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Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are mental health professionals who assess, diagnose, and treat issues that face family members, such as stress, life changes (i.e. marriage, new births, illness, school, work, death or grief), choices, and family patterns to name a few. MFTs recognize the connection between mental and physical health, and look at all possible factors that may influence undesired outcomes in relationships. Mental health affects every part of life – from how people get along with others to how someone may react to events and health problems. MFTs help clients to find solutions to the issues that concern them.
MFTs look at the context of your life and all of your relationships (i.e. home, work, social groups, in-laws, neighbors), as well as the current symptoms you may be having. This is called a “systems” approach, whereby a change in one person influences everyone around that person. MFTs are the only therapists who are specifically licensed to provide couples and family therapy. You can also see an MFT alone if you like. MFTs see unmarried couples, children, and adolescents, in addition to “larger systems” such as including people outside of your family who are willing to come to the sessions to help make positive changes.
MFTs have received specialized training to become therapists at either the MS or PhD level. You can find a list of fully licensed MFTs for any part of the country on-line at www.therapistlocator.net. All therapists found on this site are clinical members of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and have met rigorous education, training, and ethical standards.
To learn more about the profession, visit NCAMFT’s website at: www.NCAMFT.org.
What is a Marriage and Family Therapist?