American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is the professional association for the field of marriage and family therapy representing more than 25,000 marriage and family therapists throughout the United States, Canada, and abroad.

History
Founded in 1942, the AAMFT has been involved with the problems, needs and changing patterns of couples and family relationships. Marriage and family therapists treat relationships within families rather than the symptoms of individuals based on a view that individuals are part of relationship systems.

Goals
The association focuses on increasing understanding, research and education in the field of marriage and family therapy, and ensuring the quality training of marriage and family therapists. oals of AAMFT are to 1. facilitate research, theory development and education, 2. establish and implement standards for programs that serve as the basis for accreditation, 3. establish implement standards for clinical supervision, professional ethics and the clinical practice of marriage and family therapy. 4. serve as a recognized accreditor in North America for the accreditation of MFT academic programs in the United States and Canada.

Membership categories
AAMFT members meet standards for education and training and are held to the ethical standards of the profession. Clinical Members have met the highest standards of the profession for education and clinical experience. Associate and Student membership categories are available for therapists in training for clinical practice. Members of allied professions and other persons who are interested in marriage and family therapy are eligible to become Affiliate Members.

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. The AAMFT publishs the scholarly research journal Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, news about the field in Family Therapy Magazine, and a variety of brochures and pamphlets that inform the public about the field of marriage and family therapy. They also offer a range of professional and practice development products, including videotapes, books and brochures.

Accreditation of academic programs
AAMFT's Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education "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."

In 2009, Version 11 of the Standards for Accreditation governed the criteria for accredited programs.

Individuals seeking Master's, doctoral, or post-graduate clinical training programs in preparation for careers in Marriage and Family Therapy in the United States and Canada often seek the accredited programs which can be found in the Directory of MFT Training Programs.

Licensing of marriage and family therapists
Within the United States, marriage and family therapy is regulated by individual states.

Marriage and family therapy journals

 * Family Process
 * Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
 * Journal of Family Psychology
 * Family Relations
 * Contemporary Family Therapy
 * Journal of Child and Family Studies, ISSN: 1062-1024 (Print) 1573-2843 (Online), Springer