What is a LMFT?
When I have an initial phone consultation with a new client, a very common question I get asked is, “What does the LMFT stand for next to your name?” When someone is looking for a psychotherapist, it can be very overwhelming to see all of the different acronyms next to each practitioners name and trying to find out which therapist would be the best fit for you that can best address your concerns and goals. Well, worry no more because I am about to share with you at least what a LMFT is so that you will know if a LMFT is the right fir for you on your journey to self care.
A LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, we are trained in psychotherapy and family systems theory. This means we identify specific aspects of the larger system that need to change in order for the individual to heal. When possible, we often try to include multiple members of the system ( family, partner, etc.).
We work with couples, families, and individuals. As a LMFT we are licensed to assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional disorders, as well as other health and behavioral problems. What makes us stand out from other therapists is that in our initial assessments, we conduct something called a Genogram. A genogram is a family mapping tool, which is a diagram of a client’s family history of 3 generations. This allows the clinician to explore family relationship dynamics and assess for any addiction, mental health, and physical health in the clients family history.
Some LMFT’s stick to working with a specific therapeutic model (“marrying the model”). Whereas, other LMFT’s might be eclectic when using therapeutic models depending on the client(s). On a case by case basis, the LMFT will assess the client(s) for about 3 sessions to determine what is the appropriate therapeutic model they will use with the IP (Identifying Patient).
LMFT’s are trained in many therapeutic models and theories. Below are a list of some models/theories we use based on the IP(s) These can be used interchangeably depending on the client and the presenting issue:
Couples: Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, Gottman Method Couple Therapy, Imago Relationship Therapy, Discernment Counseling
Families: Structural Family Therapy, Strategic Family Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Contextual Family Therapy, Experiential Family Therapy, Psychodynamic Family Therapy (object relations),
Individuals: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy
LMFT’s may work in private practice, social service agencies, inpatient/outpatient treatment centers, Substance abuse treatment centers, office of health practitioners, schools, legal and correctional systems, etc. If you want to see the full list please see attached the link below.
Where Do People with MFT Degrees Work? | CareersinPsychology.org
What we do NOT do is prescribe medication, complete thorough psychiatric evaluations, neurological testing. If you want to know more about marriage and family therapists please see the link below. I hope this was helpful in determining if a LMFT is a good fit for you!