In order to become a family therapist, are specific clubs or internships that are newly instated since 2008?

Hi,

It sounds like you have personal experience already, which can be a helpful beginning, even though it may have been under unfortunate circumstances.

The most important thing a therapist can do in advance of training, is to be a client/patient ourselves. Many Masters' level programs require or recommend that students be in (or have been in) therapy with a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist prior to seeing clients themselves. It helps give a different perspective. Personally, I found this to be one of the most helpful things I've done. It gave me the opportunity to be on the other side, and I can better empathize with my clients.

There are plenty of youtube videos that are quite helpful to learn about psychology, family dynamics, Bowlby's attachment theory, and other related topics. Learning empathy, mindfulness, and compassion are all traits you will use regularly in this career. Many of these you will learn in more depth during school, but starting now could give you a leg up on it later. The AAMFT (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists) has a helpful website with learning opportunities to take advantage of. It can also connect you to others who are already in the profession, and help you find LMFTs in your area/state who can mentor you further.

Any kind of learning about general systems theories, or family dynamics will be helpful for this career. Although those can sometimes be hard to find outside college courses.

Becoming trained as a family therapist takes a long time, during which you will be able to learn many types of theories and skills related to family therapy. It's a process really, one that cannot be rushed. In advance of starting a program, it can be helpful to get a psychology or social work major for your undergraduate degree, because it will give you a good base to work from when getting your Masters' degree.

During your training, getting a Masters' in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT), you will have the opportunity to learn many techniques and clinical practices. You will practice those and fine-tune your skills during your internship/practicum experience. After graduation, you will have a residency/associate time period when you will accrue hours and supervision toward getting your LMFT license, and you will be able to further your experience and skills during that time.

I hope this is helpful,

Shelly