Schools For Marriage and Family Therapy
Earning a degree from one of the schools for marriage and family therapy can be one of the most fulfilling and selfless careers you could have!
What is Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT)?
Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) is also called couple and family therapy. At times when problems can seem too much to handle, married couples and families seek the advice of an impartial third party to work out all sorts of issues that can cause pain and stress in the household.
If you find genuine enjoyment and satisfaction helping families in need, schools for marriage and family therapy can offer you a fantastic career.
Liberty University offers Christian Counseling Degrees online at the Associate, Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate degree levels online. So, there is a program for everyone.
- Associate’s Degree – Christian Counseling
- Bachelor’s Degree – Christian Counseling
- Bachelor’s Degree – Life Coaching
- Bachelor’s Degree – Crisis Counseling
- Bachelor’s Degree – Substance Abuse
- Master’s Degree – Christian Counseling
- Doctorate Degree – Pastoral Counseling
- Professional Counseling (Master’s degree)
- Marriage and Family Therapy Counseling (Master’s degree)
- Religion, Theology, and Divinity Degrees (Associate, Bachelor, Master, Doctorate degrees)
It is important to know that in order to practice as an MFT counselor, one must have completed one of the marriage and family therapy degrees. You may also need a license in order to practice as a professional MFT counselor. It’s best that you check with your state licensing board first to ensure that your future practice is legal.
Marriage and Family Therapy Curriculum
As a graduate of one of the schools for marriage and family therapy, MFTs will cover a variety of issues that trouble couples and their families. These include anxiety, emotional disorders, depression, mental disorders, relationship issues, substance abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, eating disorders, career changes, and more.
Prior to enrolling in the marriage and family therapy graduate program, you will need a bachelor’s degree. Hopefully you have already begun studying psychology or counseling during your undergraduate years, as that will have created a strong foundation for your graduate school education. If not, there is still time for you to take a few courses to help prepare you for the masters degree courses that lie ahead.
Upon beginning marriage and family therapy graduate programs, students will study the various types of therapy methods used in this type of counseling:
- communication theory
- psychoeducation
- psychotherapy
- relationship education
- systemic coaching
- systems theory
- reality therapy
During the course of study, students in the schools for marriage and family therapy will spend approximately 3,000 hours of supervised work in order to gain licensing.
Since a license is required to practice in most, if not all states, as an MFT, it’s important that this supervised work is completed.
It will also enable you to “get your feet wet” in common problems that may arise in marriage and family therapy.
The supervised work will give you excellent practice while still being able to refer to an already licensed MFT for guidance and support.
MFT Programs Online or On-Campus?
The marriage and family therapy graduate programs are offered as both online and on-campus formats.
If your local college or university does not offer an MFT graduate program, you may want to look at online programs so you can attend an out-of-state college from your home computer. This will still enable you to earn your degree without having to move away from home, quit your job, or postpone other family obligations.
If you want to make your career about helping others and solving problems, you may want to consider marriage and family therapy degrees. If you have found a calling to help couples and families in need and want to find a masters degree that specializes in these types of problems, the schools for marriage and family therapy could be the place for you.