Anne Hearon
Rambo, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Family Therapy
Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314
Phone: (954) 262-3002
Toll Free: 800-262-7978
Fax: (954) 262-3968
Email: rambo@nsu.nova.edu
Anne Rambo’s two years of teaching in Head Start demonstrated to her that parents affect their children's development more than any outside program ever could. During her internship at San Antonio Community Guidance Center, then under the leadership of Dr. Albert Serrano, one of the pioneers of multiple impact family therapy, she became interested in systems perspectives. During the next six years, she received over 100 hours of clinical supervision from Harry Goolishian and Harlene Anderson at the Galveston Family Institute, while practicing as a child and family therapist at Austin Child Guidance Center, the Texas Research Institute of Mental Sciences (TRIMS), and Houston Child Guidance Center.
At the Texas Research Institute of Mental Sciences, she participated in an innovative study that assessed the success rate of family therapy with young adults recently diagnosed with schizophrenia. Her advocacy for these young adults as they struggled to escape their diagnostic labels fired her commitment to advocating for clients within larger systems.
Anne’s interest in teaching led her to the Ph.D. program in marriage and family therapy at Texas Tech University, where she worked at the university laboratory nursery school and consulted to local Head Start centers. As an ABD (All But Dissertation) instructor, she moved to Florida to the new Ph.D. program in systemic family therapy program at what became SHSS. In 1979 she received her doctoral degree from this family therapy program, while working as a clinical supervisor within it. One week later she gave birth to Rachel Shelby Rambo, and one month later our family therapy program promoted her to faculty level.
Her first book, Practicing Therapy: Exercises for Growing Therapists, came out in 1993, while her second book, I Know My Child Can Do Better: A Frustrated Parent’s Guide to Educational Solutions, came out in 2001. This book reflects the insights generated by Anne’s ChildFit program. ChildFit helps parents to navigate the school system. Anne received the 2002 Contributions to Diversity Award at the Florida Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Conference in Orlando for ChildFit’s advocacy efforts on behalf of immigrant children, children of color, and special needs children. She is presently hard at work on SUPERB (Students United with Parents & Educators to Resolve Bullying), a grant funded research project which addresses bullying in schools.
Her research and practice interests involve fostering respect for difference in the practice of psychotherapy, within large institutions like schools, and across cultural and generational boundaries.