Do MFT Programs Require You to Be in Therapy Yourself?
A Guide to Personal Therapy Requirements in California MFT Programs
Whether a future therapist must first have been a client is decided program by program in California. The state sets the degree content, the practicum, the 3,000 supervised hours, the examinations, and the registration rules, and none of them requires personal therapy. Programs fill that space in different ways: 28 of the 71 MFT programs in the California MFT program directory require it in their current catalog or handbook, eight recommend it, and the rest publish nothing on the point. The requirements, quoted below from each program's own document, share a common design and a common rationale, and the research on therapists' own therapy explains why so many programs adopt one. The separate question of whether a personal history of difficulty helps or hinders a therapist belongs to the guide to whether you are built to be a therapist.
Does the California BBS Require Personal Therapy?
No. Section 4980.36 of the Business and Professions Code, which defines the qualifying degree, specifies the units, the content areas, and the practicum, and contains no personal therapy requirement (California Legislature, 2026a). Section 4980.43, which sets the 3,000 hours of supervised experience, lists the kinds of experience that count and names none for personal therapy (California Legislature, 2026b). The Board's supervised-hours rules and its registration and licensure applications add nothing on the subject.
The one statutory provision on the topic is addressed to schools and supervisors rather than to students. Section 4980.43.3(j) provides: "Each educational institution preparing applicants pursuant to this chapter shall consider requiring, and shall encourage, its students to undergo individual, marital, conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Each supervisor shall consider, advise, and encourage the supervisor's associates and trainees regarding the advisability of undertaking individual, marital, conjoint, family, or group counseling or psychotherapy, as appropriate. Insofar as it is deemed appropriate and is desired by the applicant, educational institutions and supervisors are encouraged to assist the applicant to locate counseling or psychotherapy at a reasonable cost" (California Legislature, 2026c). The Legislature treats a student's own therapy as advisable, asks each school to decide whether to require it, and asks schools and supervisors to help students find therapy they can afford.
Accreditation adds no requirement either. The COAMFTE Accreditation Standards, Version 12.5, set curriculum, clinical contact, and supervision standards for accredited programs and do not mention personal therapy (Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education, 2021). A program's requirement is therefore its own academic policy, published in its catalog or handbook and enforced as a degree requirement in the same way as a course or a practicum hour count.
Which California MFT Programs Require Personal Therapy, and What Do They Ask?
Twenty-eight of the 71 programs in the directory state a requirement in a current catalog, bulletin, program page, or handbook. Each entry below quotes the program's own document, every entry was confirmed on September 6, 2026, and the edition is named where the document shows one. The requirements share a shape: an hour or session count between 10 and 50; individual, couple, family, or group therapy, sometimes with a minimum of individual hours; a licensed clinician, or at several programs a registered associate under licensed supervision; a deadline tied to practicum, candidacy, or graduation; and a verification form or letter recording dates and hours. The cost falls to the student, and several programs keep lists of clinicians who see students at reduced or sliding-scale fees. Where a program explains the requirement, it gives the same reasons: knowing the client's side of the relationship, recognizing personal patterns before they reach the therapy room, and the therapist's own growth.
- Antioch University, Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (MACP): 20 hours of individual, couples, family, or group therapy with an LMFT, LCSW, licensed psychologist, or board-certified psychiatrist, begun by the end of the second quarter. "This requirement is based upon the belief that psychotherapy is a vital component of the training and growth of psychotherapists" (2026-2027 University Catalog).
- Azusa Pacific University, Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology: Marriage and Family Therapy: "students must complete 40 hours of individual psychotherapy," with the option of 20 group sessions (40 hours) in place of 20 of the individual hours (2026-2027 Academic Catalog).
- Biola University, Talbot School of Theology, Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy: "at least 35 hours of psychotherapy with a program approved licensed clinician," begun before Practicum 1; the fee is arranged between student and therapist (2026-2027 Catalog).
