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Therapy is a place you can go to get help with your mental health, but just like how there are different types of doctors, there are different types of therapists. You wouldn’t see a dermatologist for a broken bone, and it’s best to choose a therapist who specializes in what you’re struggling with.
For any and all relationship problems, there’s no one better than a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, or LMFT for short.
What Does LMFT Stand For?
LMFT stands for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. They are a type of professional counselor who went to school specifically for family counseling, marriage counseling, couples counseling, pre-marital counseling, and other relationship counseling types.
When browsing therapists, you’ll likely see “LMFT”, “LPC”, or “LCSW” in their bios. These are the types of therapists they are:
- LMFT: Licensed marriage and family therapists, specialize in relationship counseling
- LPC: Licensed professional counselor, specialize in individual mental health issues
- LCSW: Licensed clinical social worker, the broadest of the three, can specialize in individual mental health concerns, group mental health concerns, or community mental health concerns.
The right type of therapist for you will depend on your unique needs and goals for counseling.
What Are the Education Requirements of an LMFT?
A marriage and family therapist has to complete a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. There, they likely completed many in-field hours as an intern.
After graduation, they get the title Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT). These are professionals who have the education and training, but have not met the 3,000 hours of supervision required to get their license.
MFTs can still see clients, charge insurance, and help families. They must work under a supervisor, who will be able to answer any questions they have and be a mentor for them in their first few years as a marriage and family therapist.
(Important note: A supervisor will not be in your sessions with you and your marriage and family therapist. Your MFT will meet with their supervisor outside of session to discuss cases, get advice, and ask questions.)
Specific supervision hours vary by state, but it is usually between 2,000 and 3,000. From there, they must take an exam. If they pass, they get their official licence and can begin to practice on their own as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
What Does a Marriage and Family Therapist Do?
Could a marriage and family therapist help you?
A marriage and family therapist works primarily with couples, families, and other relationships. That doesn’t mean they never see individuals, though. Someone struggling with their relationships, for example, could benefit from seeing an LMFT.
An LMFT has many jobs, including:
- Assess relationship dynamics, communication patterns, and family systems
- Provide individual, couples, and family therapy
- Help couples improve communication, intimacy, and conflict resolution
- Support families navigating transitions such as marriage, divorce, blending families, or parenting challenges
- Treat mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, trauma, and grief within a relational context
- Identify and address unhealthy patterns, roles, and boundaries in relationships
- Teach coping skills, emotional regulation, and problem-solving strategies
- Help clients heal from relational trauma, infidelity, or trust issues
- Support child and adolescent behavioral or emotional concerns within the family system
- Collaborate with other healthcare providers when appropriate
- Create treatment plans focused on relational and emotional goals
- Provide a safe, neutral space for all voices to be heard and validated
An LMFT can do many of the same things that an LPC or LCSW can. The difference between the three is the lens through which they practice. An LMFT will practice through a relationship lens.
How does your relationship affect you? How do you affect your relationships? How can you improve those relationships? These are the questions an LMFT will ask.
The Goal of Marriage and Family Therapy
A lot of people wrongly assume that the goal of marriage and family therapy is to “fix” relationships. This isn’t true.
The goal of marriage and family therapy is to improve the well-being and mental health of all members of a family or relationship. Often, they do that by helping you improve the relationship. But there are times when separation becomes important for the health and well-being of all members involved. In this case, an LMFT will help you navigate that transition.
A good LMFT will never encourage you to break up or stay together. Instead, they will give you the tools you need to navigate these difficult decisions and be by your side as you cope with the transitions.
Can an LMFT Diagnose Mental Health Conditions?
Yes! Part of the job of an LMFT is to assess and diagnose mental health issues like depression, anxiety, substance abuse, PTSD, and more.
Many people will first see an LMFT because their relationships are struggling. They are about to lose their partner, their kids, or their friends, and so they reach out. It’s once they get into therapy that their relationship therapist can point out the mental health issues that are impacting their relationships.
Things like anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues never just impact us alone. Our loved ones feel the ripples of those struggles, too.
Social relationships are vitally important for our physical and mental well-being. An LMFT takes the relationship approach to mental health, with the goal of helping the person as a whole.
When To See an LMFT
Signs you should talk to a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist include:
- You have trouble communicating in relationships.
- You’re about to get married, and you want to be prepared for it.
- You’re going through a divorce, separation, or co-parenting transition.
- You’ve experienced infidelity and need help with trust issues and recovery from betrayal.
- Your family struggles with constant conflict.
- Your family or relationship has inconsistent roles and boundaries.
- You’re having trouble parenting, or your child has concerning behaviors.
- Someone in your family unit is struggling with their mental health.
- Your family or relationship went through a major life transition like a career change, relocation, illness, loss, or addition of a new family member.
- You want to improve the physical intimacy in your life.
- You notice concerning relationship patterns within your life.
- You struggle with codependency or other unhealthy relationship dynamics.
- You struggle with anger in your relationships.
- You don’t know who you are without a significant other.
- You don’t feel like you’re worth anything outside of a relationship.
- You’re struggling with caregiver stress and burnout.
These are just some of the reasons you might be ready to see a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
When you’re ready, Lifebulb Counseling is here for you. We make counseling easy with virtual sessions and good support, from the beginning to the end.
Browse our Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists here, or give our team a call to be scheduled today.
