Goals
To be the preeminent national association for psychotherapists of various disciplines: Counseling, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology, Nurse Psychotherapy, Pastoral Counseling, Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis, Psychotherapy, and related fields.
To assist, educate and support the individual member and bring together professionals to enhance the art and science of psychotherapy.
To strive to promote healing through a trusting, therapeutic relationship.
To support the personal and professional development of psychotherapists by providing opportunities for exchange of ideas and training that will enhance their skill with children, adults, couples and families in both individual and group settings.
To advance psychotherapy as a profession by acknowledging over 100 years of psychotherapeutic practice while moving into the next millennium with a focus on improving service delivery to diverse cultural and economic groups.
To develop and implement a comprehensive communication network which provides professional resources, training opportunities, and professional support for its membership.
To promote the highest standards for the psychotherapist-client relationship.
To educate the general public and managed care entities about the efficacy of psychotherapy for individuals, families, and society.
To represent a variety of professionally trained therapists who are committed to advance and protect the interests of their clients. Additionally, the American Psychotherapy Association desires to preserve the therapists' ability to practice and provide the best treatment for those who seek their help.
To promote, clarify, describe, and communicate new discoveries, techniques, and strategies related to creating a balance for both individuals and society.
To provide a forum and resource for psychotherapists to enhance and improve their professional skills.
To preserve the practice of psychotherapy as a distinct intellectual endeavor and to protect the practice of psychotherapy from market forces which threaten to distort and eventually destroy its purpose and benefit.