- Cal Poly Humboldt, Master of Arts in Psychology: Counseling Emphasis: "a minimum of 20 hours of individual psychotherapy, specifically during the time they are in the program," with the coordinator's prior approval of the practitioner. "We predict that personal issues will surface in class, in supervision, in reading materials, and during sessions with clients which will need to be dealt with in order to be an effective counselor" (Counseling Program Handbook 2024-2025).
- California Baptist University, Master of Science in Counseling Psychology: "twenty-four (24) hours of individual psychotherapy or fifty (50) hours of group psychotherapy with a licensed psychotherapist or a registered Associate," done "outside the campus community" and with no therapist who teaches at the university (program courses page).
- California Institute of Integral Studies, Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, Integral Counseling Psychology: "50 hours of personal psychotherapy with a licensed mental health professional" (program page).
- California Southern University, Master of Arts in Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy: 16 hours of individual psychotherapy between enrollment and practicum eligibility, with a clinician licensed where the student is located; "learners are required to participate in individual psychotherapy to develop insight into personal factors that may affect their performance as clinicians" (2026-2027 General Catalog).
- California State University, Northridge, Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy: "a minimum of 20 hours of personal psychotherapy: 10 hours as part of their EPC 659 A and B classes in the first year and another 10 hours during the fieldwork courses in the second year," with a licensed clinician (MFT Program Handbook).
- California State University, Sacramento, Master of Science in Counseling, Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling: "A minimum of 10 fifty-minute counseling sessions," at least five of them individual, with "a licensed therapist or an associate under the supervision of a licensed therapist," attested before advancement to candidacy and intended "to promote self-awareness, personal growth" (Counselor Education Student Handbook 2025-2026).
- Chapman University, Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy: "a minimum of 16 hours of individual, couple, family, or group therapy conducted by a licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed clinical psychologist, or board-eligible psychiatrist," documented on a Personal Therapy Verification Form (MFT Program Handbook 2025-2026).
- Dominican University of California, Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, MFT/PCC concentration: "a minimum of 45 hours of personal psychotherapy (up to 15 of these hours may have been done within 2 years before entering the program)," individual, couple, or family, "provided by a licensed professional." The catalog cites "the value of students personally experiencing a process they are being trained to provide for others" (Academic Catalog 2025-2026).
- Fresno Pacific University, Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy: no hour count. "Students are expected to engage in their own counseling to enhance personal growth, self-awareness and understanding of the therapeutic process in preparation for work in this field" (program page), and "Once a student begins Practicum, they are expected to be in personal growth therapy with a therapist who has had experience working with other therapists" (MFT Program Handbook 2023-2024).
- Golden Gate University, Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology: "50 hours of psychotherapy with a licensed clinician or therapist under supervision by a licensed clinician," in any modality; "we feel strongly students entering the counseling profession benefit both personally and academically from psychotherapy" (Psychology Student Handbook, revised June 2025).
- La Sierra University, Master of Arts in Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy: 20 hours of personal psychotherapy completed "while in the program" (2026-2027 Graduate Bulletin).
- Meridian University, Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology: "Forty hours of personal therapy in an individual, couple, family, and/or group setting are required. In some cases, this experience may be obtained prior to enrollment in Meridian's graduate program" (2026-27 Academic Catalog).
- Mount Saint Mary's University, Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, MFT/LPCC: during the fieldwork courses PSY 269A, B, and C, "the student will participate in personal psychotherapy at least every other week for a total of 25 hours" (2024-2026 Catalog).
- Pacific Oaks College, Master of Arts in Marital and Family Therapy: "36 hours of personal therapy with a licensed mental health professional," at least 18 of them individual and at least 18 completed "before practicum training begins"; an associate under licensed supervision may provide the therapy with the supervisor's cosignature (Academic Catalog and Student Handbook 2026-2027).
- Pacifica Graduate Institute, Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology: "50 hours of personal therapy for degree completion," at least five hours each quarter, with a fully licensed clinician, a category that includes a certified Jungian analyst (Supervised Practicum Guidelines, Class of 2023-2026).
- Phillips Graduate Institute, Campbellsville University Los Angeles Education Center, Master of Marriage and Family Therapy: "a minimum of 24 hours of psychotherapy during their tenure in the program," individual, couples, or family. "To become an effective therapist, individuals must first be willing to work on their issues in a therapeutic relationship" (program page).
