Licensed marriage and family therapists differ from these other mental health professions in that they are specifically trained to practice marriage and family therapy, and have a license from the state they reside in to do so.

Presently, forty-two states recognize and regulate marriage and family therapists as independent mental health care providers.

In Virginia, each professional license has different educational and experiential qualifications and all of them require at least a master's degree.

VAMFT is planning the creation of a document comparing the various qualifications for these licenses in Virginia.