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.

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.

Goals

The association focuses on increasing understanding, research and education in the field of marriage and family therapy. Goals of AAMFT are to:

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."

Licensing of Marriage and Family Therapists

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

Marriage and Family Therapy Journals