What Is a Marriage and Family Therapist?
• Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) are psychotherapists and healing arts practitioners licensed by the state of California. • MFTs assist with a wide variety of issues ranging from addictions, depression, child behavior and elder concerns. • The terms “marriage, family and child counselors” (MFCCs) and “marriage and family therapists” (MFTs) are used interchangeably. All states that regulate the profession use the title “marriage and family therapist. ” • Marriage and family therapy is highly effective because of the “systemic” orientation that its therapists bring to treatment. • MFTs believe that an individual’s emotional issues and concerns must be treated within the context of his or her current or prior relationships if the gains are to be meaningful and productive for the patient.
Marriage and Family Therapists are psychotherapists and healing arts practitioners licensed by the State of California. All Marriage and Family Therapists hold either Masters or Doctoral degrees, within the fields of counseling and psychology, from state board accredited universities and are required to complete a minimum of 3500 hours of counseling experience before becoming eligible for licensure. Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are core mental health practitioners and relationship specialists trained to assess, diagnose, and treat individuals, couples, families, and groups to achieve more fulfilling and productive personal, marital, familial, and social relationships. A Marriage and Family Therapist does not offer solutions or take sides. Instead, an MFT will assist you in working out solutions according to your own personal values and lifestyle. Seeking professional support is a sign of courage and a willingness to deal with life’s many changes.
Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) are highly-trained mental health professionals who bring a family-oriented perspective to health care. They evaluate and treat mental and emotional disorders and other health and behavioral problems, and address a wide array of relationship issues within the context of the family system. MFTs believe that individuals and their problems must be seen in context, and that the most important context is the family. How do MFTs work? MFTs pioneered brief, solution-focused, family-centered treatment. They work to understand the problem as it exists now, and focus on solutions or actions which might help to resolve the problem. They may typically ask questions about family roles patterns, rules, goals, and stages of development. A family’s patterns may influence an individual’s health condition or problem, are usually affected by the disorder, and therefore need to be a part of the treatment plan. The unit of treatment is no longer the person – even if onl
