Saybrook University LMFT Program

Saybrook University’s M.A. in Counseling program boasts CACREP accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Your education will match national training standards and prepare you for licensure opportunities throughout the United States.

The program blends online learning with valuable face-to-face interactions. You’ll join a three-year, 60-credit program where you study online with your cohort and meet in person at the start of each semester during Residential Learning Experiences (RLEs). You can earn your degree without moving or quitting your job.

Hands-on experience plays a vital role in your professional growth. Students complete 700 hours of supervised clinical training, including 280 hours working directly with clients. Clinical experience starts halfway through the program with multiple supervision levels. The program offers practicum followed by internship sequences, with full-time and part-time options that fit your schedule.

The job market looks bright for graduates. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects job openings for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors to grow by 19% by 2033. This growth rate surpasses most other professions. Clinical and counseling psychologists earned $106,600 on average in 2023. U.S. News & World Report ranks mental health counselor among the top 10 best social services jobs.

Graduates can pursue various licenses including Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). Each state has unique licensing requirements. Saybrook helps you plan your path to licensure in your chosen location from day one.

The program’s results speak volumes. During the 2024-2025 academic year, every graduate passed the licensing exam on their first try. The program saw 32 graduates with a 90% completion rate. Survey results showed 82% of respondents working in mental health.

After graduation, you can work as:

• Mental health counselor
• Crisis intervention counselor
• Substance abuse counselor
• Counseling program coordinator
• Rehabilitation counselor

Students master ten core competency areas, from Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice to Social and Cultural Diversity, Individual and Family Development, and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Faculty and peer mentoring sets this program apart, supporting your journey through graduate school.

Saybrook University makes quality education available to more people by offering financial aid guidance and support. Students benefit from a humanistic approach to counseling while building lasting friendships and professional connections with classmates, faculty, and partners.

Pathways and Specializations

Saybrook University’s Master’s program opens up multiple career paths in marriage and family therapy. Students pick this program because it gives them a solid education and career options that line up with their professional goals.

Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) get their training through a 60-credit program that builds core skills to work with individuals, couples, and families in many settings. The program gives graduates everything they need to meet licensing requirements in states across the country. Students get the skills to complete 1,500 hours of supervised practice before taking the Examination in Marital and Family Therapy developed by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards.

The program breaks down into three main parts:

• Introductory courses (9 credits) cover professional ethics, therapeutic interventions, and human development
• Common core courses (21 credits) focus on theoretical foundations, advanced theories, clinical skills, and specialized knowledge
• Practice and specialty courses (15 credits) tackle couples counseling, substance abuse, and research methods

Students round out their training with 15 credits of internship courses. This includes a 100-hour practicum and two 600-hour internship experiences that build hands-on clinical skills.

LMFT graduates find work in many places. Hospital positions pay around $72,720, while government jobs offer $79,110 to $84,500 yearly. Private practice brings the biggest earning potential from $42,610 to $111,610. The field shows strong promise with a 13% growth rate expected between 2024-2034, which is a big deal as it means that normal job growth rates.

Many graduates choose specific paths in counseling. Clinical rehabilitation counselors help people with disabilities in rehab centers, hospitals, or senior centers, earning about $39,990 yearly. Military counselors work with service members and veterans dealing with PTSD and other issues, making around $49,286 per year. Substance abuse counselors earn about $49,710 helping people overcome addiction in rehab centers or hospitals. Family counselors make around $79,666 yearly helping couples and families through challenges in private practices, hospitals, or nonprofits.

Saybrook’s LMFT graduates work in many different settings. Some start their own counseling centers, wellness facilities, or health practices. Others teach and train new counselors. They work in healthcare, schools, social services, companies, rehab centers, and military services.

Students interested in doctoral studies can move into advanced degrees at Saybrook, including the Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision with Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialization. This setup lets students advance their academic credentials while keeping their careers on track.

Saybrook University’s LMFT program builds a foundation that leads to many career paths. It combines specialized knowledge with real-world experience to prepare graduates for successful counseling careers in any setting.

Learning Options and Flexibility

Saybrook University’s LMFT program offers working professionals a perfect blend of flexibility and academic excellence through its unique hybrid learning model. You can pursue advanced education whatever your location or work commitments.

The program uses a low-residency structure that combines online coursework with strategic in-person elements. Your learning experience unfolds mostly through a mix of asynchronous and synchronous online sessions. This hybrid format lets you complete your degree without moving, making it perfect for military personnel, professionals who can’t attend campus programs, and students who need degree portability between states.

The program’s flexible approach centers on Residential Learning Experiences (RLEs) at the start of fall and spring semesters. Full-time students attend three required RLEs during their program. These align with their first fall or spring semester, the semester before Practicum, and their final Internship semester. These face-to-face intensive sessions promote deep connections with faculty and peers, building a supportive community that carries into online coursework.

Canvas, Saybrook’s learning management system, becomes your learning platform after each RLE. Online courses combine asynchronous discussions, synchronous web conferences, application-based assignments, and skills practice sessions. Many academic courses include synchronous class meetings on Wednesdays from 3-5 pm Pacific Time, so you can plan your schedule.

