The stress and pain of marriage and family conflicts can feel overwhelming and can also affect your overall well-being. What’s more, data from the Centers for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics shows the U.S. divorce rate was 2.4 per 1,000 people in 2023. In fact, researchers estimate that roughly 40% of first marriages end in divorce or separation over a lifetime. The potential for a marriage to end in divorce, and other relationship-related mental health concerns, can have those involved searching for answers.
Licensed marriage and family therapists, also known as LMFTs, are specially trained to help resolve conflicts and navigate complex relational difficulties. In this article, we’ll discuss what an LMFT is, the scope of their expertise, how they can help, and why you should consider seeing one for therapy.
Key takeaways
- LMFT — which stands for licensed marriage and family therapist — is a master’s-level clinician trained to work with couples, families, and individuals on relational and interpersonal concerns.
- LMFTs are not limited to working with married couples — they work with anyone navigating relationship dynamics, including families, co-parents, and individuals dealing with relationship-related mental health concerns.
- They use a range of approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), structural therapy, and psychodynamic techniques, tailored to the specific needs of the people in the room.
- LMFTs are licensed mental health professionals and their sessions are typically covered by insurance the same way as individual therapy — though coverage varies by plan.
- On Grow Therapy, you can filter specifically for LMFTs, check insurance, and book directly online.
What are LMFTs?
LMFT is an acronym that stands for licensed marriage and family therapists. These healthcare professionals specialize in the relational and interpersonal dynamics of marriages, couples, and families.
A licensed marriage and family therapist can also help in the following:
- Childhood counseling
- Separation counseling
- Conditions affecting families and relationships, such as anxiety and depression
Did you know?
Marriage and family therapy is designed to be relatively brief and goal-focused. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, psychotherapy — including the relational approaches LMFTs use — has been shown to produce meaningful improvements in symptoms and functioning, often within a matter of months rather than years.
LMFT licensure and credentialing requirements
Licensure for LMFTs can vary from state to state. For example, in Washington, applicants must have 3,000 hours of experience, including 1,000 hours of direct client contact. What’s more, at least 100 of those hours must be with an LMFT who has at least five years of experience.
Licensing boards are tasked with verifying whether a marriage and family therapist has fulfilled the required measures for licensure. One way of verifying a therapist’s licensure is by searching the MFT Licensing Boards. You can use the licensing board to check the status of your therapist — whether active, inactive, expired, or revoked.
If you’re working with an online therapist, take advantage of the in-app messaging tools to authenticate your therapist’s qualifications.
Graduate education
In each state, LMFTs are supposed to have a counseling, psychology, or marriage and family therapy master’s degree. Some states, like Washington, require a master’s or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy, or a behavioral science master’s or doctoral degree with equivalent course work from an approved school.
If you’re considering an LMFT, remember to check your state’s requirements to ensure the therapist has this qualification.
Supervised clinical experience
Before they are licensed, therapists must complete a certain number of supervised working hours. If you’re seeking out an LMFT, you can check with your state requirements and see if your prospective therapist has undergone supervised clinical experience.
Licensing exams
Check if your LMFT has completed the MFT National Exam created and administered by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards. Many states require passing this exam for an individual to operate as a licensed marriage and family therapist.
Do I need to come to LMFT sessions with my partner or family, or can I go alone?
You don’t have to come with anyone else. While LMFTs are trained to work with couples and families, many also see individuals — especially people who want to understand how their relationships are affecting their mental health, or who are preparing for couples or family therapy.
If your partner or family member isn’t ready to participate, that’s okay. Individual work with an LMFT can still be productive and meaningful. As therapy progresses, others may be invited to join sessions if it makes sense for your goals.
How do LMFTs compare to other mental health professionals?
LMFT vs. LCSW
While LMFTs and Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) work to support individuals in their daily lives and overall wellness, they differ significantly. Their scope of work and educational qualifications vary.
