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Marriage & Family Therapy

About the Program

Marriage & Family Therapy Goals

The primary goal of the Marriage and Family Therapy program is to train you to do therapy with a wide range of mental health problems. Therapists are trained to help with concerns about marriage, children/adolescents, mental illness, depression, sexual issues, divorce, family, school, health, emotional difficulties, and substance abuse.
class 2007
Class of 2007

Our Unique Program


    Our program is one of two schools in the Pacific Northwest accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy. (AAMFT) Our curriculum meets licensure and educational standards for most states including Washington. (DOH licensure) This program also combines clinical training in an on-campus community clinic with placements in area agencies. Our curriculum includes a total of 500 hours of combined therapy work in our on-campus clinic and in a community agency. You need not worry about finding an internship site, we assure you placement in a managed care environment.

Other opportunities include paid positions such as:

  • Graduate fellow assigned to a programmatic project, or on campus clinic.
  • Collaborator with faculty on research projects for professional publications.
  • Clinic Coordinator or Assistant in the on-campus clinic.
  • Administrative assistant for the nationally recognized journal, Journal of Systemic Therapies.

    Quotes from Our Students

        "I like how they (the professors involved with the program) stress professionalism as well as the importance of working with colleagues. We are all different but we all work well together. I've also had professionals tell me that students from Pacific Lutheran University's Marriage and Family Therapy Program are well prepared to see clients. I feel prepared coming out of this program."
    - Diane Hudson, alumna.

        "As a graduate from the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at PLU, I felt I had a lot to offer in terms of theoretical and practical skills. I think the attention paid to the process component of therapy greatly enhanced the quality of my learning experience and now adds a depth to my work as a therapist."
    -Rosa Yip, alumna

    Therapist Training