MFT as a Profession

Although a relatively young profession, marriage and family therapists are growing rapidly in number and have become an integral part of the nation's health and mental health care delivery system. Family therapy is different from other mental health professions because of 1) its emphasis on treating couples and families, 2) its emphasis on present day problems instead of historical or intrapsychic conflicts, and 3) its focus on understanding interpersonal relationships as a way of treating mental health problems. Our increased understanding of the relationship between marital and family dysfunction and serious mental and emotional disorders, such as chemical dependency, substance abuse, eating disorders, disorders of childhood and adolescence, and other forms of psychopathology have contributed to the prominence of this discipline. It is rare today to treat either inpatients or outpatients without attention to the family and dynamics of the family system. Graduates of the USD MFT program usually work in mental health agencies, set up their own private practices, or go on to doctoral work.

For more information about family therapy as a profession, you can visit the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy website to learn more about MFT as a profession. This site provides valuable information on a career as an MFT, fees and salaries for MFTs, a directory of licensing and certification boards for different states, and information on graduate programs in MFT. The website for the California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists also contains information about MFT as a profession.

MFT Licensure in California

California is one of more than 40 states that regulates the practice of marriage and family therapy through either certification or licensure. Requirements for obtaining the MFT license are decided on by the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) in Sacramento. The BBS also issues the license to practice. Requirements for licensing often change at the BBS's discretion. Students in the MFT program at USD are kept informed of changes as they are published by the BBS. However, students are ultimately responsible for this information. The easiest way to keep informed of these changes is to join the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT), which regularly publishes and keeps their members up to date on all BBS activity. The faculty also strongly encourages students to join the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), the national professional organizations for family therapists.

Current requirements for licensing include

1. A Master's or Doctorate with a specialization in Marital and Family Therapy. The MFT degree from USD meets the current educational requirements for California licensure.
2. 3000 hours of supervised experience. The supervisor must be a licensed MFT, a licensed psychologist, a licensed clinical social worker, or a psychiatrist. At the present time, 750 direct client contact and supervision hours can be completed by a candidate before the graduate degree is completed. The 500 hours of client contact needed for graduation from the USD program and the supervision received at practicum placements count toward this requirement. Pre-graduate degree hours must be done in an agency setting. Post-degree hours can be done with a supervisor in a private practice setting if desired.
3. When the graduate degree and the supervised experience hours are completed, the candidate for licensing must pass a written and oral examination given by the BBS and pay appropriate fees.

Professional Links

Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS)
http://www.bbs.ca.gov
This is the state organization that regulates the practice of Marriage & Family Therapy in California. The BBS oversees the licensing of MFT's in California. The program has been designed to meet requirements set forth by the BBS so that you can become licensed in California.

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
http://www.camft.org
This organization provides services and advocacy for MFT's in California. It is strongly recommended that you join CAMFT as soon as possible since they are a valuable professional resource, particularly in understanding and navigating through BBS requirements.

American Association for Marital and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
http://www.aamft.org
This is the national professional organization for marital and family therapists. AAMFT provides services and advocacy for family therapists on a national basis. AAMFT has also helped define standards for the profession. The USD program is designed to meet the requirements for an AAMFT accredited program. It is strongly recommended that you join AAMFT as a student member.