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Faculty Member

Sam Ryland

Biography

Samuel Ryland, PhD, LCSW is an assistant professor, teaching in the Master of Social Work program in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at Utah Valley University. Dr. Ryland has worked in a variety of clinical settings in Australia and the United States, including juvenile justice, domestic violence, family support, and generalist clinical practice. He was previously clinical director of the Domestic Violence Program at YFS (in Australia) and a supervisor for the Family Relationship Advice Line at Relationships Australia. After moving to the United States, Dr. Ryland pursued a doctoral degree in Marriage and Family Therapy to research behaviors that promote safety and engagement in clinical settings. As an autistic person, Dr. Ryland specializes in identifying accommodations and adapting clinical practice for neurodiverse populations. Dr. Ryland earned his Master of Social Work degree at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, and his Doctorate in Philosophy (Marriage and Family Therapy) from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Education

PhD, Brigham Young University, 2021

Major: Marriage and Family Therapy

MS, Griffith University, 2011

Major: Social Work

BS, Brigham Young University, 2008

Major: Marriage, Family, & Human Development

Teaching

SW 6040

Social Work Practice IV--Advanced Practice with Families and Groups, Spring 2026

SW 6320

Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations, Spring 2026

SW 6320

Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations, Spring 2026

SW 6320

Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations, Spring 2026

Presentations

Ryland, Sam (Presenter & Author), Johnson, Lee N. (Co-Presenter), Process Research Summit, "Empathic Listening Processes in Couples Therapy", Process Research Summit, Snowbird, UT. (June, 2019)
Ryland, Sam (Presenter & Author), Utah Association for Marriage and Family Therapy 2019 Conference, "Empathic Listening Processes in Couples Therapy", Utah Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Salt Lake City, UT. (May, 2019)
Johnson, Lee N. (Presenter & Author), Ryland, Sam (Presenter & Author), North American Society for Psychotherapy Research 2018 Conference, "Effect of Adverse Childhood Events and Current Adverse Events On Couples in Therapy", North American Society for Psychotherapy Research, Snowbird, UT. (September, 2018)

Scholarly/Creative Works

Ryland, Sam , Johnson, Lee N., (2020) "Mindfulness in Marriage" . Springer.
Ryland, Sam , Lybbert, Ragan L., Bean, Roy , (2019) "Existential Interventions for Adolescent Suicidality_ Practical Interventions to Target the Root Causes of Adolescent Distress" (vol. 100). Children and Youth Services Review.
Ryland, Sam , (2015) "Boy" . Newcastle: Hunter Writers Center.