A Marriage and Family Therapist is a highly educated and qualified behavioral health professional who specializes in human psychodynamics.

A Marriage and Family Therapist or M.F.T., is the formal title for a California state licensed Psychotherapist who holds a masters degree in the behavioral sciences, issued by an accredited college or university.

During the M.F.T. masters degree program, strict academic requirements must be met. Candidates must also demonstrate competency throughout the course of a comprehensive internship program including a minimum of 3000 internship hours wherein applicable practical experience is gained in singular or multiple settings.

Upon completion of the masters program, candidates must pass an extensive state examination consisting of complex written and oral components. Only after such extensive training and demonstrated proof of competency have been fulfilled, may one be licensed in the state of California as a Marriage and Family Therapist.

Although the words "marriage" and "family" are used in this title, a M.F.T. is trained and qualified to treat many different types of people, whether or not they are married or living within a traditional family structure.

Section 4980.02 of the California Business and Profession's Code defines Marriage and Family Therapy as:

"A practice that provides a service for individuals, couples or groups wherein interpersonal relationships are examined for the purpose of achieving more adequate, satisfying and productive marriage and family adjustments."

The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) states that:

"Marriage and Family Therapists are core mental health practitioners educated and trained to help relationship difficulties, diagnose and treat the mental disorders and emotional problems of individuals, couples, families and groups. MFT's treat clients in the context of their diverse lifestyles, cultural backgrounds and religious/political affiliations."