MEDICAL FAMILY THERAPY IN A PRIMARY CARE SETTING : A MODEL OF INTEGRATION

Abstract

As the profession of marriage and family therapy (MFT), as well as the emerging sub-discipline of medical family therapy (MedFT), continue to grow and evolve within the current mental health care system, the arena of primary care presents an ideal environment for professionals who are relationally and systemically inclined. As such, this context is seen as a potential home for MedFTs hoping to provide integrated and collaborative health care. In order to address the unique practice based and cultural needs that manifest in medical contexts, the function of MedFTs in these sites must be apparent and accurately identified and described. Such a description is important not only to demonstrate the utility of MedFTs to potential stakeholders (e.g., physicians, medical staff, medical administration), but also to trainers who are charged with the preparation of future generations of MFTs and MedFTs for this type of work. The following dissertation seeks to address this issue from two interrelated venues: (a) to discuss how MedFT is connected to the profession of MFT in both conceptual and practical terms, and (b) to discuss a framework for integrated primary care, utilizing MedFTs, that does not service a targeted population.