Question about 2yr MFT supervision period

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ct75

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First of all hello to all. I am new to the forum and am looking forward to learning from all the experience in the "room". Also, to avoid stepping on any toes I'd like to apologize in advance if my question(s) have been asked before. I assure you I have scanned the posts and did a seach and did not find a helpful answer. So on with it I guess...

I have been in the USAF for 15 years and my 20 year career will soon be over. I am very interested in the field of Marriage and Family Therapy, and have been looking at a few masters programs. I have pretty much been able to find answers to most of my questions along the way. But the area I amunsure of is the required 2yr period of supervision one must go through prior to being fully licensed. This is a requirement in the State of Texas where I plan to live and practice; and I gather it is pretty much a standard requirement thoughout the country.

My question/ concern revolves around pay. While undergoing this 2yr period under supervision would I be paid or is an unpaid internship-type situation? And if paid does anyone know what the going rate for a MFT "in-training" is? I know what the pay range if for fully licenced MFT from the BLS.gov website, but I am curious about the pay for those in training, racking up the hours required to be fully licenced.

Any info here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to all for the help!

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Anyone care to chime in? Basically, I just want an idea of how you guys supported yourselves for the time you were getting the supervision you needed to become fully licensed? Were you getting paid while logging you hours of supervision or did you have another job? (Or did Mommy and Daddy help?)

C
 
Anyone care to chime in? Basically, I just want an idea of how you guys supported yourselves for the time you were getting the supervision you needed to become fully licensed? Were you getting paid while logging you hours of supervision or did you have another job? (Or did Mommy and Daddy help?)

C

Hey, I'm not sure if the Mommy/Daddy thing offends me or not, I'll have to think on it for a bit...

For all of the masters level clinical degrees, you find a job post-grad and that's how you earn your 2 years of experience. It's a paid position.

That is how we all (or most of us) supported ourselves...

The way it works is as follows:

You have to be supervised a certain number of hours with regard to how many hours you are working. For me, it was 3000 hours of experience and 100 hours of supervision over a minimum of 2 years.

I don't know LMFT standards... but they are similar.

Supporting yourself during graduate school is the real concern... and that, can be however you are able to get by... whether it's Mommy and Daddy... or like most of us... ramen and peanut butter sandwiches.
 
Hey, I'm not sure if the Mommy/Daddy thing offends me or not, I'll have to think on it for a bit...

quote]

Yeah, I guess that may have come off as condescending. I should have said "did your family provide financial support?" No offense intended.

Thanks for the response. That would make sense that you would be getting paid as you logged your supervised experiece, but I was not really sure how it worked, since I currently live in a small town with no therapist to pose my questions to.

I'm planning a career swap from military service to MFT in about 4-5 years and it is very un-nerving to think I may not be getting a pay check as a 40year old with my own family to support.

About the "mommy and daddy" comment, I think that it may have been easier to go into the field in my 20's before I had a family. It's a catch 22. I had no one to worry about supporting but myself back then, but I had no way to pay for school. Now I can afford school, but I have a wife and kids who are fond of eating (and not Top Ramen).

Out of curiosity, what would a MFT or LPC earn while working under supervision prior to becoming fully licensed?

C
 
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