Becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

For specific details of the law and rules please see the Licensed Professional Counselors Board.

View requirements and definitions for a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) »

Overview of Licensing Requirements

• Be of good moral character
• Never have engaged in any practice or conduct that would be grounds for refusing to issue a license
• Be qualified for licensure pursuant to the requirements (provided for in Title 46, Part LX. Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners, Subpart 2, Professional Standards for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists)
• File a completed application form accompanied by the required fee
• Have official transcripts sent directly from the education institution and verification of supervised clinical experience be sent directly from supervisors
• Provide a statement of practice (refer to the Appendix of the Rules) for review and approval

Specific Licensing Requirements

1. Academic Requirements - A master's or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) in a regionally accredited educational institution or a certificate in marriage and family therapy from a post-graduate training institute accredited by COAMFTE;

   Or

   A master's or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy or marriage and family counseling from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) in a regionally accredited educational institution with a minimum of 6 graduate courses in marriage and family therapy including coursework on the AAMFT Code of Ethics and a minimum of 500 supervised direct client contact hours, with a minimum of 250 hours of these 500 hours with couples and families, and a minimum of 100 hours of face-to-face supervision. The training of the supervisor must be equivalent to that of an AAMFT Approved Supervisor or AAMFT Supervisor Candidate. (See requirements specified in §§3313)

2. Supervision Requirements: After receipt of a qualifying degree an applicant must complete a minimum of two years of supervised work experience in marriage and family therapy that includes at least 3,000 hours of clinical services to individuals, couples, or families. Of these 3,000 hours, 2,000 must be direct work with clients and 1,000 may come from such things as writing case notes, workshops, public relations, consulting with referral sources, etc. The required hours of supervision are at least 200 hours, of which at least 100 must be individual supervision. Up to 100 hours of supervision received during a graduate program that can be documented as systemic may be counted toward the 200 hours. (See requirements specified in §§3315)
3. Examination Requirements: Applicants must pass the national examination in marriage and family therapy as determined by the advisory committee. No other examination will be accepted. (See requirements specified in §3313)

Applying to Become a LMFT Intern in the State of Louisiana

In order to apply to be a MFT Intern and work towards becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Louisiana individuals need to complete the following and submit to the LPC Board:

• Section I (Academic Requirements)
• Section II (Supervision Section Practice Setting)
• Section III (Supervision and Supervised Clinical Experience Plan)
• Submit a $100 application fee- money order, cashier’s check or certified check
• Official Graduate Transcript
• Transcript Form
• A copy of the individual’s Declaration of Policies and Procedures

Detailed information including all required forms about the State of Louisiana’s Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist requirements can be found at www.lpcboard.org.