Personality requirements for marriage and family counselors are not required by state licensing boards.

There are many who wish that state licensing boards posted personality requirements for marriage and family therapists (MFTs), but unfortunately none do. Although the extensive hours of supervised training (at least 3,000 hours) needed to get certified as an MFT demands that the therapist have some inherent people skills, not all personalities are the same.

Unfortunately, there is no standard guage of personality which couples can use to determine if an MFT is right for them. The absolute best test is to meet with the therapist in question, but unless he or she offers free consultations, this process can get expensive as couples search for just the right therapist.

However, there are some places to search for clues to a therapist s personality:
Published works. If the MFT has published articles or books, read them. Writing gives away a lot of information about a person, and from the style and tone of the writing you can often determine whether you will like the person or not.

Websites. This can be a little misleading, because many professionals prefer to keep their websites sterile and professional. However, sometimes a therapist will opt for a more colorful website indicative of her treatment styles, and this will be a big clue.

Word-of-mouth referrals. Undoubtedly, this will probably be the best source of information. Friends, family, and co-workers may know the therapist in question and be able to provide unique input.
With a little bit of research, you may be able to discover a great deal about the personality of a prospective therapist. However, if such information isn t readily available, give the therapist a call. You may be able to determine if you like the person after a few minutes on the phone.