinct, often underserved community through a consistent model combining therapy, workshops, support groups, and innovative training. Active projects include:

  • Center for the Developing Child and Family: Serving young children and early family systems.
  • Foster Care and Adoption Project: Supporting families navigating the foster and adoption system.
  • Gender & Family Project (GFP): Affirming therapy and support for transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive individuals and their families.
  • Latino Youth and Family Immigration Project: Culturally responsive therapy and support for Latino and immigrant families.

Gifts to this area fund specialized therapists, research into new treatment models, and community outreach.

Scholarship Awards

Your gift opens the door to training, so our therapists can open paths to healing for families.

A dedicated giving area to fund need-based scholarships for therapists enrolled in Ackerman’s training programs, with a focus on supporting those from underrepresented backgrounds who bring essential perspectives to the field.

Lasting Impact

80%

of families who participate in our programs report improved communication, conflict resolution, and overall family cohesion.

70%

of individuals treated within the family system report a reduction in symptoms of mental health disorders after six months of treatment.

90%

of participating families express a greater sense of support, empowerment, and unity after completing our programs.

Ready to Make a Difference?

Whether you choose to support our general operations, specialized clinical projects, or scholarship funds, your gift directly fuels a pioneering approach to mental health.

Choose the area of impact that speaks to you and help a family find their path to resilience.

Make your Gift Now