What is BCAMFT?
The British Columbia Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (BCAMFT) is a division of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) which was founded in 1942. AAMFT is the professional association for the field of marriage and family therapy. AAMFT promotes the practice of marriage and family therapy through research and education, and regulates the profession through credentials and accreditation.
What is Marital And Family Therapy?
Marital and Family Therapy is a distinct mental health discipline which utilizes family systems theory and intervention techniques and believes that individuals and their problems must be seen in context, and that the most important context is the family. Individuals, couples and families benefit from the unique perspective and skills of marriage and family therapists, whether the presenting concern is related to a couple or marital relationship, to children, to blended or step families, or to a specific problem or disorder (for example, substance abuse, an eating disorder or depression). Study after study demonstrates the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of marriage and family therapy in treating the full range of mental and emotional disorders, including severe mental illness.
Clinical Members
Practitioners hold a Doctor's or Master's degree in one of the human relations disciplines. They have completed training approved and accredited by AAMFT and have a minimum of two years post graduate supervised clinical work with couples and families.
In addition to meeting rigorous standards for education, registered clinical members are held to the highest ethical standards of the profession.
Indications For Referral
Individuals: depression, anxiety, social isolation, grief and loss, stress, addictions, psychosomatic symptoms, eating disorders, sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.
Couples: Couples conflict and ineffective communication, couples breakdown, sexual problems, premarital counselling and relationship enhancement, separation and divorce.Families: blended families, physical and sexual abuse, child and adolescent behavioral problems, parenting issues, cross cultural issues.
Referrals
Referrals are accepted from physicians, schools, clergy, social service agencies, mental health professionals and employee assistance programs.
Articles
Love complicated - Jim Gibson, Times Colonist, 13 February 2007