337.700. Definitions.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

Definitions.

337.700. As used in sections 337.700 to 337.739, the following termsmean:

(1) "Committee", the state committee for family and maritaltherapists;

(2) "Department", the Missouri department of insurance, financialinstitutions and professional registration;

(3) "Director", the director of the division of professionalregistration;

(4) "Division", the division of professional registration;

(5) "Fund", the marital and family therapists' fund created insection 337.712;

(6) "Licensed marital and family therapist", a person to whom alicense has been issued pursuant to the provisions of sections 337.700 to337.739, whose license is in force and not suspended or revoked;

(7) "Marital and family therapy", the use of scientific and appliedmarriage and family theories, methods and procedures for the purpose ofdescribing, diagnosing, evaluating and modifying marital, family andindividual behavior within the context of marital and family systems,including the context of marital formation and dissolution. Marriage andfamily therapy is based on systems theories, marriage and familydevelopment, normal and dysfunctional behavior, human sexuality andpsychotherapeutic, marital and family therapy theories and techniques andincludes the use of marriage and family therapy theories and techniques inthe diagnosis, evaluation, assessment and treatment of intrapersonal orinterpersonal dysfunctions within the context of marriage and familysystems. Marriage and family therapy may also include clinical researchinto more effective methods for the treatment and prevention of theabove-named conditions;

(8) "Practice of marital and family therapy", the rendering ofprofessional marital and family therapy services to individuals, familygroups and marital pairs, singly or in groups, whether such services areoffered directly to the general public or through organizations, eitherpublic or private, for a fee, monetary or otherwise.