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.
Marriage and family therapists may work in private practice, inpatient facilities, employee assistance programs, health maintenance organizations, community mental health centers, business and consulting companies, schools and head start centers, social service agencies, universities and research centers, and courts and prisons.
According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), marriage and family therapy is one of the fastest growing mental health disciplines. 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. MFTs are licensed or certified in 50 states and are recognized by the federal government as members of a distinct mental health discipline.