- Point Loma Nazarene University, Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling: "20 hours of personal psychotherapy from a licensed clinician," completed before graduation; two group hours count as one, and the requirement appears in the course list as PSY 6093 (Graduate Catalog 2026-2027).
- Rhombus University, Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology: "20 hours of Individual Counseling (at student's expense)" as a graduation requirement, which the catalog's fee table estimates at $80 an hour paid to the counselor (School Catalog 2026).
- Saint Mary's College of California, Master of Arts in Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy and Professional Clinical Counselor specialization: no hour count. "Students are required to do their own counseling as well their own inner work to examine who and what they are and believe" (2026-2027 Catalog, Counseling Department overview).
- San Diego State University, Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy: "an individual, couple, family, or group therapy experience (should be a counseling group, not a psychoeducational or didactic or self-help group) with a qualified practitioner, prior to graduation"; therapy completed before the program does not count. "Participation in therapy facilitates empathy development for the client position in the therapist-client relationship" (MFT Essential Guide, Class of 2026).
- Sofia University, Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology: "40 hours of documented psychotherapy as a client during the program," all completed before advancing to Clinical Practicum (catalog).
- University of La Verne, Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy: "a minimum of 10 hours of personal psychotherapy during their year of Practicum," in any modality, and "The program will not request any information about the content of the personal psychotherapy process." The catalog explains that "Students entering the counseling profession benefit professionally, personally, and academically from experiencing personal psychotherapy" (2026-2027 Catalog).
- Vanguard University, Master of Science in Clinical Psychology: "30 sessions of individual, couples, family and/or group therapy," begun "within their first semester of the program," with a licensed therapist or an associate who has logged at least 2,000 hours toward licensure (2026-2027 Catalog).
- Western Seminary, Master of Arts in Counseling (California): "a minimum of 30 hours of personal counseling as part of your preparation for counseling others" (program page).
- William Jessup University, Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology: "20 hours of personal psychotherapy while in the program" as a graduation requirement (program page).
Eight programs recommend personal therapy without requiring it, and several build support around the recommendation. Alliant International University credits up to 25 hours of personal therapy toward its 50 professional development hours and "strongly encourages students to experience being a client of psychotherapy, both to enhance one's understanding of the process and to further stimulate personal growth and self-awareness" (Alliant International University, 2025). Fuller Theological Seminary encourages therapy while enrolled (Fuller Theological Seminary, n.d.). Hope International University's handbook states that students "are highly encouraged to complete at least 12 hours of personal therapy with a licensed therapist" (Hope International University, 2025). Loyola Marymount University's academics page states, "Students are highly recommended to engage in personal psychotherapy during the first two semesters of the program" (Loyola Marymount University, n.d.). Pepperdine University's handbook states, "Pepperdine does not require its MACLP students to undergo personal therapy, but we solidly recommend it" (Pepperdine University, 2023). At Santa Clara University, "the faculty strongly recommends that students engage in psychotherapy as part of their training," and the department keeps a reduced-fee list (Santa Clara University, 2025). Touro University Worldwide devotes a section of its MFT handbook to personal therapy and notes that it "is not counted for TUW's 300-hour direct client contact hours requirement" (Touro University Worldwide, 2026). The University of Phoenix handbook states, "It is strongly recommended for all counseling professionals" (University of Phoenix, 2025).
The remaining 35 programs publish no requirement or recommendation on the catalog and handbook pages available on their sites. A program in that group may still hold a requirement in an internal handbook, so the question belongs in every admissions conversation.
Do Personal Therapy Hours Count Toward the 3,000 Supervised Hours?
No. Until December 31, 2015, they did. The former section 4980.43 counted, within a combined cap of 1,000 hours for direct supervisor contact and professional enrichment activities, "Participation by the applicant in personal psychotherapy, which includes group, marital or conjoint, family, or individual psychotherapy by an appropriately licensed professional. An applicant shall have no more than 100 hours of participation in personal psychotherapy. The applicant shall be credited with three hours of experience for each hour of personal psychotherapy" (California Legislature, 2015b). One hundred hours of therapy produced 300 hours of credit toward the license.
