The Family Therapist Professional Journey

NEAFAST is the home to hundreds of therapists in Massachusetts and New England who work with families, relationships, and larger systems. We are dedicated to serving therapists throughout their professional career, including: 

  • Students: Massachusetts has a rich history in training psychotherapists; however, only a select few universities provide specific training to work with families and relationshipsWhile there are multiple opportunities to learn how to do family/relational therapy throughout your career, attending a graduate program with an emphasis in family therapy sets you up to succeed in the next step of your professional journey. For more information, please also visit the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) website for a nation-wide list of accredited marriage and family therapy programs.

  • Post-graduate: Massachusetts is the home to over 140 agencies and community mental health services that provide therapeutic services to underserved communities. It is expected that post-graduate students receive their licensure hours at one of these agencies, often providing in-home therapy. While agencies provide their own supervision in house, often free of cost, few of the supervisors are trained exclusively in family therapy. If you'd like additional supervision, please visit the AAMFT website for a list of their approved supervisors, all of whom have extensive training in working with relationships and families.

  • Licensure Process: NEAFAST partners with the Allied Board of Mental Health to oversee the continuing education program for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs). To learn more about how to apply to become an LMFT, please visit our webpage on the Licensure Process for MFTs

  • Continuing Education: LMFTs are required to receive 30 hours of continuing education every two years. The Allied Board audits a percentage of its therapists every year to ensure that therapists are receiving current, relevant training, and all programs must be approved by NEAFAST, which happens in one of four ways:
  1. NEAFAST Conferences & Trainings
  2. AAMFT Programs
  3. NEAFAST-Approved Live Trainings and On-Demand/Asynchronous Trainings
  4. Retroactive CEs (for CE programs that haven't previously been approved by NEAFAST, submit the Retroactive CE form with content falling under these categories for MFT credit in Massachusetts)

We are really excited to have you be a part of NEAFAST! For more information, please email Jeremiah Gibson, NEAFAST Executive Director, at [email protected].