American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is a professional association in the field of marriage and family therapy representing more than 50,000 marriage and family therapists throughout the United States, Canada, and abroad.[1]
History[]
Founded in 1942 as the American Association of Marriage Counselors, the AAMFT has been involved with the problems, needs and changing patterns of couples and family relationships. A central premise of AAMFT is that marriage and family therapists should treat relationships within families rather than the symptoms of individuals based on a view that individuals are part of relationship systems.[2]
Goals[]
The association focuses on increasing understanding, research and education in the field of marriage and family therapy.
Goals of AAMFT are to:
- facilitate research, theory development and education,
- establish and implement standards for programs that serve as the basis for accreditation,
- establish implement standards for clinical supervision, professional ethics and the clinical practice of marriage and family therapy.
- serve as a recognized accreditor in North America for the accreditation of MFT academic programs in the United States and Canada.
Continuing Education[]
The AAMFT conducts an annual national conference in the United States each fall as well as a week-long series of continuing education institutes in the summer and winter.
Accreditation of Academic Programs[]
AAMFT's "is the nationally recognized accrediting agency that accredits Master's degree, doctoral degree, and post-graduate degree clinical training programs in marriage and family therapy throughout the United States and Canada."[3]
Licensing of Marriage and Family Therapists[]
Within the United States, marriage and family therapy is regulated by individual states.[4]
Marriage and Family Therapy Journals[]
- Contemporary Family Therapy
- Family Process
- Family Relations
- Journal of Child and Family Studies, ISSN 1062-1024 (Print) ISSN 1573-2843 (Online), Springer
- Journal of Family Psychology
- Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
References[]
External links[]
- American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy – Internet Archive. Archived from the official website
- TherapistLocator.net - a website of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy with a listing of over 15,000 marriage and family therapists
- Counseling organizations
- Family therapy
- Professional associations based in the United States
- Relationship counseling
- School accreditors
- Organizations established in 1942
- 1942 establishments in the United States