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FAQ's on MFT's
Frequently Asked Questions on
Marriage and Family Therapists
What is Marriage and Family Therapy? - Click Here
Who are Marriage and Family Therapists? - Click Here
Why use a Marriage and Family Therapist? - Click Here
What are the qualifications to be a Marriage and Family
Therapist? - Click Here
How can I find a Marriage and Family Therapist? - Click Here
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What is Marriage and Family Therapy?
A family's patterns of behavior influences the individual and therefore may
need to be a part of the treatment plan. In marriage and family therapy, the
unit of treatment isn't just the person - even if only a single person is
interviewed - it is the set of relationships in which the person is imbedded.
Marriage and family therapy is:
- brief
- solution-focused
- specific, with attainable therapeutic goals
- designed with the "end in mind."
Marriage and family therapists treat a wide range of serious clinical
problems including: depression, marital problems, anxiety, individual
psychological problems, and child-parent problems.
Research indicates that marriage and family therapy is as effective, and in
some cases more effective than standard and/or individual treatments for many
mental health problems such as: adult schizophrenia, affective (mood) disorders,
adult alcoholism and drug abuse, children's conduct disorders, adolescent drug
abuse, anorexia in young adult women, childhood autism, chronic physical illness
in adults and children, and marital distress and conflict.
Marriage and family therapists regularly practice short-term therapy; 12
sessions on average. Nearly 65.6% of the cases are completed within 20 sessions,
87.9% within 50 sessions. Marital/couples therapy (11.5 sessions) and family
therapy (9 sessions) both require less time than the average individuated
treatment (13 sessions). About half of the treatment provided by marriage and
family therapists is one-on-one with the other half divided between
marital/couple and family therapy, or a combination of treatments.
Who are Marriage and Family
Therapists?
Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are mental health professionals trained
in psychotherapy and family systems, and licensed to diagnose and treat mental
and emotional disorders within the context of marriage, couples and family
systems.
Marriage and family therapists are a highly experienced group of
practitioners, with an average of 13 years of clinical practice in the field of
marriage and family therapy. They evaluate and treat mental and emotional
disorders, other health and behavioral problems, and address a wide array of
relationship issues within the context of the family system.
Marriage and Family Therapists broaden the traditional emphasis on the
individual to attend to the nature and role of individuals in primary
relationship networks such as marriage and the family. MFTs take a holistic
perspective to health care; they are concerned with the overall, long-term
well-being of individuals and their families.
MFTs have graduate training (a Master's or Doctoral degree) in marriage and
family therapy and at least two years of clinical experience. Marriage and
family therapists are recognized as a "core" mental health profession, along
with psychiatry, psychology, social work and psychiatric nursing.
Since 1970 there has been a 50-fold increase in the number of marriage and
family therapists. At any given time they are treating over 1.8 million people.
Why use a Marriage and
Family Therapist?
Research studies repeatedly demonstrate the effectiveness of marriage and
family therapy in treating the full range of mental and emotional disorders and
health problems. Adolescent drug abuse, depression, alcoholism, obesity and
dementia in the elderly -- as well as marital distress and conflict -- are just
some of the conditions Marriage and Family Therapists effectively treat.
Studies also show that clients are highly satisfied with services of Marriage
and Family Therapists. Clients report marked improvement in work productivity,
co-worker relationships, family relationships, partner relationships, emotional
health, overall health, social life, and community involvement
In a recent study, consumers report that marriage and family therapists are
the mental health professionals they would most likely recommend to friends.
Over 98 percent of clients of marriage and family therapists report therapy
services as good or excellent.
After receiving treatment, almost 90% of clients report an improvement in
their emotional health, and nearly two-thirds report an improvement in their
overall physical health. A majority of clients report an improvement in their
functioning at work, and over three-fourths of those receiving marital/couples
or family therapy report an improvement in the couple relationship. When a child
is the identified patient, parents report that their child's behavior improved
in 73.7% of the cases, their ability to get along with other children
significantly improved and there was improved performance in school.
Marriage and family therapy's prominence in the mental health field has
increased due to its brief, solution-focused treatment, its family-centered
approach, and its demonstrated effectiveness. Marriage and family therapists are
licensed or certified in 48 states and are recognized by the federal government
as members of a distinct mental health discipline.
Today more than 50,000 marriage and family therapists treat individuals,
couples, and families nationwide. Membership in the American Association for
Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) has grown from 237 members in 1960 to more
than 23,000 in 1996. This growth is a result, in part, of renewed public
awareness of the value of family life and concern about the increased stresses
on families in a rapidly changing world.
What are the qualifications
for a Marriage and Family Therapist?
Marriage and family therapy is a distinct professional discipline with
graduate and post graduate programs. Three options are available for those
interested in becoming a marriage and family therapist: master's degree (2-3
years), doctoral program (3-5 years), or post-graduate clinical training
programs (3-4 years). Historically, marriage and family therapists have come
from a wide variety of educational backgrounds including psychology, psychiatry,
social work, nursing, pastoral counseling and education.
The Federal government has designated marriage and family therapy as a core
mental health profession along with psychiatry, psychology, social work and
psychiatric nursing. Currently 48 states also support and regulate the
profession by licensing or certifying marriage and family therapists with many
other states considering licensing bills.
The regulatory requirements in most states are substantially equivalent to
the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Clinical Membership
standards. After graduation from an accredited program, a period - usually two
years - of post-degree supervised clinical experience is necessary before
licensure or certification. When the supervision period is completed, the
therapist can take a state licensing exam, or the national examination for
marriage and family therapists conducted by the AAMFT Regulatory Boards. This
exam is used as a licensure requirement in most states.
How can I find a
Marriage and Family Therapist?
AAMFT Clinical Members meet stringent training and education requirements
that qualify them for the independent practice of marriage and family therapy.
AAMFT requires Clinical Members to abide by the AAMFT Code of Ethics, the
most stringent ethical code in the marriage and family therapy profession. This
code delineates specific ethical behavior and guidelines for members to follow
to ensure the ethical treatment of clients.
Clinical Membership in the AAMFT signifies an MFT’s dedication to his or her
ongoing professional development. Each month, AAMFT Clinical Members receive
important updates on current clinical and research developments in the field, as
well as numerous opportunities throughout the year to attend professional
development conferences. Click
here to find a Marriage and Family Therapist today!
FamilyTherapyResources.net
Search for additional resources on family therapy and other
family-related issues.
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