Trying to decide between a career in counseling or social work?

If you are considering becoming a therapist, there is one important decision that will need to be made: where should I go to school? There are two major paths you could take when choosing your education - you could attend an accredited LCSW program or LMFT program. Both of these professions offer their graduates the opportunity to help people in similar ways but they do require different training.

If you're wondering "which one should I go for?", then keep reading! This article has all the information that you need regarding both licenses including their education requirements, salary expectations, and how AATBS can help you pass these licensure exams.

An LMFT is a Marriage and Family Therapist. LMFTs have a Master's degree in marriage and family therapy, psychology, or counseling from an accredited LMFT program. LMFT programs are between 36-48 months long and require applicants to be at least 18 years old with a Bachelor's degree.

LMFTS are trained to provide therapy for individuals and couples. LMFTs may also have a license as an LCSW which can allow LMFTs to assess the medication needs of their clients along with the LMFT treatment plan.

LCSWs are a bit different then LMFTs. LCSW stands for Licensed Clinical Social Worker. LCSW's have a Master of Social Work degree from an accredited school and must pass the clinical social work exam to be licensed in their state.

The most obvious difference between LMFTs and LCSWs is that LMFTs are trained in marriage counseling while an LCSW may not necessarily focus on this aspect of therapy.

On average, LCSWs tend to earn higher salaries than LMFTS but this is not always the case. LMFTs often have a higher number of patients in their caseload which can lead to a lower compensation per patient. An LCSW may often have fewer clients but each may be seen more frequently and thus provide higher compensation.

Whether becoming an LMFT or an LCSW, AATBs has the study materials you need in order to pass your licensure exams. Learn more about our MFT self-study programs and MFT live-online study sessions here.

Looking for more information about how much a MFT can make? Click here to learn how much a MFT makes.

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