LMFTs
- Focus on providing therapy to couples, marriages, and families
- Often concentrate on childhood counseling, premarital counseling, and separation and divorce counseling
- Often have a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, counseling, or psychology from an accredited program
LCSWs
- Don’t necessarily focus on marriage and family therapy.
- Provide counseling services to people suffering from emotional, mental, and behavioral issues.
- Generally should have a master’s degree in social work from an accredited institution
LMFT vs. psychologist
When comparing LMFTs to psychologists, it’s worth noting that LMFTs typically focus on the dynamics at work within couples, marriages, and families. “Psychologist” is a broader term that often describes a mental health professional with a doctoral degree that may specialize more in assessment and testing.
LMFTs
- Are clinicians trained to work with couples, families, and individuals, with a focus on relational and interpersonal concerns
- Often have a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, counseling, or psychology from an accredited program.
Psychologists
- Are highly trained mental health professionals
- Typically hold a doctoral degree — often a Doctor of Psychology Psy.D. or a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in psychology
- Are trained to formally diagnose and treat a wide range of mental health disorders
What issues can an LMFT help me with?
Licensed marriage and family therapists are trained to handle problems affecting marriage, family, and other relationships. People might seek out an LMFT if they’re looking to deal with a variety of concerns, including:
Stress, anxiety, or depression
If you struggle with issues that cause stress and anxiety in your family or marriage, a licensed marriage and family therapist can help you overcome them.
Feeling hopeless
Feeling hopeless and unmotivated about the future may be symptomatic of a mental health concern like depression. An LMFT can help you navigate negative feelings and prevent related effects.
Conflicts
If conflicts arise in your marriage or family, it’s time to see a licensed marriage and family therapist. They can help address conflicting issues and restore peace in your interpersonal relationships.
Deteriorated communication
Poor communication in marriage and family systems can result in various problems. If communication in your family or marriage has become problematic, it may be necessary to include a marriage and family therapist.
Absence of intimacy in your marriage
Lack of intimacy in a marriage or relationship may signify the start of more problems. Often, it may be a sign of a lack of interest by one or both partners. An LMFT can help identify and address the root cause(s) of the lack of intimacy, and help pave a way forward.
Alcoholism
If your partner or loved one struggles with alcoholism or other forms of substance use, a therapy session with an LMFT can help.
Traumatizing events
LMFTs also serve as mental health counselors and can assist you in overcoming relational trauma. For instance, they can help you navigate the loss of a loved one or domestic violence.
What can I expect in LMFT therapy?
It’s completely natural to feel unfamiliar at the start of therapy, especially if you haven’t worked with a mental health professional before. Knowing more about how therapy sessions progress, and how psychotherapy generally works can help as you consider taking these initial steps.
What to expect during your first session
In general, your initial therapy session serves as an introduction, so that you and your therapist can get to know each other and discuss any concerns you might have.
An LMFT might ask you about:
- Any challenges or symptoms you’re currently experiencing
- Your background and life experiences
- Your relationships and any support systems you have in place
- The goals you have in mind for therapy
Working with an LMFT may be a good fit, especially if:
You’re seeking a safe place to express your feelings
Marriage and family therapy helps you to cope with your emotional struggles. LMFTs provide a safe environment for expressing feelings and problems in a relationship. Additionally, LMFTs will help you work through conflicts and understand how your actions might affect others.
You need help improving your self-esteem
Constant conflicts in marriages and family relationships may result in lowered self-esteem. A licensed marriage and family therapist can help you discover issues that affect your family or marriage, and in turn, raise your self-esteem.
You need help getting through life transitions
Life transitions can be challenging, regardless of whether the change is positive or negative. Complex changes such as losing a loved one, divorce, or an empty nest can affect family and relationship dynamics. During this time, seeing an LMFT for therapy can be beneficial.
You’re working to regain trust
If you or your partner has lost trust in the relationship, an LMFT can be a useful option. An LMFT can help you work on what’s broken, work toward forgiveness, and restore trust.
What kinds of techniques are used during LMFT sessions?
