Cal State L.A. School-Based Family Counseling Program

ng, Option in Marriage and Family Therapy is designed to train family systems oriented counselors who are eligible to apply for licensure in California as Marriage and Family Therapists and qualify for the Pupil Personnel Services Credential with Advanced Authorization in School Counseling and Child Welfare and Attendance Services. The distinguishing feature of our program is the focus on School-Based Family Counseling, which aims to train marriage and family therapists to work directly in public schools and school-based related agencies. Coursework and fieldwork experience are geared toward the K-12 settings, although not exclusively. This is in contrast to the traditional family therapy model, in which the counselor is not trained to work in school systems. Our students, on the other hand, are trained to work with children and their families within the context of the educational system, utilizing a family systems theoretical orientation. Another unique characteristic of our program is the implementation of the cohort model. These students progress through the program together, taking a carefully constructed sequence of classes. The purpose of this is to ensure that each student will be able to finish their program within the 2 ½ - 3 year timeline, but also as a means for building collegiality and support among the student body. Graduates from the SBFC program are eligible to:

-work as School Counselors in public and private K-12 level schools
-work as Child Welfare and Attendance specialists in K-12 level schools.
-work in agencies that send therapists into schools utilizing the school-based family counseling model.
-work in mental health agencies.
-Once licensed by the Board of Behavioral Sciences, work in a private practice setting. As a part of the School-Based Family Counseling program, students receive instruction from faculty members with extensive experience in school counseling, CWA, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Clinical Psychology. There is an MFT Only option for students interested in only completing the MFT. Although, over 95% of our students completed the combined program, the School-Based Family Counseling option.