The program’s pacing adapts to your life circumstances. You can complete the full three-year program in eight to nine semesters by taking three courses each fall and spring semester and one course during summer terms. Part-time enrollment options exist for those needing extra flexibility, though they extend the program’s duration.

Students often praise the program’s adaptability. One graduate shared: “I have found this program to be perfect for me due to its combined hybrid approach with online and face-to-face learning. This is a flexible program that allows me to work and travel…”. Another added: “Saybrook University combines the best of both the residential learning world and the online learning world”.

Saybrook’s balanced approach creates an environment where you can keep your current commitments while getting quality education and meaningful connections. The program works especially when you have morning, afternoon, or evening class options, giving you the best of online convenience and essential face-to-face learning.

Admission Requirements

Getting into Saybrook University’s LMFT program needs you to showcase your academic abilities and professional potential. The admission team has crafted a selection process that finds candidates who will thrive in this demanding field.

Your application starts with a submission to the Admissions department, which then sends your materials to program faculty. Faculty members will review each application to find candidates who show promise in the counseling profession. Candidates who meet these original criteria move forward to interviews.

You need a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university to apply. Saybrook University looks for students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for the M.A. in Counseling program. This academic requirement helps make sure you can handle graduate-level work.

Your application must include:

• Official transcripts from all previous degree-granting postsecondary institutions
• A detailed personal statement that shows your professional goals and how you’ll put your passion into practice
• Professional resume or CV with relevant experience
• One letter of recommendation from a professional who can vouch for your potential as a counseling student

Faculty members will review promising applications and interview selected candidates. These conversations help them understand your motivations, readiness, and professional attitude better. The interview lets them assess you and gives you a chance to learn about what the program expects.

Once accepted, an advisor will help you plan your program of study. Most students complete the program in three calendar years, taking courses in fall, spring, and summer semesters. This well-laid-out approach will give you steady progress toward your degree and license eligibility.

Note that program acceptance doesn’t automatically green-light you for clinical placements. You’ll need explicit approval from your Faculty Advisor and the Clinical Experience Coordinator before starting supervised clinical experiences. This approval needs:

• Good academic progress in your coursework
• Completion of core courses that prepare you for clinical practice
• Good evaluation of your personal and professional skills

This step-by-step approval process protects both you and future clients by ensuring proper preparation.

International students must meet specific English proficiency requirements since counseling needs clear communication. Students who don’t speak English as their first language must prove their skills through standardized tests.

Saybrook University accepts applications year-round for upcoming terms. This rolling admission gives you flexibility to start your studies when it works best for you.

The admissions team stands ready to help you through the process. They want to help qualified candidates understand the requirements and join the next group of future mental health professionals.

Why Choose This Program

Your professional future depends on picking the right marriage and family therapy program. The employment rate of marriage and family therapists will grow 16% from 2024 to 2034, which outpaces average job growth rates by a lot. The field will need 7,500 MFT professionals each year to fill new positions and replace retiring therapists.

Money matters when choosing a program, and Saybrook graduates can expect competitive pay. Couples therapists make around $90,572 yearly, while child and adolescent therapists earn $87,702. Telehealth therapists receive $63,943 per year. Top performers in this field can earn up to $111,610 annually.

CACREP accreditation gives the program a real edge. This credential shows that the content and quality meet the counseling profession’s strict standards. Licensed therapists can work in different states more easily with this accreditation.

Saybrook’s humanistic foundation reshapes both personal growth and clinical skills, according to alumni. Dr. Viggiano shares: “What Saybrook afforded me was the opportunity to put a scientific, rigorous grounding beneath all of the spiritual synchronicities that came out of my own therapy”. Dr. Kambolis adds that Saybrook is “a humanistic university through and through” where everything “is imbued with humanism. It’s deeply heart-centered”.

The program gets you ready for modern practice settings. Nearly 47% of Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists used telehealth in 2022, and 96% plan to keep offering it. Saybrook helps graduates adapt to such technological changes in their practice.

After graduation, you can work in various settings:

• Community mental health centers and social service agencies provide clinical supervision, diverse clients, and evidence-based treatment exposure
• Private practice gives you more freedom and better earning potential once you build your reputation
• Hospital jobs pay around $72,720
• Government positions typically offer $79,110 to $84,500

Saybrook’s approach stands out from typical programs. Dr. Viggiano explains, “Most Saybrook students are doing this study from their heart; they’re not just doing it to get a degree”. Alumni create lasting professional networks that boost their careers.

Mental health awareness keeps growing nationwide. People now understand the need for qualified professionals more than ever. About 8.4 million Americans care for family members with mental health challenges and spend roughly 32 hours each week. This shows why we need trained marriage and family therapists.

Students often choose Saybrook because it blends science with spirituality. The university’s focus on humanistic, transpersonal, and Jungian approaches creates a unique learning environment. Students experience both academic excellence and personal growth.