Marriage and family therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on solving problems in relationships between individuals, couples, families, and groups. Marriage and family therapists are trained professionals who specialize in working from a systemic perspective, which requires expertise in interpersonal relationships, interaction dynamics, system theory and thinking, and special conceptualization and procedures that differ from individually oriented therapies.

This perspective is regardless of how many clients attend therapy or the particular training degree of the therapist.Marriage and family therapists work to strengthen relationships and increase understanding of family roles, patterns, rules, goals, and stages of development, which can help prevent problems from arising as well as increase the quality of marriage and family life and other relationships. The therapy focuses on any kind of relationship that exists between individuals, including premarital, divorce, remarriage, blended families, parenting, and school-related concerns, as well as substance abuse problems.

Marriage and family therapy differs from individual or group therapy in that it primarily focuses on solving problems in relationships between people, as we believe that an individual's problems often reflect a troubled relationship. Our goal is to improve relationships between people, increase understanding of self, others, patterns, goals, and stages of development. In contrast, traditional therapists usually focus on an individual’s personal problems due to internal feelings or past events through insight and reflection.

The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) is the professional organization representing more than 14,500 qualified marriage and family therapists in the United States, Canada, and abroad. AAMFT Clinical members are trained in diagnosis and treatment and are knowledgeable in such areas as human growth and development, behavioral patterns, marriage and family interactions, divorce, sexual dysfunction, parent-child relationships, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, alcohol and substance abuse, perfectionism, and the dynamics of family systems. They are trained to use a variety of therapeutic methods and processes.