Online Marriage and Family Therapy Programs

There are many ways to become an MFT and you can start the process at any stage. However, you must have a master’s degree in order to have a career as an MFT counselor. Earning a bachelor’s degree is usually the first step toward becoming an MFT counselor. But you most likely won’t be able to take any of the courses you need for the MFT license exam until after you have earned your bachelor’s degree. Most bachelor’s degree programs require that students complete general courses and courses in science. By junior year, most students will have chosen their area of focus – in topics such as counseling, psychology or social work. Students can then begin to take elective courses.

A bachelor’s degree in fields like psychology or counseling is designed to help prepare students to learn how to provide therapy to an individual or to a group of people. Students may also learn how to assess a mental health condition and find treatment options for their patients. Although, a bachelor’s degree in these related fields can also act as good preparation for a student that wants to become an MFT, it is not enough to take the MFT licensing exam. The courses in these degree programs help students develop a basic idea on how to treat mental issues. They also touch on social problems and counseling techniques. All of these are taught so that a student has the skills and knowledge that they need to pursue their master’s degree and perform clinical work.

Course topics include patient assessment, research methods and how to treat and solve problems. Many students must complete hands on training through an internship. A student that earns their bachelor’s degree will not be able to become an MFT, but many can use their degree to become:

Social Worker

A social worker helps people solve and cope with problems in their daily lives. They perform many different tasks that help people who are struggling with come area of their life. A social worker can have a wide range of duties such as helping people in finding and applying for social services, protecting and helping children and assisting in the health care field.

A master’s degree will prepare students to diagnose and treat many mental health issues. Most of these issues come from things like anxiety, depression, and other areas that can cause stress. Master’s degrees in MFT also prepare you to work as a licensed therapist. This includes being able to help couples and families deal with the issues they are facing in their lives and relationships.

At the master’s level, MFT coursework often includes several key topics. These may go into areas such as psychopathology, which is the scientific study of mental disorders. But they also involve other topics like addiction and substance abuse. Other topics could deal with the laws and ethics that guide modern counseling. Students may review case studies to learn about different methods and techniques that are used to deal with patients.

However, master’s programs in marriage and family therapy are longer than they used to be. Most students will do two years of full time coursework before earning their MFT. Students that graduate with an MFT specialization are competitive for positions similar to the ones listed below:

Mental Health Counselor

Mental health counselors help people who suffer from mental or emotional problems. This includes addiction and eating disorders. They also often work with other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Professionals in this field may provide both support and treatment. Like the MFT, a mental health counselor may need to get a license to be able to practice in all states.

However, master’s programs in marriage and family therapy are longer than they used to be. Most students will do two years of full time coursework before earning their MFT. Students that graduate with a master’s degree in MFT are viewed as more competitive for positions similar to the ones listed below:

Couple Therapist

Couple therapists study and use many of the current trends in their field to deal with the treatment of couples. This type of therapy deals with the challenges faced in a marriage or long term relationship. Therapists that work with these couples often explore the couple’s life cycle and points of change or distress. Issues like divorce and domestic violence are also talked about. These kinds of therapists may also try to create a bond with the couples to foster positive change in the couples.

Medical Family Therapist

Medical family therapists looks at issues that individuals, couples, and families face during times of chronic illness. Many of these therapists will learn how to work with patients and how to work with their families who are having difficulty because of their illness. Some therapists may help their clients identify health complaints and diseases. Others discuss how social norms and cultural beliefs can impact the illness experience.

Military Family Therapist

A military family therapist focuses on the issues that affect members of the military and their families. Military counselors work with service men and women that have issues with anxiety, depression or stress. They also work with the family of those service members to deal with the stress that goes with being away from or dealing with the death of a loved one. Many are trained to work with service members and their families in areas such as secondary trauma, grief and loss, and substance abuse, just to name a few.

Child and Adolescent Therapist

A focus in child and adolescent therapy looks at children’s mental and emotional behavioral difficulties. Courses in this field focus on learning about the phases a child goes through and how to best work with both children and their parents. Child and teen counselors provide their patients with the coping skills that are needed to achieve both emotional and mental health. Students studying child and adolescent therapy learn how to work with children and teenagers. They also learn how to help their clients deal with stress and conflict.

LGBTQ Couple and Family Therapist

Same sex couples face many of the same issues that most couples do. But, they deal with many unique issues that can create challenges as well. LGBTQ couple counselors specialize in working with clients in the LGBTQ community. The main focus of these counselors are to help same sex couples in their relationships.  An LBGTQ couple or family therapist helps their clients develop the skills to live a healthier life. In this type of field counselors will use the most current understandings in the field. They also usually take a family systems lens to LGTBQ couples and their families.

Doctoral programs often combine coursework with research. This may help students better their skills in areas like problem solving. At the same time, they may develop skills in working with a focal group. Or the business knowledge to work in a private practice.

Another part of an online MFT program is hands on work. This usually means that students have to complete a set number of supervised internship hours. Many schools allow students to take most of their classes online (if not all). But internships and other clinical supervision activities are often completed in a student’s community.

Students who work toward getting an MFT degree online may also choose to focus their studies on a specific area. For example, working with a certain type of population such as the LGTBQ community or military veterans. If not, one may want to gain skills to work with a defined issue like addiction.

We’ve listed a few examples below. It’s important to choose a program that you feel aligns with your personal goals and concerns. Each area of focus comes with its own topics, research and training.

PhD and Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapist

PhD and Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapists (DMFT) work with clients that face challenges in one or more of their relationships. A PhD in family counseling can lead to many different careers in areas like counseling or working with individuals or groups to improve the quality of their life. DMFT programs may take between four to five years to complete. To go for your DMFT requires a dedication to the field more than other degrees in this field. These programs may entail about 69 credit hours.