Senate Bill 620 (Block), chapter 262 of the Statutes of 2015, rewrote the experience requirements effective January 1, 2016, and the rewritten section carries no personal psychotherapy category (California Legislature, 2015a). Its nonclinical category now reads: "A maximum of 1,250 hours of nonclinical practice, consisting of direct supervisor contact, administering and evaluating psychological tests, writing clinical reports, writing progress or process notes, client-centered advocacy, and workshops, seminars, training sessions, or conferences directly related to marriage and family therapy that have been approved by the applicant's supervisor" (section 4980.43(c)(10)). Applicants who filed for examination eligibility between 2016 and 2020 could elect the old rules; that window has closed. Some program pages and older handbooks still describe the triple-count credit; the current statute governs every hour claimed today.
A program's therapy requirement counts toward the degree only, in whatever way the program specifies: Point Loma lists it as a zero-unit course, and Alliant and Hope International credit the hours toward professional development requirements. Personal therapy cannot count as practicum, because the practicum hours in section 4980.36 are hours of face-to-face experience counseling clients. How trainee and associate hours are counted is set out in the 3,000-hour guide and the guide to the trainee status.
What Does the Research Say About Therapists' Own Therapy?
Most therapists have been clients. Orlinsky, Schofield, Schroder, and Kazantzis (2011) reviewed the research and surveyed 3,995 psychologists, counselors, social workers, psychiatrists, and nurses in six English-speaking countries: "87% of the overall sample embarked on personal therapy at least once: 94% of analytic/psychodynamic therapists, 91% of humanistic therapists, 73% of cognitive-behavioral therapists, 82% of the novice therapists to 89% of senior therapists." Bike, Norcross, and Schatz (2009) surveyed 602 American psychologists, counselors, and social workers in 2007 and found that 85 percent had sought therapy at least once. The Oxford volume edited by Geller, Norcross, and Orlinsky (2005) carries the publisher's summary, "Three-quarters of psychotherapists have sought personal treatment themselves." Orlinsky and Rønnestad (2005) drew on reports from nearly 5,000 psychotherapists in more than a dozen countries to describe how therapists develop across a career.
Therapists rate the experience highly. In the Bike, Norcross, and Schatz (2009) sample, "More than 90% of therapists reported positive outcomes across multiple domains." Norcross (2005), summarizing the literature for the American Psychologist, noted its "typically positive outcomes" and concluded that "personal therapy is an emotionally vital, interpersonally dense, and professionally formative experience that should be central to the development of health care psychologists." Orlinsky and colleagues (2011) likewise encourage "further use for professional training, clinical practice, and therapist self-care."
These studies are surveys of therapists about their own experience. They establish how common personal therapy is among practitioners and how practitioners value it; whether requiring it of students changes their later results with clients is a separate question. Malikiosi-Loizos (2013) describes an issue that "has long been debated and is still being discussed": some hold that processing personal issues increases self-understanding but "do not consider it mandatory," while others "argue that personal therapy is an integral part of training for future therapists." She also notes that "In most European countries a certain number of hours of personal therapy are mandatory to qualify for admission to the profession." California, by leaving the requirement to each program, sits between those positions.
What Is a Person of the Therapist Course, and How Does It Differ From Personal Therapy?
A person of the therapist course is a graded course inside the curriculum in which students examine, with faculty and classmates, how their own history, emotions, and habitual patterns operate when they sit with a client. One established model is the Person-of-the-Therapist Training (POTT) associated with Harry Aponte and piloted in the couple and family therapy program at Drexel University. Aponte and Kissil (2014) premise their work on the view that "self-of-the-therapist work is pivotal in the development of effective therapists," and describe a model that "prioritizes the ability to consciously and purposefully use the self-as-is at the moment of contact with the client over the traditional goal of therapists working to resolve their issues." In the model, a therapist's core issues, called "signature themes," are treated as resources for connecting with, assessing, and helping clients. Lutz and Irizarry (2009) describe the Drexel pilot from the trainees' side.
