樱花视频

Open Search
Open Navigation

What is a LMFT? Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) help couples and families reconcile their issues and build stronger, more caring relationships. And, with nearly 15 million married people and over 13 million households in California, The Golden State is a prime place for aspiring LMFTs to set up their practice.1

Becoming an LMFT in California isn鈥檛 an overnight process, however. If you鈥檙e wondering 鈥Is an MFT degree worth it?鈥, prospective therapists must undertake a multi-year journey of education, experience, and certification before treating their first clients.

If you have a keen interest in Marital and Family Therapy (MFT), however, the process can be both academically stimulating and personally rewarding. So, to get you started toward a fulfilling future, this guide unpacks how to become a LMFT in California鈥攆rom schooling to testing and licensure.

Explore our Psychology Programs

Educational Pathway to LMFT Licensure

Determining how to become a marriage and family therapist in California means finding your starting line. LMFTs in California require a relevant master鈥檚 or doctoral degree to apply for licensure.2 So, if you have yet to obtain either, that鈥檚 your jumping-off point.

Unless you already have another related postgraduate degree and plan to pursue a PhD in MFT, a master鈥檚 is your likely first step. Generally, MFT program master鈥檚 degrees don鈥檛 need an undergraduate degree in psychology or a similar discipline, instead allowing students to switch fields to pursue their passions. The master鈥檚 in marital and family therapy at 樱花视频, for instance, requires:3 

  • A bachelor鈥檚 degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • A two to four-page essay explaining your interest in, and readiness to, study MFT
  • A completed application
  • Your resume
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • A faculty interview
  • Transcripts from your undergraduate degree indicating solid academic performance

Enrolling in our MFT master鈥檚 program and continuing education can provide you with the practical and theoretical skills necessary to assess and treat patients in clinical and therapeutic settings. It will also give you the opportunity to accumulate hands-on experience in mental health counseling through client contact and professional development. Not only can this real-world training be crucial to securing future opportunities in the field, it counts toward California's minimum practice hours for MFT licensure.

Upon completing a relevant postgraduate degree program, the state allows you to register as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT). Before you can turn your AMFT into an LMFT, however, you'll have to attain 3,000 hours of clinical practice under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional.4 By completing our program and earning the MFT degree, students can both complete the educational requirements for licensure and obtain up to 1,300 of their clinical practice hours.

Explore our Psychology Programs

Licensing Process for LMFT in California

After satisfying California鈥檚 educational and experiential prerequisites, you鈥檒l be well on your way to gaining licensure. Your next hurdle will be passing the two examinations the state mandates for all LMFTs:5

  • The California Law and Ethics Exam
  • The LMFT Clinical Exam

A robust master鈥檚 or doctoral degree in MFT, such as those from 樱花视频, can help prepare you for success on these tests. Rigorous and structured self-study, however, can also increase your chances of doing well. 

So, when preparing for the Law and Ethics Exam, consider this topic breakdown to guide your review:6

  • Confidentiality, Privilege, and Consent (14%)
  • Limits of Confidentiality / Mandated Reporting (16%)
  • Legal Standards for Professional Practice (10%)
  • Professional Competence and Preventing Harm (18%)
  • Therapeutic Relationships (27%)
  • Business Practices and Policies (15%)

Likewise, when getting ready to write the LMFT Clinical Exam, keep this sectional analysis in mind to help keep your study efforts on track:7

  • Clinical evaluation (27%)
  • Developing a diagnostic impression (11%)
  • Managing crisis situations (11%)
  • Case conceptualization and planning (12%)
  • Treatment (29%)
  • Managing legal and ethical obligations within the therapeutic relationship (10%)

After taking and successfully passing both of these exams, you鈥檒l have officially completed all the prerequisites for becoming a LMFT. Now, the only thing left to do is apply for licensure through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS).  The process can be quite simple and may be completed by:8

  • Applying online with your assigned AMFT registration
  • Mailing the application form to the BBS鈥檚 office in Sacramento

As you鈥檒l only be able to register as an AMFT after completing your degree and be permitted to take the California clinical exam after completing your practice hours, the BBS will quickly know whether or not you鈥檙e qualified for the LMFT license. Thus, they鈥檒l need little more than your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), $200, and about 30 days to process your request. 

