Marriage & Family Therapy Licensure in Oregon

How to Become a Marriage and Family Therapist in Oregon

The basic requirements for licensing as a Marriage and Family Therapist are:

family waiting for their counseling session

Graduates with a master's degree in marriage, couple, and family counseling are eligible for dual licensure as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) in the State of Oregon. Graduates apply to become professional counselor associates and/or marriage and family therapist associates with the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists (OBLPCT). The OBLPCT is the authority for licensing requirements.

Review the OBLPCT website for detailed information about the required academic education, post-graduation supervised clinical experience and national competency exam. Requirements for accrual of supervised hours, criminal records background check/fingerprinting and national exam toward the professional counselor license (LPC) and marriage & family therapy license (LMFT) can be found on oregon.gov.

Licensure Process
for MCFC (Marriage, Couple & Family Counseling) Graduates

  1. After graduation, become a Registered Associates with the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists (OBLPCT). You must provide the board with transcripts verifying your graduation. You will pay a fee, complete a background check, and provide fingerprints.
  2. Identify your supervisor and have your supervisor approved by OBLPCT. Frequently, for graduates who begin work in an agency or clinic after graduation, a work supervisor or colleague serves as their supervisor for post-graduation clinical experience.
  3. Complete 1,900 hours of post-graduation supervised clinical experience with individual clients, couples and families (typically completed within two to three years after graduation). Up to 400 hours may be counted from pre-degree internship hours. Note that all hours must be supervised by a supervisor trained in the systemic approach and meeting the OBLPCT requirements.
  4. Take and pass a board-approved competency exam.
  5. After passing a board-approved competency exam, take and pass the Oregon law and rules exam.
  6. Apply for your LMFT license.

Washington

Graduates with a master's degree in marriage, couple, and family counseling are also eligible for dual licensure in the state of Washington. To apply to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate (LMFTA) in Washington, see the application packet on Washington State's Department of Health website.

Other States

Each state has its own requirements for education and clinical experience in order to become licensed. This Licensure by State Guide for LMFT licensure can help you get the licensure process started in any of the 50 states in the United States of America. Students are advised to keep copies of all course syllabi for course verification with out-of-state licensing boards.

Questions?

Kelly Peterson

Kelly Peterson

Admissions Counselor, Graduate Counseling Programs