Our Mission
We built California MFT Gateway to address a critical gap in the therapeutic community. Many talented individuals who feel called to help others through marriage and family therapy struggle to navigate the complex educational, licensing, and career development landscape in California. Our platform provides clear, trustworthy guidance through every step of your professional journey.
What We Offer
Our site is organized into five key areas designed to support your growth as a California MFT professional:
Licensing Guidance
We translate the California Board of Behavioral Sciences’ requirements into straightforward pathways. Our step-by-step guides walk you through the Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) registration process, explain supervised clinical hours tracking, and prepare you for the clinical examinations needed to become a fully Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).
Educational Roadmap
Finding the right graduate program is crucial for your career. We provide comprehensive information about COAMFTE-accredited programs and other qualifying educational options throughout California. Our guides help you evaluate programs based on clinical training opportunities, theoretical orientation, faculty expertise, and cost considerations.
Practice Areas
The therapy field offers diverse opportunities to match your unique interests and strengths. Our in-depth guides explore various specializations from couples counseling and sex therapy to family systems work with diverse populations across California’s urban centers and rural communities.
Clinical Resources
Effective therapists need access to quality tools and treatment approaches. We’ve gathered evidence-based resources for working with various populations and presenting issues, with particular focus on California’s multicultural landscape and region-specific mental health challenges.
Scholarship & Funding Directory
Graduate education is a significant investment. We maintain a regularly updated database of California-specific scholarships, grants, and loan forgiveness programs designed specifically for marriage and family therapy students and early-career professionals.
Meet Our Team
Candace Martin, Executive Director
Candace founded California MFT Gateway after experiencing firsthand the challenges of transitioning into therapeutic practice. With a background in healthcare communications and a passion for relationship-focused therapy, Candace has built partnerships with university counseling programs throughout California to ensure our resources reflect current educational and licensing realities. Her previous work developing content for mental health organizations informs our practical, user-centered approach.
Jeremy Smith, Education Liaison
Jeremy’s dedication to counseling is deeply personal—he was raised by a mother who worked as a counselor in Child Welfare. His extensive engagement with homeless populations and substance use support programs informs his contributions to California MFT Gateway. Jeremy cultivates relationships with educational institutions across California, identifying quality CSWE-accredited programs to recommend to our visitors.
Professional Advisor
Karyn Bandy, Master of Education, Counseling and Human Services
Karyn enriches our platform with extensive expertise gained from her twenty-plus years in therapeutic practice. Her clinical focus has centered on systemic interventions for families in transition, including high-conflict divorce mediation, blended family integration, and attachment-based therapeutic approaches. Throughout her career, Karyn has developed specialized protocols for court-involved therapeutic services and created training programs for clinicians working with complex family dynamics. Her consultation work spans multiple settings—from private practice collectives to integrated healthcare teams—where she emphasizes evidence-based approaches to relationship healing. Karyn’s practical wisdom ensures our resources reflect the real-world challenges and opportunities facing today’s California marriage and family therapists.