LMFTs are specially trained to help people navigate relationship-related mental health concerns. As part of a marriage and family therapy session, LMFTs may utilize some of the following psychotherapy techniques:
Behavioral techniques
Behavioral techniques — such as cognitive behavioral therapy — help family members and couples gain the skills necessary to address their concerns. Additionally, these techniques aim at reducing the relapse of conflicting issues by improving communication and problem-solving skills. For instance, a therapist may use modeling and role-playing to help partners and families resolve their communication issues.
Structural techniques
Marriage and family therapists may use structural techniques to promote healthy boundaries and power dynamics among family members. The structural approach also helps therapists understand the role of family members and how each one views their role. As a result, a therapist can help to improve how the family functions.
Psychodynamic techniques
Therapists may use a psychodynamic approach to understand the reactions of family members contributing toward the problems they are facing. Additionally, therapists may use this technique to understand existing fears and hopes that motivate partners. As a result, therapists can help partners and family members understand each other better.
How do I choose the right LMFT for me?
Finding an LMFT who meets your needs can be overwhelming and time-consuming. Yet, it’s important to conduct due diligence to ensure you find the right match for you and your family.
Here are several tips to help find a suitable LMFT for you:
Recommendations and reputation
One way to find the right LMFT for therapy is to ask for recommendations from those in a similar situation. If you have a friend who’s faced a similar concern and seems to have progressed well, you might consider trying their therapist.
Read online reviews to see what others say about them, and browse through their website to check their qualifications and clinical experience.
Matching values
LMFTs draw their views of family and marriage from different sources. Having an LMFT with similar core values to yourself is vital for therapeutic success.
Treatment approach
An LMFT should have clear treatment plans to help you overcome your marital and family issues. So, before you choose one, ask them how they intend to proceed with the therapy. If you are not comfortable with their strategies, look for another.
Final thoughts
Relationships are one of the most significant factors in overall mental health and well-being — and the problems that develop within them rarely resolve on their own. An LMFT brings specialized training in the dynamics between people, which makes them particularly well-suited to issues that feel stuck no matter how hard individuals try to fix them alone. Whether you’re navigating a rough patch in a relationship, working through a major life transition, or trying to understand your own relational patterns better, an LMFT can provide a structured, supportive space to do that work.
Finding the right LMFT matters as much as finding any good therapist. You want someone whose approach fits your situation and with whom everyone involved feels comfortable. On Grow Therapy, you can filter specifically for LMFTs, check who accepts your insurance, read provider profiles, and book directly. Most clients are in their first session within a few days.
Ready to find an LMFT covered by your insurance?
Frequently asked questions
LMFT stands for licensed marriage and family therapist. An LMFT is a trained healthcare professional that focuses on and specializes in marriages, couples, and families. They typically hold a master’s degree or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy.
Both psychologists and LMFTs are highly trained mental health professionals, however their training, licensing, and professional pathways differ. Psychologists typically hold a doctoral degree (often a PhD or a PsyD) and can formally diagnose and treat a wide range of mental health disorders.
LMFTs typically focus on working with couples, families, and individuals on relational and interpersonal concerns.
Yes — LMFTs are licensed to assess and diagnose mental health conditions within their scope of practice. However, they cannot prescribe medication. If medication may be part of your care, you would need to also work with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner.
Yes, in most cases. LMFTs are licensed mental health professionals, and their sessions are billed through insurance the same way as other licensed therapists. Coverage depends on your specific plan and whether the LMFT is in-network. Note that couples therapy specifically may have limited coverage unless one partner has a diagnosable condition — confirm with your insurer before booking.
No. Many LMFTs see individuals, especially those processing relational concerns on their own or preparing for couples or family therapy. If your partner or family member isn’t ready to participate, individual sessions with an LMFT can still be productive and meaningful.
It depends on your goals and what you’re working through. Marriage and family therapy is generally designed to be solution-focused and relatively brief — most clients report meaningful improvement within 12 sessions or fewer, with treatment often lasting between three and six months. More complex concerns may take longer, and you and your therapist will revisit goals and progress over time.