What does it mean to be a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist?

Marriage and family therapy is an approach to therapy that sees a person as part of a larger family unit. The role of family relationships is central to this type of therapy.

Licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT or MFT) are mental health practitioners licensed to practice marriage and family therapy in their state. This license authorizes them to provide a wide range of counseling services to individuals, couples, families, and groups.

Though marriage and family therapy places a strong emphasis on the family unit, LMFTs routinely counsel individuals. This therapy often occurs as part of a larger family counseling issue. For instance, a couple might seek therapy to deal with marriage issues and child behavior problems.

People who seek individual counseling with an LMFT focus on the role of family and relationships in daily challenges and long-term difficulties. For instance, a child abuse survivor might seek the care of a LMFT to better understand how their abuse affects their adult emotions and behavior.

LMFTs provide solution- and goal-oriented counseling. According to the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, it usually takes an average of 12 sessions to reach therapeutic goals for an individual. Marriage counseling usually takes 11.5 sessions, while family therapy takes about nine sessions. Some people, however, see their LMFTs long term on an ongoing basis. 

My Approach

I work exclusively on a weekly basis with clients short- and long-term, depending on their needs.

For individuals and couples, we work together in creating a plan towards goals and integrating a variety of ways to manage stressors and symptoms. Our work together requires the use of various therapeutic ideas. There is no one-way-suits-all method, even though I primarily use CBT with dialectical behavioral therapy, attachment, family systems, and the Gottman Method to address anxiety, depression, loneliness, and trauma.

I’m not a doctor/physician, I do not have a medical degree and I do not prescribe medication. I do have a working knowledge of medication for mental health conditions and can dialogue with clients about their interest or need for medication management with a medical doctor or a psychiatric nurse practitioner to facilitate symptom alleviation and management of their condition. I respect that it is up to the individual to decide on whether they would want to incorporate medication into their mental health treatment.

Therapy Never Includes Sexual Behavior.

The therapist-client relationship is professional in nature, and the therapist is obligated to act ethically, legally and benevolently in their role as the therapist. California’s lawmakers and licensing boards want the public to know that professional therapy never includes sexual contact between a therapist and a client. It also never includes inappropriate sexual suggestions, or any other kind of sexual behavior between a therapist and a client. Sexual contact of any kind between a therapist and a client is unethical and illegal in the State of California. Additionally, with regard to former clients, sexual contact within two years after termination of therapy is also illegal and unethical.

It is always the responsibility of the therapist to ensure that sexual contact with a client, whether consensual or not, does not occur.

Here is a booklet from the California Board of Behavioral Sciences website for more information, https://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/proftherapy.pdf