The course and the therapy requirement differ on four points. The course aims at competent use of the self in the room; therapy aims at the student's own wellbeing, on the student's own agenda. The course happens in a classroom with faculty and a cohort; therapy happens in a private, confidential relationship with a clinician the student chooses and pays. The course produces a grade; therapy produces a verification of hours. The course is led by people who also evaluate the student; a personal therapist has no role in the program. Programs choose among three arrangements: a therapy requirement alone, self-of-the-therapist coursework alone, or both. Saint Mary's College of California requires "their own counseling as well their own inner work." Santa Clara University's handbook describes "the person of the counselor" as "a major component in the healing process" and recommends therapy alongside its coursework. California State University, Dominguez Hills states that "students will undergo personal development guided by self-of-the-therapist work" (California State University, Dominguez Hills, n.d.).
Should You Start Therapy Before You Apply?
Start if you want therapy; whether the hours will count depends on the program. Dominican accepts up to 15 hours completed within two years before entry, and Meridian states that the experience "may be obtained prior to enrollment" in some cases. San Diego State states that "Therapy completed prior to beginning the program may not be used to fulfill this requirement," Cal Poly Humboldt counts hours "specifically during the time they are in the program," and Alliant credits professional development hours only after the program begins. Several programs fix the calendar: Antioch requires a start by the end of the second quarter, Vanguard within the first semester, CSUN in each of the two years, and La Verne and Mount Saint Mary's during the practicum year. Sofia, California Southern, Biola, and Pacific Oaks place all or part of the hours before practicum.
Choose a therapist who satisfies the program's provider rule, usually a licensed clinician and at some programs an associate under licensed supervision, and record dates and hours from the first session. The choice has one lasting consequence. The Board's supervision rules bar a supervisor who has ever treated the supervisee: "The supervisor may not have ever provided therapeutic services to the supervisee" (California Board of Behavioral Sciences, 2025, question 40). A therapist chosen during the degree can never later supervise the same person's trainee or associate hours. Some programs add exclusions of their own: California Baptist requires therapy "outside the campus community," Hope International excludes its own counseling center, and Fresno Pacific's handbook adds that "A trainee may not receive supervision from their current or prior therapist."
The student pays. Rhombus University's catalog estimates the cost of its 20 hours at $80 an hour, about $1,600 at that rate; 50 hours at the same rate would be about $4,000, and sliding-scale practices charge less. Golden Gate and Santa Clara publish referral lists at reduced or sliding-scale fees, Fresno Pacific runs a limited assistance fund for the practicum year, and section 4980.43.3(j) asks every school and supervisor to help students find therapy "at a reasonable cost." Verification forms record dates and hours; La Verne's catalog states the boundary in so many words: "The program will not request any information about the content of the personal psychotherapy process." The fit guide treats willingness to use supervision and personal therapy as one of five questions to settle before applying.
A Closer Look at One Program: Sentio University's MFT Track
The following description of one specific MFT program is offered as a concrete example of how a program can handle the person of the therapist, not as a recommendation against evaluating other programs. Students should research multiple options and ask each one direct questions about how clinical skill is built and measured.
Sentio University, a nonprofit graduate school based in Los Angeles with a hybrid delivery model that serves students throughout California, offers a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy that meets the Board of Behavioral Sciences educational requirements for the LMFT. The program runs 20 months across 60 units, with weekly online classes and one intensive in-person residency at the start of each semester, in cohorts capped at 24 students at a 4:1 student-to-faculty ratio. It is designed around deliberate practice methodology and is described in peer-reviewed work as the first graduate psychotherapy program to thoroughly integrate deliberate practice, with roughly half of nearly every class session dedicated to active skills training rather than lecture (Rousmaniere and Vaz, 2025, p. 2).
