Thursday, September 27, 2012
It's the Quality of the Argument that Matters
Arguing apparently has a purpose–and it's a pretty critical one too! According to researchers from the University of Virginia, arguing plays an important role in adolescent development, and if done right, has the potential to provide valuable skills for navigating peer pressure and tempting risky behavior. To "just say no" takes practice, and home is the first line of defense to practice this skill. Check out the article at npr.org here:
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
What's an MFT?
Thanks for taking the time to check out the Port Townsend Family Therapy blog. Please feel free send any feedback and comments my way. For my first post, I thought it would be worth taking the time to respond to a question that I frequently get asked. What does a Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) do and why would someone choose to see a MFT over another mental health provider? Keeping the many different types of mental health providers straight can be a challenge even amongst professionals working in the field, so there's no doubt that it can be incredibly confusing for someone making this difficult decision in their time of need.
According to the Washington State Department of Health, Marriage and Family Therapy refers to "the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of relationships, including marriage and family systems. Marriage and family therapy involves the professional application of psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders."
Still confused? Me too the first time I read it. The general idea is that MFTs are qualified to deal with a whole lot of issues in many different ways, and the issues are often going to be approached with a perspective of how your present and past relationships affect what's going on in the present day. It's a holistic approach that looks at the entire person within the context of social, environmental, and cultural issues. With that said, however, MFTs are skilled in a variety of different approaches and how each addresses a specific situation will depend on the preferred theoretical perspective(s) of the particular therapist as well as the perspectives, beliefs, and personality of each individual client. One therapist's approach may resonate with one client and not the next. This emphasizes the importance of "shopping around" for the right therapist. Interview them over the phone or in person if possible. Education is important but that gut feeling of, "is this someone I can trust?" is perhaps even more important.
To answer the next question, what's the difference between all the different mental health providers in Washington State? For Master's level providers, Washington State licenses Marriage and Family Therapists, Mental Health Counselors, and Clinical Social Workers. There are also Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists, and Psychiatrists to add to the puzzle. Nurse Practitioners and Psychiatrists can prescribe medications (but I'll save that topic for another post). Do the letters behind their name really matter? In my opinion, the simple answer is not necessarily. Do you click with your mental health provider? Do you trust them? Do you feel like they get you? Most importantly, clients need to trust who they are seeing or the therapeutic relationship will be a constant battle of resistance.
Back to MFTs. . . when I completed graduate school, I could choose whether to apply to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor or a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. The educational requirements were almost identical. The experience I chose to apply towards my license was what differed. MFTs in Washington are required to obtain 3,000 hours of supervised training prior to licensure. Of that 3,000 hours, 500 need to be relational (i.e. families and couples). MFTs are recognized in all 50 states and many of the state requirements match those of clinical membership into the American Association of Marriage & Family Therapy (AAMFT). So while neither the state nor the AAMFT will guarantee quality, they do uphold stringent training requirements. For answers to additional questions about Marriage and Family Therapy, the AAMFT website is a great resource or feel free to send me an email at craig@ptfamilytherapy.com
According to the Washington State Department of Health, Marriage and Family Therapy refers to "the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of relationships, including marriage and family systems. Marriage and family therapy involves the professional application of psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders."
Still confused? Me too the first time I read it. The general idea is that MFTs are qualified to deal with a whole lot of issues in many different ways, and the issues are often going to be approached with a perspective of how your present and past relationships affect what's going on in the present day. It's a holistic approach that looks at the entire person within the context of social, environmental, and cultural issues. With that said, however, MFTs are skilled in a variety of different approaches and how each addresses a specific situation will depend on the preferred theoretical perspective(s) of the particular therapist as well as the perspectives, beliefs, and personality of each individual client. One therapist's approach may resonate with one client and not the next. This emphasizes the importance of "shopping around" for the right therapist. Interview them over the phone or in person if possible. Education is important but that gut feeling of, "is this someone I can trust?" is perhaps even more important.
To answer the next question, what's the difference between all the different mental health providers in Washington State? For Master's level providers, Washington State licenses Marriage and Family Therapists, Mental Health Counselors, and Clinical Social Workers. There are also Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists, and Psychiatrists to add to the puzzle. Nurse Practitioners and Psychiatrists can prescribe medications (but I'll save that topic for another post). Do the letters behind their name really matter? In my opinion, the simple answer is not necessarily. Do you click with your mental health provider? Do you trust them? Do you feel like they get you? Most importantly, clients need to trust who they are seeing or the therapeutic relationship will be a constant battle of resistance.
Back to MFTs. . . when I completed graduate school, I could choose whether to apply to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor or a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. The educational requirements were almost identical. The experience I chose to apply towards my license was what differed. MFTs in Washington are required to obtain 3,000 hours of supervised training prior to licensure. Of that 3,000 hours, 500 need to be relational (i.e. families and couples). MFTs are recognized in all 50 states and many of the state requirements match those of clinical membership into the American Association of Marriage & Family Therapy (AAMFT). So while neither the state nor the AAMFT will guarantee quality, they do uphold stringent training requirements. For answers to additional questions about Marriage and Family Therapy, the AAMFT website is a great resource or feel free to send me an email at craig@ptfamilytherapy.com
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