Who's on the Couch? The Case for MFT's

Oct. 26, 2009 - PRLog -- Stillwater, Oklahoma- With the economy being more geared toward human services with every passing day, there has logically been a bit of a boom in the realm of behavioral and mental health services as well. Looking for a mental health provider can be a bit intimidating, as there seems to be a credential for everything. The entire alphabet seems to be used in describing the credentials of the many types of people whose careers exist solely to come alongside people to help them through their difficulties. LADC’s, LPC’s, MFT’s, LCSW’s, and LMHC’s… and that’s just the beginning. But what do they all mean, and who is the best fit for me?

Two of the most frequently confused credentials are Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC’s) and Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT’s). On the surface, the word “counselor” is appealing, as it has been used to describe a helping profession that is trusted and respected in our society. Also at first glance, one might think that MFT’s might only work with couples and families with children. Given these assumptions, one might think the choice was obvious. But it’s not quite so simple.

LPC’s are specially trained in work with individuals, and their education typically has an emphasis on education. They are certainly able to do some useful work with families and couples, but are most experienced in providing supportive, psycho-education based, individual counseling.

On the other hand, MFT’s, as the name implies, are primarily trained to work with couples and family situations. Their education is typically in the social sciences, and they therefore have a bit more background in research and theory. What is not so obvious at first glance is that MFT’s are also quite capable of doing good work with individuals as well.

The thing that separates the individual work of MFT’s and LPC’s is the fact that LPC’s typically work with whoever comes to the room (focusing on coping skills, nonproductive lines of thought, past trauma, etc.), while MFT’s keep the individual’s entire relational system in focus. If you were to attend some appointments with an MFT, your therapist might suggest bringing your family along, or even a best friend or significant other. This is because MFT’s see most problems as resulting from underlying issues in relationships. Their focus for treatment will include addressing the ways that emotions are shared and expressed, the ways that people are able to get their needs met in meaningful relationships, and how past relationships can have important lessons for use in future relationships. This mode of treatment is useful because it allows a client to discover resources in relationship, and therefore may often be able to terminate faster than if they are treated in isolation from meaningful relationships. Old habits are hard to break, and MFT’s believe that relationships are the foundation of both good and bad habits.

If you’re considering looking into counseling for yourself, your family, or your romantic relationships, do your research on the professionals near you. Think about who will be on the other couch, and consider an MFT.

Chris Peters is a Master's student in Marriage and Family Therapy, as well as a published author of children's books and scholarly work on human development.

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