How to Become a Marriage and Family Therapist

In their work with couples and families, marriage and family therapists meet with family members either in a group setting or often one-on-one. The training needed to become a marriage and family therapist is similar to that of a counselor or psychologist, but involves specialized curricula, examinations and licensing requirements unique to marriage and family therapy.
Marriage and Family Therapist Tips
1. Check the licensing requirements in the state where you will be working
2. Get at least a master's degree in marriage and family therapy
3. Consider a COAMFTE-certified degree
4. Complete an internship and post-graduate training as part of your education
5. Give yourself about 3 to 6 months to complete state licensing requirements

Introduction
- Marriage and family therapists deal with a broad range of issues, including infidelity, domestic violence and drug addiction. They use several different therapeutic techniques to help families resolve day-to-day concerns as well as more serious mental health or psychological issues. The therapy that marriage and family therapists give tends to be short-term, lasting for an average of 12 sessions.AAMFT: MFT FAQ
Step 1: Education
- A marriage and family therapist must go through similar training to that of a psychologist, although in this instance the training and practice is focused on interpersonal relationships among family members.
1. Master's degree: The minimum degree needed to be a marriage and family therapist is a master's degree. Many schools across the United States have specific master's degree programs for marriage and family therapy.AAMFT: MFT FAQ
2. Doctoral degree: Some states require marriage and family therapists to obtain doctoral degrees in order to practice.AAMFT: MFT FAQ
3. Post-graduate training: Many states require post-graduate training—usually 2 to 5 years of supervised work experience—before a marriage and family therapist can practice independently.
4. COAMFTE certification: The Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education is the main group that accredits marriage and family therapy programs. They are part of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. This accreditation is optional, and may or may not be needed depending on the state.COAMFTE: Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education About
Step 2: Examination
- Most states require marriage and family therapists to take an exam as part of the certification process. The most common exam is a national exam, but some states also require an additional state exam.
1. MFT National Exam: The Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards gives a nationwide exam several times every year. This exam is required by some state licensing boards in order to become licensed.AMFTRB: Exam info
2. State exams: Some states, like Minnesota, require a state-level marriage and family therapist exam to become licensed. State of Minnesota: MFT Licensing
Step 3: Licensing
- As of January 2009, only West Virginia and Montana did not require marriage and family therapists to be licensed. All other states have a variety of licensing requirements. Make sure to check with each state to find out its specific requirements.AAMFT: Board contact information
1. AAMFT: The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy keeps a list of state licensing requirements and is a good starting place to learn about how to get licensed.
2. AMFTRB: The Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards also maintains a state-by-state list of marriage and family therapy information. AMFTRB: home page
3. Limited or educational licenses: Some states require you to get a temporary educational license once you've finished your schooling and while you are completing post-graduate work.
4. Time frame: Most licensing boards take several weeks to process information and issue licenses. Expect that the process will take between 3 to 6 months, and plan accordingly regarding job offers and job searches.
Conclusion

Marriage and family therapy is a small but growing field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated in 2006 that about 25,000 people worked in the profession at that time.Bureau of Labor Statistics: Marriage and Family Therapists It is further estimated that about 12,000 new marriage and family therapist jobs will have been created or vacated between 2006 and 2016.Onetcenter.org: Marriage and Family Therapists
References for How to Become a Marriage and Family Therapist