Marriage, Family, and Child Emphasis

Put your MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling to work with Children, Couples, and Families

When relationships get complicated, parents and couples turn to counselors and therapists. Your education and training from Palo Alto University can help people in distress overcome the mental and emotional health barriers that keep people apart. 

Focusing on recovery-oriented treatment, you will work with individuals, couples and groups in the context of their families and other relationships. As a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) in California, you will also be directly responsible for ensuring client safety, following standards of care that meet all legal, ethical and moral guidelines. 

The scientific and professional rigor of our program is uniquely suited for students from all backgrounds and career levels who aspire to help struggling families and relationships learn to thrive.

How the Program Works

PAU’s MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an emphasis in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling combines an emphasis on scientific research with extensive clinical training to produce clinicians whose practices are grounded in science and meet the highest professional standards. 

In addition to coursework, you will be required to complete a practicum/internship experience in the role of a clinical counselor. Over a 9- to 12-month period, you will complete a minimum of 700 hours of counseling-related experience, including a minimum of 280 hours of direct experience.  

PAU provides guidance in securing a practicum/internship site – in fact, we work closely with community and county mental health agencies, school-based mental health centers, and non-profit counseling centers across the Bay Area.