Becoming a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist in Hawaii

How to Become a Marriage Family Therapist in Hawaii

Marriage takes a lot of work in order to be successful and no family is perfect by any means. There are some people that will admit that their family is even a bit dysfunctional. However, traditional marriages and families are not the only ones that seem to have problems. Families today come in all sizes and shapes and marital and family issues can affect any type of family including extended family, blended families, single parent families and same sex couples with or without children.

There are times when the problems of a family will require a therapist. Marriage Family therapists play an important role in helping family resolve problems that they may have. It is important for a family to recognize their problems early on and resolve them in a way that will help minimize the effects down the road. As a family therapist it will be your job to help them through this process in a positive manner.

Marriage and Family Therapist Job Description

A marriage and family therapist will diagnose and treat emotional and mental disorders within the marital and family systems. Application of psychotherapeutic theories and techniques will be used to provide help to couples, families, or individuals. Other names for this position include couples therapist, marriage counselor, and family and child counselor.

Educational Requirements for Family Therapists in Hawaii

There is typically a good deal of education involved in becoming a family therapist in Hawaii. A person interested in this type of career should start by earning a bachelor’s degree in an area such as social work, counseling, or psychology. It is recommended that you earn a degree from an APA accredited school. During your undergraduate degree program make sure that you take courses on family situations and marriages.

In Hawaii, you will be required to earn a master’s degree or doctoral degree from an accredited school as well if you wish to become licensed to practice marriage and family therapy.

In order to be considered for a family therapist license you will be required to submit your graduate school transcript that includes completion of graduate level courses in marriage and family studies, therapy, human development and include at least three semester hours or four quarter hours of research and ethical and professional studies.

A practicum verification form must be provided by your supervisor. This verifies the completion of a one year required practicum within the master’s degree or doctoral degree program. It must include at least 300 supervised client hours.

Learn more about the Hawaii MFT degrees.

Other Requirements for the Family Therapist License in Hawaii

There is an application process that one must go through in order to become a licensed marriage family therapist in Hawaii. A person applying for their license will need to submit a verification form that shows they have completed 1000 hours of direct family and marriage therapy as well as 200 hours of clinical supervision.

All applicants will have to pass the National Marital and Family Therapy Examination. There are certain filing deadlines for taking the examination and you must file your application request before the deadline in order to be considered.

Hawaii does recognize applicants that have passed the NMFT examination in another state as long as the test score is transferred by the Professional Examination Services.

Family Therapist Salary and Job Outlook

Overall, the job outlook for marriage family therapists is relatively good. The field of mental health counselors is expected to grow by 22% from 2021 through 2031. This is a much faster rate than many other occupations. The rate of growth for family therapists is estimated at 14% during this same time frame. This growth is expected as the population grows and insurance companies begin providing coverage for marriage and family therapists as a low cost alternative to psychologists and psychiatrists.

The average salary for marriage and family therapists as of 2022 is $63,300. In Hawaii the average pay for a family therapist is $71,890. There are currently about 90 family therapists licensed in the state.

Research Additional Psychology Professional Licenses Granted by Hawaii:

• Hawaii Psychologist Licensing
• Hawaii Counselor Licensing
• Learn More About The Career of an LMFT

2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics marriage and family therapists and mental health, substance abuse, and behavioral disorder counselors are based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed August 2023.

Schools with MFT Degree Programs Accepting Students from Hawaii