Marriage and Family Therapy has long been defined as an intervention aimed at ameliorating not only relationship problems but also mental and emotional disorders within the context of family and larger social systems.

Today, as many in the United States are debating issues of marriage and family composition, it is of primary importance that the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and marriage and family therapists make clear what we mean and wish to imply in the use of the words “marriage” and “family” as we use them in our core values, teaching, treatment, research, and code of ethics.

We assert the value and positive impact of stable, long-term, emotionally enriching relationships. We believe that society is better off when social groupings are created that allow for and support these qualities. We recognize that all family forms have inherent strengths and challenges. As marriage and family therapists we focus our study and skills on how individuals in our society couple – choosing partners and establishing households – and form family groups.

We study and intervene to assist in these relationships whether that means a marriage has occurred in the legal sense, whether there is co-habitation, or other forms of family.  We invite members of heterosexual, same-sex, culturally similar, intercultural/interracial and other forms of family composition to engage with marriage and family therapists for relational development and problem solving within their cultural contexts.  We welcome all who would seek out our services in order to build strength and health in their lives, relationships, and in society.  Our code of ethics states that “Marriage and family therapists provide professional assistance to persons without discrimination on the basis of race, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, gender, health status, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation.” We are an open and inclusive profession and organization.