The Institute for Relational Change is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to training the next generation of systemic, culturally responsive clinicians. Our goal is to ensure that anyone, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to high-quality, relationship-centered mental health care.

Dear Center Community,

I’m DeMarquis Clarke, founder of the Center for Relational Change. I want to thank you for all the ways you’ve supported and encouraged us at the Center, as well as your belief in our work over the years. Thank you for every kind word, every referral, and every shared moment of connection. It has all mattered more than you know.

Through the Center, we’ve had the privilege of walking alongside people as they rebuild relationships, restore trust, and rediscover hope. We have learned through this work that healing isn’t a process; it requires building relationships. It’s about helping people feel seen, understood, and deeply cared for. Over the years, we have also been fortunate to teach and mentor undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate clinicians, and lead workshops that help people grow in empathy, curiosity, and in their thinking.

Now, something new is growing from that foundation; something that feels like both a continuation and expansion of what has always been most important to me.

We’ve created the Institute for Relational Change.

The Institute for Relational Change is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to training the next generation of systemic, culturally responsive clinicians. Our goal is to ensure that anyone, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to high-quality, relationship-centered mental health care. Through the Institute, we will formalize and expand our graduate and postgraduate training programs, while simultaneously deepening our community building and engagement. The Institute builds on our existing clinical and educational roots while opening new doors for learning, healing, and community building. Through comprehensive programming grounded in systemic therapy, cultural awareness, and self-exploration, we aim to foster a community where transformation feels possible and genuine belonging is felt.

I hope the Institute becomes a place where clinicians and clients don’t just come to learn, they come to be changed. A place for courageous conversations, honest reflection, and meaningful relationships that ripple outward into families, neighborhoods, and communities.

And we can’t do it without you.

Your support will help bring this vision to life. A gift of $25, $50, $100, or what you can afford will help us:

• Support individuals, couples, and families attend therapy
• Expand community-based programs that reach underserved neighborhoods
• Provide scholarships for emerging clinicians
• Develop training programs grounded in equity, inclusion, and social justice

But even more than your financial support, we want your voice. What would make something like the Institute meaningful for you and the people you care?

Your input and feedback is essential in helping shape and mold the Institute’s growth and offerings, making them better reflect the community we serve. Please click the link below and take a few moments to share your thoughts through this short stakeholder survey

Thank you for walking this journey with us and for believing in the power of relationships, for choosing connection, and for helping create a future where healing is not just possible, but shared.

We’d love for you to share the Institute with others who may need or value this work. To stay connected with updates and upcoming events, visit CenterforRelationalChange.com and follow the Institute’s social media pages.

With deep gratitude and hope,

DeMarquis Clarke, Ph.D., LMFT
CEO, Institute for Relational Change

The Institute for Relational Change is dedicated to advancing systems-based family therapy as a pathway to stronger relationships, healthier communities, and more equitable access to mental health care. Guided by our mission to change the world one relationship at a time, we work at the intersection of clinical excellence, relational health, and community impact.

Who We Are

The Institute is the leading training center for Master’s and post-Master’s clinicians seeking advanced competency in systems-based family therapy in Western Pennsylvania. Our programs combine rigorous academic learning with a supportive, collaborative environment where clinicians deepen their systemic thinking, develop a strong sense of self, and learn to engage clients with curiosity, compassion, and equitable responsiveness.

By bringing together clinicians at different stages of their professional journeys, we create a rich, layered learning community that values mentorship, diverse perspectives, and shared commitment to relationally centered care.

What We Do

The Institute’s work is anchored in an integrated model that connects professional mental health training with community care:

• Advanced Clinical Training
  We provide comprehensive education and supervision in systemic family therapy, equipping Fellows (Master’s and post-Master’s clinicians) to excel in a wide range of clinical settings. Our curriculum emphasizes relational dynamics, contextual awareness, self-awareness and thoughtful, ethical practice.
• Accessible Mental Health Services
  To address ongoing gaps in mental health access, we offer sliding-fee therapy for uninsured and underinsured individuals, couples, and families across Pennsylvania. Fellows deliver high-quality services under expert supervision, ensuring clients receive care that is both relationally grounded and clinically sound.

Our Integrated Approach

Our training and service programs are intentionally designed to strengthen one another. As Fellows gain experience and confidence through supervised practice, communities benefit from increased access to meaningful, affordable mental health care. This structure allows us to cultivate exceptional systemic clinicians while advancing our commitment to serving Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable populations.

