* Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) originated about 50 years ago when health care clinicians began to seek more effective and comprehensive ways to treat disorders such as schizophrenia, anorexia, and alcoholism.

* MFT is one of the five core mental health disciplines (along with psychiatry, psychiatric nursing, psychology, and social work) recognized by the National Institutes of Mental Health. (42 U.S.C. 242a)