Our Philosophy

Ann Arbor Center for the Family was founded in 1976 as a setting in which to explore and develop new models of family therapy. Continuing in that tradition, the Center’s professionals integrate new and traditional approaches to treating clients.

We think of “Family” as including adoptive and other non-biological families, committed couples, divorced and remarried families, single-parent families, two-parent families, and extended families.

We view people, problems, and solutions in the context of many factors: family, friendship, work and school, gender, race and ethnicity, biology and genetics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religious or spiritual identification.

Ann Arbor Center for the Family is committed to providing mental health care which is inclusive, equitable, and reaffirming of all individuals and families. We strongly support efforts to understand and mitigate the impact of systemic discrimination and prejudice against people from marginalized communities. Discrimination is associated with increased rates of several mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders, as well as a number of negative physical health outcomes. As mental health professionals, we condemn hate and inequality in our community and around the world and we call on policymakers to eliminate hate crimes and oppression. We recognize that healing involves finding strength in diversity and embracing others as equal.