What Is an LMFT? Your Guide to a Career as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

More Americans are seeking mental health treatment than ever before. In 2023, around 59.2 million adults in the United States received treatment or counseling. It helps that nationwide initiatives to support mental health services are growing and evolving. To further support the cause, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services named marriage and family therapy as one of the five core mental health professions.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), you can help individuals, couples, and families overcome barriers that might come between them and healthy living.

So, what is an LMFT? Join us as we explore the ins and outs of this impactful career path, including the typical on-the-job duties and what to expect from this field.

What is marriage and family therapy?

The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) explains that this specialization broadens the traditional emphasis on the individual by also acknowledging the impact a client’s relationship networks can have on their health. LMFTs take a holistic approach to healthcare, emphasizing the long-term well-being of individuals.

LMFTs are mental health professionals trained in psychotherapy and family systems, and licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders within the context of marriage, couples, and family systems.

Marriage and family therapy is described as:

• Brief
• Solution-focused
• Specific, with attainable therapeutic goals
• Designed with the "end in mind”

In their day-to-day work, LMFTs develop systemic treatment plans tailored to the unique needs of their clients. Collaborative by nature, LMFTs adhere to the AAMFT Code of Ethics, ensuring professional integrity and client well-being. Many LMFTs pursue additional training to specialize in working with specific populations, such as trauma, children and youth, medical family therapy, individuals with substance use challenges, or working with members of the military. LMFTs often use a variety of relational-based and experimental techniques when working with clients.

Marriage and family therapists encounter a variety of clinical issues and work with the following areas:

• Adolescent Behavioral Challenges
• Childhood Behavioral Challenges
• Couples Challenges
• Emotional Disorders/Issues
• Family Issues
• Gender and LBGTQIA+ Medical Challenges
• Substance Abuse/Addiction

So what’s the difference between general practice therapists and those with a license in marriage and family therapy? According to AAMFT:

“A family's patterns of behavior influences the individual and therefore may need to be a part of the treatment plan. In marriage and family therapy, the unit of treatment isn't just the person – even if only a single person is interviewed – it is the set of relationships in which the person is embedded.”

What is the career outlook for LMFTs?

AAMFT data maintains that there has been a 50-fold increase in practicing LMFTs since 1970. At any given time, these therapists are treating millions of people across the country. Clients often walk away from their marriage and family therapy experiences with improvements in productivity, relationships, emotional health, and social interactions. 

Research also shows that LMFTs have high rates of patient satisfaction. Functional improvement is quite high among clients, even though treatment doesn’t tend to last all that long. In fact, LMFTs average 12 sessions per client. Even though the focus is on a person’s relationship networks, about half the treatment provided is one-on-one.

The significant increase in people seeking behavioral health services means that the growth in the marriage and family therapy field is flourishing. Available positions are projected to grow 16 percent by 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Professionals in this field commonly work in private practices, although LMFT positions can also be found in the following work environments:

• VA centers
• Inpatient facilities
• Hospitals and clinics
• Schools
• Universities
• Social services agencies
• Courts
• Prisons
• Research centers
• Community health centers

It’s also true that many marriage and family therapists will work evenings and weekends to accommodate their clients’ schedules. With the surge of telehealth, however, more patients are available during core business hours as they don’t have to travel to see their therapist.

How do you become an LMFT?

If you’re eager to make an impact and become an LMFT, the most common path into the field is first earning a master's in marriage and family therapy. The next step is completing at least two years with post-degree supervised clinical experience with an established professional.

All states require candidates to be licensed. This will generally involve passing the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards’ Marriage and Family Therapy National Exam. The BLS also notes that LMFTs must complete annual continuing education classes throughout their careers.

Make an impact with a behavioral health career

You can see there’s a pretty simple answer to the question, “What is an LMFT?” They are vital therapists for many people. But despite the growing demand for the types of services they provide, the nation is experiencing a severe shortage of mental and behavioral health professionals.

If you feel called to dedicate your career to helping preserve or restore the mental and emotional well-being of those in your community, a career in marriage and family therapy could be perfect for you.

Now that you know about the LMFT meaning and the critical role these therapists play in their communities, perhaps you feel called to follow this career path. Take the next step toward a rewarding position that will allow you to support the needs of individuals, couples and families. Learn more about the training for this career by checking out UMass Global’s MA in Marriage and Family Therapy.