Couple and Family Therapy Training in the Context of Turkey

Abstract

This chapter summarizes the history of the field of couple and family therapy in the Turkish context with its developments and challenges. Couple and family therapy practice has emerged in Turkey after a number of practitioners of Turkish origin have received trainings abroad. Upon their return to the Turkish training and clinical context, some of these practitioners have also started to provide trainings in Turkey. Over the last decade, the couple and family therapy field has attracted a great deal of attention from different training institutions, the public, universities, as well as the Turkish government. Especially after the issuance of a regulation allowing the establishment of family counseling centers by the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, there has been an explosion of “family counseling” programs in the country. A number of both family counseling and family therapy professional associations have also been established, some of which have contributed to the development of standards for couple and family therapy training and practice in Turkey.