STRONG FAMILIES. BETTER MARRIAGES. SOLID RELATIONSHIPS.
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| What is an MFT? |
 Marriage and Family Therapists:
Commonly Asked Questions What is a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT)? Marriage and Family Therapists are mental health professionals trained to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders. MFTs specialize in treating mental disorders in the context of marriage and family relationships. Marriage and Family Therapists work with the individual, couple or family to change behavioral patterns so that problems can be resolved. What types of services do Marriage and Family Therapists provide? 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. Marriage and family therapy services are:
Marriage and Family therapists treat a wide range of serious clinical problems including depression, alcohol and drug abuse, anorexia, and dementia. Clients of MFTs, according to research studies, significantly improve after treatment for problems such as: adolescent substance abuse, depression and stress by family caregivers of elderly family members, clinical depression among women in distressed marriages, general child conduct disorders, child aggression, global family problems, communication/problem solving, phobias, and psychiatric symptoms. Who licenses Marriage and Family Therapists? Currently, forty-six (46) states recognize and regulate marriage and family therapists as independent mental health care providers. In addition, the U.S. Health Resources Services Administration recognizes the field of marriage and family therapy as one of the five core mental health disciplines, and the healthcare program for military dependents, CHAMPUS/TRICARE, recognizes and reimburses MFTs as independent health care providers. How are Marriage and Family Therapists educated and trained? Marriage and family therapy is a distinct professional discipline with graduate and postgraduate programs. To become a MFT, an individual must obtain a Master’s degree or complete a doctoral program in marriage and family therapy or a related field. The AAMFT Commission of Accreditation of Marriage and Family Therapy Education is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as the accrediting agency for academic institutions providing master’s, doctoral and postgraduate training in marriage and family therapy. Once the formal education of the MFT is completed, the individual must obtain post-graduate clinical experience in marriage and family therapy. The training of MFTs includes direct clinical supervision by experienced clinicians. When the supervision period is completed, the therapist can take a state licensing exam or the national exam for MFTs conducted by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB). This exam is used as a licensure requirement in most states. Where are MFTs employed? While many are in private practice, MFTs can be found in schools, businesses, government agencies, hospitals and other health care facilities (i.e., community mental health centers, residential treatment facilities), legal and correctional systems and county mental health departments. In addition, many are employed in Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). HMOs, PPOs and other managed care companies employ and contract with MFTs for utilization review and provider screening as well as to provide mental health treatments. Insurance companies reimburse for psychotherapy services rendered by MFTs in most indemnity (fee-forservice) plans. What is the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)? Based in Alexandria, VA, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy is the professional association for the field of marriage and family therapy. AAMFT develops standards for graduate education and training, clinical supervision, professional ethics and the clinical practice of marriage and family therapy. The Association leads the way to increasing understanding, research and education in the field of marriage and family therapy, and ensuring that the public’s needs are met by trained practitioners. For additional information on the marriage and family therapist profession or the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, please contact: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy |