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What's the best College to get the best knowledge for being a marriage and family therapist/

#social-work #psychology #therapy #counselor

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Jennifer’s Answer

Becoming a therapist requires a Masters degree, so I would suggest going to a college that allows you to be successful in earning a bachelors degree in the field you are passionate about. I majored in Human Development and Family Studies and minored in Counseling. Counseling is not a major anywhere since you need a Masters for it. After earning your Bachelor's degree, you can focus on graduate programs that focus on Marriage and Family Counseling.
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Cynthia’s Answer

There are so many options for people who want to become a marriage and family therapist (MFT). In the past, people had to attend an in-person university. Now people can obtain a master's in marriage and family counseling online. There are accredited schools that are excellent and provide all of the necessary course requirements for those wanting to become an MFT. Some universities offer students the option of attending in-person classes as well as some online coursework as well. I think these are great as they give students a choice. Others are completely online and all classes are done via an online learning platform. I think it is important for you to decide what works best for you. Particularly with COVID issues over the past year, online education has become crucial for students in order to continue with educational goals in spite of in-person classrooms. In terms of school accreditation, CACREP is the gold standard for counseling programs.

CACREP stands for the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, and it is the premier accrediting body for determining the quality of a graduate counseling program. In a nutshell, CACREP develops and maintains standards and procedures that ensure students in counseling and related programs receive high-quality, relevant education that prepares them for licensure and success in professional practice.

I would look for a program that has been approved for this type of accreditation.
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Stan’s Answer

Great question! Most people focus on school reputation or accreditation labels, but what matters most is how the program trains you to do therapy. There is a big difference between programs that are mostly lecture and discussion versus programs that give you repeated, structured opportunities to practice clinical skills with feedback from an expert. Look for programs that emphasize active skill building in the classroom, not just reading about theories.

One training methodology that has strong research support is called Deliberate Practice. It is based on the same science behind expert performance in fields like music and surgery, adapted for psychotherapy training. Students practice specific clinical skills in realistic scenarios and get direct feedback, which accelerates growth in ways that traditional coursework alone does not. If you are comparing programs, ask them: what does a typical class session look like? How much time do students spend actually practicing therapy skills versus listening to lectures?

On accreditation, many students assume that COAMFTE accreditation (the main accrediting body specific to MFT programs) automatically means a program will prepare you well for clinical work. Recent research suggests that is not necessarily the case. A peer reviewed study found that COAMFTE accredited programs were not producing more practice ready graduates than non-COAMFTE programs. You can read the study here: https://sentio.org/blog/study-coamfte-mft-programs-not-preparing-students-for-clinical-practice. This does not mean accreditation is meaningless, but it does mean you should look deeper than labels.

My single biggest piece of advice: ask any program you are considering if you can visit a class before you enroll. Sit in and see what the learning experience actually feels like. If a program says no to that request, take it as a serious red flag. You would not buy a car without a test drive, and graduate school is a much bigger investment.

If you are considering programs in California specifically, here is a resource that may help you compare options: https://sentio.org/mft-programs-in-california

Best of luck on your journey. The field needs passionate people.

Stan recommends the following next steps:

This website helps you pick the best online/hybrid MFT program in California: https://sentio.org/mft-programs-in-california
Ask any online/hybrid MFT program you are considering if you can visit a class before you enroll
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