3 answers
raegan
Student
Antwerp, Ohio
3
Questions
Asked
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When wanting to be an MFT (marriage and family therapist), what classes can you take in high school?
As someone who is always having people come to me for help, I found it to be a good job for me. I and to hopefully get a good start I am hoping to pursue a career in Marriage and Family Therapy and hoping to know some classes I can take to prepare. Any basic classes will help.
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3 answers
Miha B
Academic and Career Counselor | Human Resources Specialist | Internal Auditor
30
Answers
Winter Park, Florida
Updated
Miha’s Answer
Hi Raegan,
That’s such a great goal, and it’s awesome that you’re already thinking ahead in high school! Since Marriage and Family Therapy is all about understanding people, communication, and relationships, here are some high school classes that can help lay a strong foundation:
Psychology – If your school offers it, this is a great intro to how people think and behave.
Sociology – This helps you understand how society and relationships influence people.
English/Language Arts – These classes improve your communication, writing, and critical thinking skills, which are essential in therapy.
Health or Human Development – These often cover mental health, relationships, and personal development.
Speech or Debate – Great for learning how to express ideas clearly and listen actively.
Child Development or Family Studies – If your school offers these, they’re very relevant to MFT work.
Foreign Language – Being bilingual can be a huge plus in therapy careers, especially in diverse communities.
Also, consider volunteering with peer support programs, mentoring, or anything that helps build your listening and helping skills. You’re already on the right path just by being the kind of person others trust. Keep it up!
That’s such a great goal, and it’s awesome that you’re already thinking ahead in high school! Since Marriage and Family Therapy is all about understanding people, communication, and relationships, here are some high school classes that can help lay a strong foundation:
Psychology – If your school offers it, this is a great intro to how people think and behave.
Sociology – This helps you understand how society and relationships influence people.
English/Language Arts – These classes improve your communication, writing, and critical thinking skills, which are essential in therapy.
Health or Human Development – These often cover mental health, relationships, and personal development.
Speech or Debate – Great for learning how to express ideas clearly and listen actively.
Child Development or Family Studies – If your school offers these, they’re very relevant to MFT work.
Foreign Language – Being bilingual can be a huge plus in therapy careers, especially in diverse communities.
Also, consider volunteering with peer support programs, mentoring, or anything that helps build your listening and helping skills. You’re already on the right path just by being the kind of person others trust. Keep it up!
Sneha Deb
Tech Consultant
194
Answers
Edison, New Jersey
Updated
Sneha’s Answer
Hey Raegan! That’s a beautiful and meaningful path! You clearly have the heart for it, and starting early shows your commitment! In high school, try to take psychology or sociology if available, as they’ll introduce you to how people think and interact. English and writing classes will strengthen your communication skills, which are essential for any great therapist. Classes in health, human development, or even debate can also help you better understand relationships and practice empathy and listening. Keep following your passion for helping others, this early dedication will serve you so well in your journey to becoming an MFT! Good luck!
Stan Hutch
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)
8
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Stan’s Answer
Great that you're thinking about this in high school. Here are the classes and experiences that I'd weight most, both for college applications and for building a foundation that'll serve you in graduate training later.
Most useful courses to take: Psychology, if your school offers it. AP Psychology if available. This is the most direct preview of what you'll study in college. Sociology, if available. Useful for understanding how social systems shape individual experience, which is a big part of clinical practice. English and writing courses. Therapists do a surprising amount of writing (clinical notes, treatment plans, letters to insurance) and clear written communication is high-leverage in this career.
A statistics course if your school offers one. You'll need it for college psychology coursework and for understanding research in graduate school. Communication or public speaking. Therapy is fundamentally a conversation skill, and any practice with structured communication helps. A foreign language. Bilingual therapists are in high demand. Spanish is especially useful in California; depending on your area, other languages can give you a significant career edge. Biology or anatomy. Useful for understanding the biological side of mental health.
Outside of class: Volunteer with people. Crisis hotlines (many take volunteers as young as 16-18), peer counseling, tutoring younger students, mentoring, working with kids at camps. These let you experience what it's like to hold space for someone else, which is the foundational skill of this career. Learn to listen well. Pay attention to how good listeners around you operate. Practice listening without immediately responding or trying to fix. Look into clubs at school. Some high schools have psychology clubs, mental health awareness clubs, or peer support programs.
The path to LMFT is: bachelor's degree (any major works but psychology, sociology, or human services helps), master's in MFT, supervised clinical hours, exams. Total time is about 7-9 years after high school.
If you are considering this career, here's a helpful ad-free directory of MFT graduate schools you can bookmark for later when you're researching programs: https://sentio.org/mft-programs-in-california
Being a therapist has been a really meaningful career, and I'd recommend it highly to anyone drawn to this kind of work.
Visit this ad-free directory of MFT graduate schools when you're researching programs: https://sentio.org/mft-programs-in-california
Most useful courses to take: Psychology, if your school offers it. AP Psychology if available. This is the most direct preview of what you'll study in college. Sociology, if available. Useful for understanding how social systems shape individual experience, which is a big part of clinical practice. English and writing courses. Therapists do a surprising amount of writing (clinical notes, treatment plans, letters to insurance) and clear written communication is high-leverage in this career.
A statistics course if your school offers one. You'll need it for college psychology coursework and for understanding research in graduate school. Communication or public speaking. Therapy is fundamentally a conversation skill, and any practice with structured communication helps. A foreign language. Bilingual therapists are in high demand. Spanish is especially useful in California; depending on your area, other languages can give you a significant career edge. Biology or anatomy. Useful for understanding the biological side of mental health.
Outside of class: Volunteer with people. Crisis hotlines (many take volunteers as young as 16-18), peer counseling, tutoring younger students, mentoring, working with kids at camps. These let you experience what it's like to hold space for someone else, which is the foundational skill of this career. Learn to listen well. Pay attention to how good listeners around you operate. Practice listening without immediately responding or trying to fix. Look into clubs at school. Some high schools have psychology clubs, mental health awareness clubs, or peer support programs.
The path to LMFT is: bachelor's degree (any major works but psychology, sociology, or human services helps), master's in MFT, supervised clinical hours, exams. Total time is about 7-9 years after high school.
If you are considering this career, here's a helpful ad-free directory of MFT graduate schools you can bookmark for later when you're researching programs: https://sentio.org/mft-programs-in-california
Being a therapist has been a really meaningful career, and I'd recommend it highly to anyone drawn to this kind of work.
Stan recommends the following next steps: