Anyone in California??

[Heather75019]

I have what I hope is a pretty quick question for those who live in CA. We are currently living in Texas and miss CA 🙁 Our 5 year plan is for me to start and finish my masters program and once I am fully licensed I will apply for my license in CA and we will move home. Now, I have applied to two programs. Masters in Family Therapy and Masters in Counseling and Development. My ultimate goal with either masters program is to obtain my LMFT and LPC. Again, I will be fully licensed (2 year supervised hours, etc) before we move back. Now, I have read that in CA a LCSW and LMFT are basically interchangeable. Is this correct? I am debating on if I should go with my MFT/MAC or pursue my MSW. What is in more demand in CA? My ultimate goal is counseling/therapy so I am not sure if this helps at all. What would those in CA suggest?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

If you go the MFT route, make sure to go to a COAMFTE-acred. program, as that is the official acred. body for MFTs. Below are the acred. programs for CA.

California Bethel Seminary (MA) Dr. G. Keith Olson
Administrator and Lead Faculty
6116 Arosa Street
San Diego, CA 92115-3902 Phone: (619) 325-5200
Fax: (619) 325-5237 Email: [email protected]
Website: http://seminary.bethel.edu/programs/bssd/mft/
Facebook: Program Accredited: Masters
Renewal Date: November 01, 2013

California San Diego, University of (MA) Dr. Todd Edwards
Associate Professor and Director
Marital and Family Therapy Program
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110-2492 Phone: (619) 260-5963
Fax: (619) 260-6826 Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.sandiego.edu/mft
Facebook: Program Accredited: Masters
Renewal Date: November 01, 2016

California Loma Linda University (MS)-MFT Program Dr. Mary Moline
Program Coordinator
Dept. of Counseling and Family Sciences
Griggs Hall Room 209
Loma Linda, CA 92350 Phone: (909) 558-4547
Fax: (909) 588-0447 Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.llu.edu/science-technology/cfs/msmft.page
Facebook: Program Accredited: Masters
Renewal Date: May 01, 2012


California Hope International University Dr. Laura Steele
Chair, Dept. of Psych and Counseling
Marriage and Family Therapy Program
2500 E. Nutwood, Ste 212
Fullerton, CA 92831 Phone: (714) 879-3901
Fax: (714) 681-7226 Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.hiu.edu/academics/grad/mft/
Facebook: Program Accredited: Masters
Renewal Date: November 01, 2012

California Chapman University (MA) Dr. Brennan Peterson
Director of Clinical Training
Dept of Psychology, MFT Program
One University Drive
Orange, CA 92866-2150 Phone: (714) 744-7915
Fax: (714) 997-6780 Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.chapman.edu/SCS/HLS/MAMFT.asp
Facebook: Program Accredited: Masters
Renewal Date: July 31, 2012


California Loma Linda University (DMFT) Dr. Douglas Huenergardt
Program Director
Dept of Counseling and Family Science
11063 Campus St., Griggs Hall Room 202
Loma Linda, CA 92350 Phone: (909) 558-4547
Fax: (909) 558-0417 Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.llu.edu/science-technology/cfs/imastersdmftmfam.page
Facebook: Program Accredited: Doctoral
Renewal Date: May 01, 2012

California Loma Linda University-(Ph.D.) Dr. Carmen Knudson-Martin
Program Director
Dept of Counseling and Family Science
Griggs Hall Room 202
Loma Linda, CA 92350 Phone: (909) 558-4547
Fax: (909) 558-0417 Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.llu.edu/science-technology/cfs/phd-mfam.page
Facebook: Program Accredited: Doctoral
Renewal Date: May 01, 2012


California San Diego State University (MS) Dr. Brent Taylor
Program Director
Dept of Counseling and School Psychology
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-1179 Phone: (619) 594-3871
Fax: (619) 594-7025 Email: [email protected]
Website: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/csp/programs/mft/mft.htm
Facebook: Program Accredited: Masters
Renewal Date: May 01, 2016


Source: http://www.aamft.org/cgi-shl/twserver.exe?run:COALIST

 

[wigflip]

If you go the MFT route, make sure to go to a COAMFTE-acred. program, as that is the official acred. body for MFTs. Below are the acred. programs for CA.

Can you please explain the value of a COAMFTE accreditation? I've read elsewhere that this isn't a big deal. I find it particularly odd that none of these programs (very generous of you to provide, by the way) are commutable from either of CA's two major cities, SF or LA. Surely there are quality MFT programs in/near the big city centers?

 

[Heather75019]

I would do a COAMFTE school but there is only 2 in the whole state of Texas. Neither in Dallas and I can't uproot my family. So, unfortunately, that's not possible. I an only wondering if LMFT or LCDC is in more demand in California. Sorry for any spelling errors, I'm writing from my cell phone.

 

[wigflip]

I would do a COAMFTE school but there is only 2 in the whole state of Texas. Neither in Dallas and I can't uproot my family. So, unfortunately, that's not possible. I an only wondering if LMFT or LCDC is in more demand in California. Sorry for any spelling errors, I'm writing from my cell phone.

The impression I get is that MSW is the license to get in SoCal. I dropped out of an MSW program because I thought that the therapy training was crummy/nonexistent. My friend felt the same (different school) but finished the degree for the license. LPC is going to be instituted next year.
http://www.counseling.org/Counselors/LicensureAndCert/TP/StateRequirements/CT2.aspx

T4C: went to the COAMFTE website--looks like you forgot to cut and paste the many COAMFTE-acreddited Alliant campuses into your previous post...😉

Anyway, I guess I'm hijacking the thread here, but since you responded with the suggestion that COAMFTE is the way to go, I'l love to hear why. The only other place I'd heard about the importance of COAMFTE accred was on an Alliant prof's blog. Took it with a grain of salt since s/he appeared to just be promoting the school (as well as some other dodgy sounding things).

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

T4C: went to the COAMFTE website--looks like you forgot to cut and paste the many COAMFTE-acreddited Alliant campuses into your previous post...😉

Anyway, I guess I'm hijacking the thread here, but since you responded with the suggestion that COAMFTE is the way to go, I'l love to hear why. The only other place I'd heard about the importance of COAMFTE accred was on an Alliant prof's blog. Took it with a grain of salt since s/he appeared to just be promoting the school (as well as some other dodgy sounding things).

I left the Alliant campuses out because I don't agree with their approach to education and often coercive tactics....errr...marketing campaigns that seem to be everywhere.

As for COAMFTE, I was going off of what a friend of mine from the MFT field recommended. It is less prevalent when compared against APA v. non-APA acred. programs, though the national association is trying to establish standards for training. I am almost always a fan of setting (hopefully high) standards for training programs.

 

[lil12002]

First I would like to say that if your ultimate goal is to practice in CA and become licensed here, I would go to school here and do the hours here as well.
The CA LCSW test is by far the hardest in the country( or so I have heard) so becoming licensed in texas and then in CA will be more challenging i believe. So I would do it all at once in CA if thats where you want to stay in the long run.

As far as lcsw and MFT, I'm currently an ASW which means MSW collecting hours towards my LCSW, and I have seen alot more LMTFs in the mental health field then i see LCSWs, that could be because LCSW is also broad and someone can do admnistration, planning, grant writing, and a variety of things with the LCSW then with the LMFT.

That being said i have seen both qualified and unqualified LCSWs and LMFTs but the former is more broad and has a larger scope of practice in my opinion. Good Luck!

and BTW there are tons of jobs in southern californa for both i believe if you are bilungual and want to to community work, such as home based counseling and such.

 

[wigflip]

Yikes! Just read this on the CA BBS site:

"Due to current hiring constraints, the Board is unable to fill vacancies, including those occurring in the Marriage and Family Therapist application for examination unit...We are making every effort to process applications quickly with our existing resources...For the Week of October 3, 2011: The MFT Evaluator is currently working on evaluating applications received the week of April 21, 2011. This information will be updated weekly."

http://www.bbs.ca.gov/app-reg/mft_requirement.shtml

😱

 

[ArinySarbilah]

i'm from the bay too originally and now living in chicago. winters and construction lasts almost 9 months if not more in chicago. temperatures can drop 30 deg in a day and swing 50 deg either way in a matter of two to three days. summers are so humid and rainy that u cant go outside. u get maybe two weeks (if ur lucky) of beautiful bay area like weather days and they're usually weeks maybe months apart sometimes. i'm not exaggerating. i hate living here but the city is beautiful and amazing if u can enjoy it. i miss the bay every day... i miss the hills and ocean and palm trees more than i can describe. good luck!