Sentio sets no personal psychotherapy hour requirement; its 2026-2027 Academic Catalog's graduation requirements are a 3.0 grade point average, 60 semester credits, 400 hours of supervised clinical experience at the Sentio Counseling Center, a clinical research project, and attendance at the residencies (Sentio University, 2026a). Person-of-the-therapist work is built into the curriculum instead. MFT561 Person of the Therapist, a three-credit course in the fall of the second year, "guides students through their personal development as a therapist," and its topics include "the rationale for developing the person of the therapist; the inner skills of psychotherapy; methods for psychological/emotional self-awareness, self-assessment, and growth; and common challenges in this area." The in-person residencies include "development of the 'person of the therapist,'" and the practicum courses develop professional identity "through didactic instruction and 'person of the therapist' work" (Sentio University, 2026a). Sentio also integrates AI literacy training through its AI certification program for therapists.
Sentio is a small, newer institution, admits only applicants who are California residents or willing to relocate to California and who intend to license in California, and its alumni network is still developing. Prospective students weighing Sentio alongside larger or older programs should factor that into their decision. Learn more at the Sentio MFT program overview, the tuition and fees page, and the Sentio FAQ page.
Making Your Decision
A personal therapy requirement is a program's own policy, adopted under a statute that asks schools to consider one, and it costs time and money that brochures rarely itemize. Read the requirement in the catalog or handbook before enrolling: the hour count, the modality rules, who may provide the therapy, when it must be finished, and what the verification form asks for. Weigh it against what the program offers alongside it or in its place, whether a person-of-the-therapist course, a reduced-fee referral list, or nothing. A program without a requirement leaves the choice, and the timing, to you. Program websites describe clinical training in similar language regardless of what is actually happening in classrooms and supervision rooms. Ask every program you are seriously considering whether you can attend a live or online class session before enrolling, and ask to speak with current students and recent graduates about how supervision and skill development function in practice. Reputable programs should welcome the request. Hesitation or refusal is informative on its own. Trust what you see in a classroom over what you read in promotional copy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the California BBS require MFT students to be in therapy?
No. No statute, regulation, or Board rule obliges a student, trainee, associate, or license applicant to have been a therapy client. Section 4980.43.3(j) directs each school to consider requiring personal therapy and to encourage it. Any requirement is the program's own.
How many hours of personal therapy do California MFT programs require?
Among the 28 programs that publish a requirement, the range runs from 10 sessions or hours (Sacramento State, La Verne) to 50 hours (CIIS, Golden Gate, Pacifica). Most fall between 16 and 40 hours, and many allow group, couple, or family sessions to count.
Do personal therapy hours count toward the 3,000 supervised hours?
No. Before January 1, 2016, up to 100 hours of personal psychotherapy counted triple, for up to 300 hours of credit. Senate Bill 620 removed that category, and the current section 4980.43 has none. A program requirement counts toward the degree only.
Does therapy I had before starting the program count toward a program requirement?
It depends on the program. Dominican accepts up to 15 hours completed within two years before entry, and Meridian allows prior experience in some cases. San Diego State, Cal Poly Humboldt, and most other programs count only therapy during the program, and several require it in a specific year or before practicum.
Can my therapist later become my clinical supervisor?
No. The Board's supervision rules state that the supervisor may not have ever provided therapeutic services to the supervisee. A clinician who treats you during the degree can never supervise your trainee or associate hours.
Who pays for required personal therapy?
The student. Rhombus University's catalog estimates its 20 hours at $80 an hour, about $1,600 at that rate. Golden Gate and Santa Clara publish reduced-fee or sliding-scale referral lists, and Fresno Pacific has a limited assistance fund for the practicum year.
Will the program know what I talk about in therapy?
The program receives a verification form or letter from the therapist recording dates and hours. La Verne's catalog states that the program will not request any information about the content of the personal psychotherapy process; the other published requirements ask only for verification of attendance.
What is the difference between a person of the therapist course and a personal therapy requirement?
A person of the therapist course is a graded class in which students examine, with faculty and classmates, how their own history and patterns affect their work with clients. Personal therapy is a private, confidential relationship with a clinician the student chooses, on the student's own agenda. Some programs require one, some the other, and some both.
References
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