MFT 650

Foundations of MFT

Course learning objectives are based upon the Research and Program Evaluation Domain of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) Core Competencies (http://www.aamft.org/resources/MFT_Core_Competencies. The core competencies for Marriage and Family Therapy are organized around 6 primary domains and 5 secondary domains. The primary domains are: Admission to Treatment – All interactions between clients and therapist up to the point when a therapeutic contract is established. Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis – Activities focused on the identification of the issues to be addressed in therapy. Treatment Planning and Case Management – All activities focused on directing the course of therapy and extra-therapeutic activities. Therapeutic Interventions – All activities designed to ameliorate the clinical issues identified. Legal Issues, Ethics, and Standards – All aspects of therapy that involve statutes, regulations, principles, values, and mores of MFTs. Research and Program Evaluation – All aspects of therapy that involve the systematic analysis of therapy and how it is conducted effectively.   The subsidiary domains are focused on the types of skills or knowledge that MFTs must develop. These are: a) Conceptual, b) Perceptual, c) Executive, d) Evaluative, and e) Professional.   By the end of this class students will be aware of major theories related to the profession and practice of marriage and family therapy. Learning objectives and related activities will be based on the following core competencies: Domain 1:  Admission to Treatment Domain 2:  Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis Domain 3:  Treatment Planning and Case Management Domain 4:  Therapeutic Interventions Domain 5:  Legal Issues, Ethics, and Standards Domain 6:  Research and Program Evaluation