What is a Marriage and Family Therapist?
I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT #38882) which means I am trained, tested and California state-licensed in relational therapy. I am required by CA state law to practice in an ethical and legal manner. To obtain my professional license, I completed more than 100 graduate units, 3000 hours of supervised therapy, and then passed two tough examinations. MFT's understand the link between the family of origin, the current family of choice, and how each person relates to the larger world around them. Relational therapy does not mean that you have to bring your family into the office. It also does not mean that we have to talk about your family at all! It just means that I have had specialized training in how human beings work and live in a dynamic, relatational systems that affect how each of us thinks, acts and feels. I am committed to creating a better, more balanced, more just, and more peaceful society one person at a time.
MFT vs. LMFT? The 'MFT' stands for Marriage and Family Therapist. The 'LMFT' stands for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. There is no difference. Some therapists like to emphasize licensure (on par with that for licensed clinical social workers). The State licensing process is in place to help keep you and your family safe. I think it is an important thing to inform you about as you choose a provider for your mental health needs.