A Marriage and Family therapist is a relationship specialist who is trained to assess, diagnose, and treat individuals, couples, families and groups to achieve more adequate, satisfying and productive marriage, family and social lives.

An MFT is a psychotherapist healing arts practitioner, licensed in the state of California. Requirements for licensure include a related master's degree (or doctoral degree), completion of at least 3000 hours of supervised experience, and passage of a comprehensive written and oral examination.

An emphasis of the training for marriage and family therapist licensure includes diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders from a family systems and relationship perspective. It also includes specific training in alcoholism anda chemical dependency, human sexuality, child abuse, domestic violence, and issues of aging.

The terms "marriage, family, and child counselor (MFCC)" and "marriage and family therapist (MFT)" are used interchangeably. Other mental health professionals include licensed clinical social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists (who are medical doctors.)