How Marriage and Family Therapists are Different From Other Psychology Health Professionals
A marriage and family therapist, also known as MFT, has a unique set of skills that sets them apart from other psychological health professionals. We often overlook or appear on the “or similar training” list in the job description after the word “LCSW, LCPC prefers”. Interestingly, MFT training is very clinical compared to other professional programs: an accredited master’s program requires a minimum of 500 personal hours of clients, half of which are a couple and family hours. This means that while MFTs work with individuals, couples, and families, they also have extensive training to work and think about the issues in the relationships. In the end, we are shaped by where we have come from and that says a lot about what we do in other relationships. It is important to understand that MFTs look at people and problems in this broader context, allowing for the emergence of strengths and comprehensive treatment to empower clients. MFT training is specialized and different from othe...