How Can Marriage and Family Therapy Help?

• Trained in psychotherapy and family systems, Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) focus on understanding their clients’ symptoms and interaction patterns within their existing environment.

• Marriage and Family Therapy is based on the research and theory that mental illness and family problems are best treated in a family context.

• MFTs provide  individuals, couples, families, and group therapy.

• Family Therapy is effective in treating severe mental illness and other disorders.

• Family Therapy is particularly effective with families who are providing care to elders and to a child with a chronic illness (e.g., asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, cancer).

• Family Involvement – including family psycho-education, multifamily groups therapy, and family therapy – have been consistently linked to better individual and family functioning.

• Research on couples therapy for depression indicates that couples therapy is the treatment of choice for couples in which there is both depression and couple distress.

Disorders Commonly Treated by Family Therapists:

• Depression and other Mood Disorders
• Childhood Behavioral and Emotional Disorders
• Couples Conflict & Communication Issues
• Parent-Child Relationship Issues
• Substance Abuse & Alcoholism
• Domestic Violence
• Severe Mental Illness
• Physical Illness

Family therapy outcomes for severe mental illness include:

• Improved well being
• Fewer illnesses
• Decreased medical care utilization
• Increased self-efficacy

Contact MOAMFT:

Brian Millner, Administrative Assistant

205 East Capitol Avenue, Suite 100
Jefferson City, MO 65101
573-634-8760
brianmillner@gmail.com