What is Marriage and Family Therapy?
Marriage and Family Therapy is a distinct mental health
discipline which utilizes family systems theory and clinical
intervention to promote health and well-being. Marriage
and Family Therapists (MFT's) provide therapy to individuals,
couples and families to help them resolve emotional, marital
and family difficulties. MFT's broaden the traditional
emphasis to include the nature and role of individuals
in primary relationship networks such as the couple and
the family.
MFT's take a holistic approach to health care; they are
concerned with the overall, long term well-being of individuals
and their families. Marriage and family therapy is short-term,
solution focused, with attainable goals.
What kind of problems do Marriage and Family
Therapists
Address?
Marriage and Family Therapists treat a wide range of clinical
challenges including depression, anxiety, grief and loss,
post traumatic stress and burn-out, eating disorders, sexual
problems, substance abuse, gambling, sexual, physical and
emotional abuse. Adjustment to changes in health or life
circumstances such as chronic illness, serious injury,
retirement, aging, are often best treated within the context
of the overall system of relationships.
MFT’S may work with the individual to help resolve
personal or work related issues or they may address these
individual issues in the couple and family therapy.
MFT's work with couples on such problems as ineffective
communication, difficulty resolving conflict, infidelity,
cyber relationships, sexual relations, separation and divorce.
They may also offer premarital and relationship counselling.
MFT's work with all families: single parent, same sex,
remarried and the traditional unit. MFT's help families
deal with child and adolescent behavioral problems, relationship
and communication problems, parenting issues, physical
and sexual abuse, and cultural issues.
Who are Marriage and Family Therapists?
Marriage and Family Therapists are mental health professionals
trained in psychotherapy and family systems to assess and
treat mental and emotional disorders within the context
of couple and family systems. MFT's are a highly experienced
group of practitioners with an average of 13 years of clinical
practice in the field of marriage and family therapy.
All members of the Quebec Association of Marriage and
Family Therapy (QAMFT) have a qualifying masters or doctoral
degree. Clinical Membership requires the completion of
a post-graduate course of study in marriage and family
therapy from a regionally accredited educational institution,
as well as a minimum of 1,000 hours of marriage and family
therapy conducted in face-to-face contact with individuals,
couples and families supervised by an AAMFT Approved Supervisor.
Marriage and Family Therapists come from a wide variety
of educational backgrounds including psychology, psychiatry,
social work, nursing, education and pastoral counseling.
Registered Clinical Members are bound to the AAMFT Code
of Ethics.
Why Choose a Marriage and Family Therapist?
Research repeatedly demonstrates the effectiveness of
marriage and family therapy in treating the full range
of mental and emotional disorders and health problems.
Adolescent drug abuse, depression, alcoholism, obesity,
dementia in the elderly, as well as marital distress and
conflict, are just some of the conditions Marriage and
Family Therapists effectively treat.
Studies show that clients are highly satisfied with services
of MFT's. Clients report marked improvement in work productivity,
co-worker relationships, family relationships, partner
relationships, emotional health, overall health, social
life and community involvement.
Marriage and Family Therapists regularly practice short-term
therapy; 12 sessions on average. Nearly 65% of the cases
are completed within 20 sessions, 87.9% within 50 sessions.
Couple therapy (11.5 sessions) and family therapy (9 sessions)
both require less time than the average individual treatment
(13 sessions). About half of the treatment provided by
MFT's is one-on-one with the other half divided between
couple and family therapy, or a combination of treatments.
How do I know I need help?
Signs of distress are not always obvious. Some distress
signals to look for are :
| • Persistent feelings of dissatisfaction |
| • Problems with a child's behavior, school adjustment
or performance |
| • Sexual problems or concerns |
| • Unexplainable fatigue or difficulty sleeping |
• Difficulties in talking with your partner, spouse,
children, parents, other family
members, friends or
co-workers |
| • Feelings of loneliness, moodiness, sadness, failure,
stress or anxiety |
| • The need for tranquilizers, energizers or sleeping
aids |
| • Family stress due to chronic illness or illnesses
in which stress plays a major role |
| • Problems with alcohol, drugs or gambling |
| • Frequent financial difficulties |
| • Difficulty in setting or reaching goals |
| • Drastic weight fluctuations or irregular eating patterns |
| • Work difficulties, frequent job changes, problems
with co-workers |
| • Difficulties with anger, hostility or violence |
What distinguishes Marriage
and Family Therapists from other mental health professionals?
A
family orientation combined with rigorous training requirements
make MFT's uniquely qualified to provide specialized
mental health services. MFT's are trained in various models
of therapy in order to prepare them for work with individuals,
couples, families and groups. The training of MFT's includes
live supervision by experienced MFT's, which is unique
among the mental health disciplines.
Do I have to be married to go to a Marriage
and Family
Therapist?
No, individuals often seek couple and family therapy for
help with behavioral problems, relationship issues or mental
and emotional disorders. Individuals may enter couple and
family therapy to work on issues that may be preventing them
from being in a relationship or to work on issues stemming
from a relationship that has ended. Couples need not be married
to seek or benefit from marriage and family therapy.
|