In this way, mental health education and access to mental health care are not separate initiatives, they are two halves of a shared mission to foster connection, healing, and long-term community wellness.

Our Vision

We envision a future in which systems-based family therapy plays a central role in improving mental health outcomes, strengthening relationships, and expanding equity across communities. As a leader in clinical training and a provider of accessible, relationally focused care, the Institute for Relational Change aims to contribute to a world where every person has the opportunity to experience healthy, supportive, and life-giving relationships.

Dear Friends,

When I imagine the future I’m striving to build, I see a world where connection is not an afterthought, but a way of life. Where every person has the chance to feel understood, valued, and seen. I envision communities strengthened not by perfection, but by the courage to show up for one another with curiosity, empathy and compassion.

This, along with my own relationships with trusted friends, inspired me to create the Institute for Relational Change. I wanted to build more than an organization; I wanted to help spark change, change through relationship building. Change that invites people to lead with their vulnerabilities, to learn through curiosity, to think beyond their current understanding, and to build relationships that heal. I wanted to build a space where our greatest possibilities emerge when we truly see one another.

For over twenty-five years, I’ve witnessed transformations that still move me deeply. I’ve seen individuals who felt despair rediscover their light when someone listened without judgement. I’ve seen partners and families rebuild trust piece by piece. I’ve seen people who once felt invisible come alive when seeing their own worth. I’ve watched people embody hope after long seasons of struggle, not because someone gave them the “right answer,” but because someone offered presence, care, and understanding. These moments have taught me that relationships are not just supportive, they are life changing.

At the Institute, we are working to shape a world where relational health is not a luxury, but a right. Where relationships thrive because people understand how to show up for one another.  Where practitioners, leaders, and everyday community members feel empowered to create spaces of belonging. Where learning about one another becomes a daily practice, and where wellness is measured not only by outcomes, but by the quality of our lives and our relationships.

I am profoundly grateful to everyone who believes in this vision, assist in nourishing our roots, and joined us along the way. Your support, commitment to equity and relational health are what make this journey possible. Together, we are building something that stretches far beyond today, something capable of changing how relationships heal and communities thrive.

Thank you for believing in a future where relationships and connection lead the way.

With deep gratitude,

DeMarquis Clarke, Ph.D., LMFT
Founder & CEO
Institute for Relational Change

Dear Friends,

When I imagine the future I’m striving to build, I see a world where connection is not an afterthought, but a way of life. Where every person has the chance to feel understood, valued, and seen. I envision communities strengthened not by perfection, but by the courage to show up for one another with curiosity, empathy and compassion.

This, along with my own relationships with trusted friends, inspired me to create the Institute for Relational Change. I wanted to build more than an organization; I wanted to help spark change, change through relationship building. Change that invites people to lead with their vulnerabilities, to learn through curiosity, to think beyond their current understanding, and to build relationships that heal. I wanted to build a space where our greatest possibilities emerge when we truly see one another.

For over twenty-five years, I’ve witnessed transformations that still move me deeply. I’ve seen individuals who felt despair rediscover their light when someone listened without judgement. I’ve seen partners and families rebuild trust piece by piece. I’ve seen people who once felt invisible come alive when seeing their own worth. I’ve watched people embody hope after long seasons of struggle, not because someone gave them the “right answer,” but because someone offered presence, care, and understanding. These moments have taught me that relationships are not just supportive, they are life changing.

At the Institute, we are working to shape a world where relational health is not a luxury, but a right. Where relationships thrive because people understand how to show up for one another.  Where practitioners, leaders, and everyday community members feel empowered to create spaces of belonging. Where learning about one another becomes a daily practice, and where wellness is measured not only by outcomes, but by the quality of our lives and our relationships.

I am profoundly grateful to everyone who believes in this vision, assist in nourishing our roots, and joined us along the way. Your support, commitment to equity and relational health are what make this journey possible. Together, we are building something that stretches far beyond today, something capable of changing how relationships heal and communities thrive.

Thank you for believing in a future where relationships and connection lead the way.

With deep gratitude,

DeMarquis Clarke, Ph.D., LMFT
Founder & CEO
Institute for Relational Change

1789 South Braddock Ave., Suite 350Pittsburgh, PA 15218

Phone: 412-450-0518
Fax: 412-727-7475
Email: info@centerforrelationalchange.com