Dear committee members,
I am honored to nominate Zack Elisio for the Marion Lindblad-Goldberg Award. Zack exemplifies a deep and unwavering commitment to maintaining a systemic perspective, balancing professional boundaries with authentic collaboration, and fostering meaningful change across every level of the eco-systemic model. His work consistently reflects the core values of Eco‑Systemic Structural Family Therapy—competence, connection, social ecology, and purposeful simplicity in the midst of complexity. In every clinical, didactic, and supervisory training I have attended with him, Zack models what an ESFT therapist, supervisor, and leader should strive to be.
Zack consistently guides supervisors and clinicians to view families and their surrounding communities as interconnected systems. He has a remarkable ability to illuminate patterns, highlight reciprocal influences, and co‑discover how each element within a system shapes the others. Through intentional framing questions, he shifts thinking in ways that deepen insight and broaden perspective. His use of ESFT‑focused assessments extends beyond the client–clinician relationship, helping us examine the parallel processes within the clinician–supervisor and supervisor–trainer relationships.
In every training, Zack embodies the collaborative coding scale. His balance of validation and challenge creates an environment where supervisors and clinicians feel both safe and stretched. Over the three years I have been part of his supervisor cohort, he has consistently encouraged us to use our ecosystems as sources of professional support. He remains grounded in the model while empowering us to recognize and activate our own internal and external resources, strengthening our sense of competence and connection.
Zack is deeply attuned to the social ecology of the training environment. He prioritizes safety, inclusivity, and productive learning, and he takes thoughtful, active steps to reflect, seek feedback, and implement changes that enhance the group’s functioning. When any member of the cohort feels hurt, dismissed, or marginalized, Zack addresses the situation with discretion, directly, and compassionately. His ability to repair ruptures and maintain a supportive environment is widely recognized and deeply appreciated.
Zack has instilled in me and my staff the understanding that moments of intensity and crisis are powerful opportunities for joining, reframing, enacting, and anchoring change. He skillfully co‑discovers with supervisors and clinicians how to harness these moments to create meaningful movement. His approach transforms what could feel overwhelming into opportunities for clarity, connection, and growth.
One of Zack’s most notable strengths is his ability to distill complex processes into concise, impactful statements. Whether conceptualizing cases, integrating didactic material, exploring person‑of‑the‑therapist themes, or drawing parallels between supervision and clinical work, he consistently identifies the core process at play. His summaries are not only insightful—they help clinicians and supervisors internalize key concepts in ways that feel accessible and actionable.
Zack is an exceptional trainer whose passion for Eco‑Systemic Structural Family Therapy is evident in every interaction. He is deeply devoted to educating others, committed to the integrity of the model, and gifted in collaborating with individuals and groups to create meaningful, lasting change. For these reasons, I wholeheartedly nominate Zack Elisio for the Marion Lindblad-Goldberg Award.
Thank you,
Rebecca Bowman, BS
Laurel Life FBMHS Supervisor
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