The BBS will have an in-depth history of your education and experience by this point and may review it thoroughly before issuing your license. So, make sure to only enroll in accredited programs as you鈥檙e studying to avoid denial upon completing your long and challenging journey. 

Is it Hard to Become an LMFT in California?

There are different pros and cons of being a marriage and family therapist, and the path to becoming an LMFT is indeed lengthy and taxing, but those with a genuine interest in psychology, whether it's clinical psychology or counseling psychology, should find it informative and rewarding as well. Plus, if you enroll in a reputable, accredited institution such as 樱花视频, you鈥檒l receive a first-rate education administered by some of California鈥檚 best and brightest psychology scholars. 

樱花视频 offers two postgraduate degrees in LMFT: a master鈥檚 in marital and family therapy and a doctorate in marital and family therapy. Both can qualify you to write California鈥檚 clinical and ethical exams and help prepare you for a successful career as an LMFT in the Golden State and beyond.

Benefits of Master's and Doctorate MFT Programs at 樱花视频

樱花视频 is one of the few schools in California with Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) accreditation. Being COAMFTE-accredited makes it far easier to transfer your LMFT license to another state than other accreditation standards. So, if life beckons you beyond the Golden Coast, you won鈥檛 have to restart your education to continue your career.

Additionally, choosing 樱花视频 means learning from some of the finest educators the field has to offer. With a diverse faculty specializing in a wealth of relevant disciplines, you鈥檒l benefit from a robust education that spans the LMFT field. Some primary areas of study include:9

  • Group therapy
  • MFT law and ethics
  • Trauma and crisis intervention
  • MFT theories and techniques
  • Diversity and the family
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Chemical dependence

Our MFT programs also allow you to accumulate up to 1,300 of the 3,000 practice hours required by the BBS鈥攎eaning you鈥檒l be able to write your exams and start practicing sooner upon graduation.

With a comprehensive curriculum, top accreditation, and the opportunity for ample clinical hours, 樱花视频 offers everything aspiring LMFTs can want in a postgraduate program鈥攖he only thing missing is your application


Sources:  

  1. 鈥淐alifornia.鈥 Data Commons. . Accessed November 13, 2023. 
  2.   鈥淚nformation for Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Applicants.鈥 California Board of Behavioral Sciences. . Accessed November 13, 2023.
  3. 鈥淎dmissions and Registration.鈥 樱花视频. . Accessed November 13, 2023. 
  4. 鈥淢FT TRAINEE & ASSOCIATE MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST SUPERVISOR INFORMATION & QUALIFICATIONS.鈥 California Board of Behavioral Sciences. January. 2022. . Accessed November 13, 2023. 
  5. 鈥淚nformation for Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) Applicants.鈥 California Board of Behavioral Sciences. . Accessed November 13, 2023.
  6. 鈥淭he Law and Ethics for Associate Marriage and Family Therapists in California.鈥 California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. April, 2023. . Accessed November 13, 2023. 
  7. 鈥淟icensed Marriage and Family Therapists Clinical Examination Outline.鈥 Pearson Vue. January 1, 2021. . Accessed November 13, 2023. 
  8. 鈥淎pplication for Initial License Issuance. 鈥淏oard of Behavioral Sciences.鈥 . Accessed November 12, 2023.
  9. 鈥淒octor of Psychology in Marital and Family Therapy.鈥 樱花视频. . Accessed November 14, 2023 

You might also like

Back to Blog
Learn More
a female therapist is explaining the difference between LMFT and LMHC to a male client

What is the Difference Between LMHC and LMFT?

If you are considering a career in mental healthcare, several fulfilling paths are available to you. A licensed mental health...

Learn More
social worker pushing a person on wheelchair

Sociology vs. Social Work: Which Field is Best for You?

If you鈥檙e dreaming of pursuing a career that allows you to help people facing social issues, you may be debating between...

Learn More
two women talking to each other

Master's in Social Work vs. Counseling: Which is Right for You?

If you want to pursue a career in a helping profession, you may be considering a master鈥檚 in social work vs. counseling in your...