Benefits of Working with a Licensed Therapist

Before beginning the process of applying to grad school, I couldn’t have confidently told you the difference between a therapist, a counselor, a psychologist, and a social worker. The deeper I dove, the more titles were introduced: AMFT, LMFT, APCC, LPCC, LCSW, PhD, PsyD… Needless to say, I was confused. Now, after graduate school, practicums, internships, and a lot of studying in between, I can proudly say that I am a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) at Root to Rise Therapy, which employs both Associate Marriage & Family Therapists (AMFTs, who are pre-licensed) and LMFTs. There are benefits to working with both, and I can wholeheartedly recommend every therapist at our practice. For more information about our amazing AMFTs you can read their bios and check out this past blog post about the benefits of working with an AMFT.

For this post, I will focus on 5 key benefits of working with an LMFT:

1) LMFTs have both academic and clinical experience

In order to become an LMFT, a therapist has to complete 3000 clinical hours and pass 2 different hefty exams: The first is a Law & Ethics exam that must be passed as an AMFT, and then to become an LMFT one must pass a second half-day long test that covers Treatment Planning, Diagnosis, Crisis Management, and Clinical Evaluation (and a bit more Law & Ethics, in case we didn’t get enough by then!). If that sounds like a lot, that’s because it is! The exam is notoriously hard and requires months of intensive studying. Throughout my studying, I learned techniques that I had forgotten from school or hadn’t learned at all. After studying and passing, I can confidently say that the breadth of knowledge that is required to become an LMFT is extensive and comprehensive.

2) LMFTs often have a sense of their specialties and desired populations

The 3000 clinical hours required to become an LMFT cannot come from one location or population. The law requires a certain number of children and family hours which helps many clinicians better understand the population they desire to serve in the future. Though I loved my 2 years working as a school counselor, I learned that I gravitate more towards working with adults. However, I would not be the therapist I am today if I hadn’t had that experience. My 3000 hours consisted of work with children, families, adults, couples and groups as well as attending trainings and supervision, and performing documentation and treatment planning research. I used this period while I was accruing my hours to experiment with different forms of therapy with varying populations, and today I have a much clearer sense of what I am good at and what I enjoy.

3) LMFTs are committed and motivated

In order to become fully licensed, a therapist has to really want it! The process is fulfilling, informative, and laborious. Completing 3000 hours of therapy is time consuming and can take anywhere from 2-5 years depending on how many hours a week one works, and can be challenging to obtain, especially in a pandemic when many practices slowed down. Getting to the end point of licensure is only possible with a high level of motivation, commitment, and passion.

4) LMFTs stay up to date

LMFTs abide by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Code of Ethics. This code of ethics provides a crucial framework for clinicians, focusing on areas such as non-discrimination, confidentiality, and professional integrity. One particularly relevant doctrine involves staying current, stating that “Marriage and family therapists remain current with developments in their field through educational activities or clinical experiences.” LMFTs are required to complete 36 units/hours of continuing education courses in order to renew our license every 2 years. These courses span a wide range of topics and ensure an up-to-date knowledge base. New psychological research comes out constantly, and as much as we all would like to say we would stay up to date on our own, having the built-in requirement certainly ensures that we do!

5) LMFTs have a professional network and resources for a high level of care

Over the course of schooling, internships, jobs, and through general networking, LMFTs connect with a wide-ranging and diverse group of therapists and referrals. I have been lucky enough to meet remarkably talented clinicians throughout my journey to licensure that specialize in various populations and have varying skill-sets. Not only is this essential for making sure clients are set up with a therapist who is the right fit, it is essential for therapists to consult with one another in order to continue learning and growing (confidentially, of course). I have a go-to therapist for questions related to working with children, a go-to therapist for geriatric clients, and everything in between. At Root to Rise, we have an extensive pool of resources and referrals that include psychiatrists, therapists of any specialty you could imagine, community clinics, hypnotherapists, breathwork specialists, inpatient and outpatient treatment centers, life coaches, and much more.

If you’re reading this and feeling like working with an LMFT would be the best path for you, contact our Client Care Coordinator today to get started. And if you are still unsure about what kind of therapist would be the best fit for you, the good news is that we have both AMFTs and LMFTs (and also an APCC!) at Root to Rise! Book a consultation call today and we can help you figure out who would be the best fit for YOUR needs.

Warmly,

Jessica, LMFT

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