Welcome to the American Academy of Couple and Family Psychology

The members of the American Academy of Couple and Family Psychology are dedicated to offering the highest level of expertise and competence to families and couples We are devoted to research, teaching, and clinical practice to advance positive relationships. Our members have a strong commitment to using creative thinking, evidence-based methods, and compassionate care to advance the discipline. Our goal is to provide families and couples with the tools they need to overcome obstacles, fortify their bonds, and prosper together.

Our mission is to encourage psychologists to pursue board certification by the American Board of Couple and Family Psychology (ABCFP) to demonstrate the highest level of expertise and competence in Couple and Family Psychology

The need for board certified couple and family psychologists is palpable. As one example, the largest international study of psychotherapists (Orlinsky & Ronnestad 2005) found an astounding 70% of psychotherapists treat couples. Unfortunately, most mental health providers, including psychologists, receive very limited training in couple therapy. In fact, the lack of couple therapy training may account for why, although couple therapy is highly effective when studied (Shadish & Baldwin, 2003, 2005; Snyder, Castellani, & Whisman, 2006), couple therapy is among the lowest rated for consumer satisfaction in the Consumer Reports study of psychotherapies (Seligman, 1995), which did not control for therapist training.

In essence, the AACFP is an organization that aims to advance Couple and Family Psychology as a psychological science, and also promotes and enhances couple and family well being. Specifically, the AACFP engages in activities such as providing continuing education programs, disseminating information to the public about the specialty of Couple and Family Psychology, and providing a voice of Couple and Family Psychology within the profession of psychology.