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Marriage and Family Therapy has been
a recognized psychological profession for about 65 years. It should likely be
called "Systems Psychotherapy" because it has to do with
"systems" or relationships between and among human beings. And these
"systems" are often, but not always, within marriage or families.
A
"system" could be a relationship between a mother and child, or
husband and wife, or sister and brother. But it could also be a relationship
with a fellow worker or a whole department of fellow workers, a good friend or
friends, an unmarried love partner/"significant other". You see why
the name is a bit misleading?
Marriage and Family Therapy is one
of the six licensed psychological professions in the State of Connecticut. (The
other five are psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, clinical psychologists, social
workers and counselors.)
In common
with the other five licensed professions, Marriage and Family Therapists
(MFTs) are mental
health professionals trained in psychotherapy, and licensed
to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders. MFTs generally do this
diagnosis and treatment with a 'wider angle lens', and family systems
training, within the context of couples, families and other groups or 'systems'.
MFTs
treat a wide range of clinical problems including:
depression, marital problems, anxiety, individual psychological and emotional
problems and
child-parent problems. In addition, they address such issues as affective (mood) disorders, alcoholism and drug abuse,
children's conduct disorders, anorexia, childhood autism, chronic physical illness in adults and
children and
marital distress and conflict.
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