Answers to Your Questions
Who are Family Therapists?
- Licensed mental health practitioners
- Educated with a master's or doctoral degree
- Trained with a minimum of two (2) years supervised clinical experience
- Family-focused psychotherapists and mental health generalists
Who are the Clients of Marriage and Family Therapists?
- 6.1 Million People are seen Annually by Family Therapists
- 2,294,728 Individuals Per Year
- 808,798 Children Per Year
- 752,370 Couples Per Year
- 526,659 Families Per Year
What Disorders are Commonly Treated by Marriage and Family Therapists?
- Depression and other Affective Disorders
- Childhood Behavioral and Emotional Disorders
- Marital and Relationship Problems
- Conduct Disorder and Delinquency
- Substance Abuse
- Alcoholism
- Domestic Violence
- Severe Mental Illness
- Physical Illness
Do clients typically like the services of Marriage and Family Therapists?
- 98% rated services good or excellent
- 97% got the kind of help they desired
- 91% were satisfied with the amount of help they received
- 93% said they were helped in dealing more effectively with problems
- 94% would return to the same therapist in the future
- 97% would recommend their therapist to a friend
- 97% were generally satisfied with the service they received
- 63% reported improved physical health
- 55% reported improvement in functioning at work
- 74% indicated improvement in children’s behavior
- 59% showed improvement in children’s school performance
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What Services are Provided by Marriage and Family Therapists?
- Diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders
- Individual child (15%) and adult (47%) psychotherapy
- Couple, family, and group therapy (38%)
- Treatment planning
- Marriage and relationship counseling
- Premarital education and marital enrichment
- Life coaching
What distinguishes Marriage and Family Therapists from other mental health professionals?
A family orientation coupled with rigorous training requirements make Marriage and Family Therapists uniquely qualified to provide mental health services. Family Therapists are trained in various modes of therapy in order to prepare them for work with individuals, families, couples, and groups. The training of MFTs includes live supervision by experienced MFTs, which is unique among the mental health disciplines.
Research shows that marriage and family therapy is a cost-effective, short-term, and results-oriented form of treatment. In a recent study, researchers found that clients report high satisfaction with marriage and family therapies, with significant improvements in emotional and physical health, functioning, and relationships.
What Qualifications should I look for in a Family Therapist?
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) has developed standards for the education and training of Marriage and Family Therapists. The U.S. federal government and many states have utilized the AAMFT’s standards when drafting laws regarding Family Therapists.
The AAMFT Clinical Members have a minimum of a master’s degree, including specific graduate training in marriage and family therapy. Clinical members have also completed at least two years of supervised clinical practice with individuals, couples and families; this includes live supervision of trainees’ cases by experienced MFTs.
The AAMFT Clinical Members are trained in diagnosis, assessment, and treatment and are trained to use a variety of therapeutic techniques and processes. The AAMFT Clinical Members observe a strict code of ethics and welcome inquiries about their training, experience, theoretical orientation, and fees. These therapists can be found on TherapistLocator.net or ask an MFT whether they are a Clinical Member of the AAMFT.
What is the difference between a Marriage and Family Therapist and other mental health professionals?
Marriage and Family Therapists
- Master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy
- Two years of supervised clinical experience
Clinical Social Workers
- Master’s or doctoral degree in social work
- Two years of supervised clinical experience
Professional Counselors
- Master’s degree or higher with a major study in counseling
- Two years of post-master’s supervised counseling experience
Psychiatric Nurse Specialists
- Registered nurses Master’s degree in nursing with a specialization in psychiatric/mental health care services
- Two years of supervised clinical experience
Clinical Psychologists
- Doctorate in psychology
- Two years of supervised clinical or counseling experience
Psychiatrists
- Doctor of medicine (MD) or doctor of osteopathic (DO)
- Certified as a psychiatrist or child psychiatrist by the American Medical Specialties Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, or by the American Osteopathic Board of Neurology and Psychiatry
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Do I have to be married to go to a Marriage and Family Therapist?
No. Individuals often seek marriage and family therapy for help with behavioral problems, relationship issues, or mental and emotional disorders. Family Therapists provide the same services as other mental health professionals, with a different orientation.
Can you do family therapy with only one person?
Family therapy is effective with just one individual or with couples, families, or groups.
What is the Cost for a Family Therapist’s Services?
Mental health services provided by Family Therapists are cost-effective. MFTs provide brief, solution-focused therapy that often results in lower costs to the client.
MFT fees are only 60% of what psychiatrists charge and 80% of what psychologists charge
Family therapy requires 30% fewer sessions than individual therapy
More than two-thirds of Private Practice MFTs will reduce fees based on an individual’s ability to pay
Family Therapy has been shown to reduce health care use by 22%
Where do Family Therapists Practice?
Family therapists provide services in all segments of the health care arena, with the majority offering direct health care delivery. Half of all family therapists work in private practice. One quarter are located in institutional or organizational settings, and the remaining clinicians practice in both.
MFTs also provide to specialty populations; minority populations make up 25% of their clientele; 25% work in faith-based settings; 17% work in rural settings; and 9% are in elementary or secondary schools. Overall, family therapists can be found almost anywhere health care is delivered or practiced.
- Private Practice
- Community Mental Health Centers
- Inpatient Facilities
- Employee Assistance Programs
- Health Maintenance Organizations
- Business and Consulting Companies
- Schools and Head Start Centers
- Social Service Agencies
- Universities and Research Centers
- Courts and Prisons
- Rural Clinic
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Members: See CTAMFT Members Section
References:
Sprenkle, D. H. (Ed.) (2002). Effectiveness Research in Marriage and Family Therapy. Alexandria, VA: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
Bird, D., Hartley, D, Lambert, D., Lous, S. and Ziller, E. (2002) Effects Of Licensure Laws And Rules On Access To Mental Health Services In Rural Areas. Maine Rural Health Research Center, Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine.
Northey, W. F., Jr. (2002). Characteristics and Clinical Practices of Marriage and Family Therapists: A National Survey. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 28, 487-494.
U.S. Census Data & CSAT Practice Research Network Survey
QS&A Research & Strategy (1998). Relationships, mental health, and marriage and family therapy. Washington, DC: The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
Doherty, W.J. & Simmons, D.S. (1995). Clinical Practice Patterns of Marriage and Family Therapists: A National Survey of Therapists and Clients. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 21, 9-25.
New Data Shows Exactly What Clinicians are Facing. Psychotherapy Finances, Vol. 26, No. 10, Issue 318, October 2000
Cigna Behavioral Health Data, 2000-2003.
Law, D.D. & Crane, R.C. (2000), The Influence of Marital and Family Therapy on Health Care Utilization in a Health-Maintenance Organization, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 26, No. 26, 281-291. |
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