SD-Therapist Finder

Why do people seek help from an MFT?

Marriage and Family Therapists are often able to treat a client’s condition quickly—a cost-effective and practical approach to mental health-care and a prime reason why so many physicians and others refer clients to marriage and family therapists. When it is in the best interest of the client or outside the scope of the marriage and family therapist’s license, he or she collaborates with and refers to other health professionals, such as physicians or psychiatrists in the case of prescribing medication.

Marriage and Family Therapists adhere to a code of ethical standards that govern the conduct of practicing professionals, interns, trainees and supervisors.

• They demonstrate responsibility to clients by respecting the rights of clients seeking treatment and making an effort to ensure that their services are used appropriately.

• They avoid relationships that could impair professional judgment or compromise and/or exploit the client’s trust and dependency.

• They do not disclose client confidences except as mandated or permitted by law. Marriage and Family Therapists assist clients in obtaining other needed therapeutic services.

• They maintain high standards of professional competence and integrity by keeping abreast of developments in their field and practicing within the scope of their education, training and experience.

• Marriage and Family Therapists accurately represent their competence, education, training, and experience relevant to their profession.

How do you choose a Marriage and Family Therapist?

Choosing a therapist is a personal process, and only the individual client can judge who is the best therapist for them. During the first contact, clients need to get a sense for themselves of whether this therapist understands them and their struggle, and whether he or she can meet their particular needs. Clients may want to meet with more than one therapist before deciding which one to see.