While reading my rulebook (I do that after a long day when I need a good chuckle!) I was reminded of yet another point that was passed as a part of the train-wreck we call the New and Improved CE Renewal Guidelines. Thought I'd share that with you today.

Oh, btw, we know what the final version of these new rules we're discussing below looks like, but they may or may not be totally published in your rulebook just yet. We're just giving you a heads-up in advance.

All in Favor Say, "Follow the Money"

One of many changes the LMFT Board finalized recently was to require that any LMFT looking to become a Supervisor take that 40 hour course

1. from an LMFT-S,
2. successful completion of a 3-semester-hour, graduate course in marriage and family therapy
   supervision from an accredited institution, or
3. through the AAMFT.

Those are your only 3 options.

Let's look at each one for a minute. Since there's probably less than 5 LMFT-S's in all of TX that offer a supervisor training course, that severely limits your options from which to choose. Second, let's be honest, who takes supervisor training in school or has the time to do that post-grad? Not a practical option. Failing those two choices, you can take it through the AAMFT.

Options 1 and 2 are almost non-extant or so highly impractical as to be considered so. That suggests to me our esteemed board members really want MFT's to take their training through AAMFT. What else are we to conclude?

My main point here, however, is that an MFT desiring to upgrade to supervisor can't take the 40 hour training from an LPC-S anymore.

That's Not All...

Read a little further in your rules and you'll find that an MFT associate also has to be supervised by an MFT. The wording is a bit ambiguous but that's essentially what it means. There's been minor chatter from the MFT Board about how they'd be ok opening the potential supervisor pool to LPC's but I have no idea whether that's being acted upon or is just chatter.

Summary

Yes, the Board has the right to make these types of decisions but as I told my boys when they were growing up, "just because you have a right to do something doesn't mean it's a good idea!"

MFT's are getting the short end of the stick on this one. Limited options for licensing upgrade to supervisor, and a limited pool of potential supervisors in a very large state. Either this was all very well thought out to direct money where board members want it to go, or it wasn't thought out at all.

Feel free to let me know what you think about it in the Comments below.

Plan Smart. Be Safe. Serve Others.

Kathleen Mills, LPC-S, CEAP