For LMFT Supervisors
Clinical Supervision Software for LMFT Supervisors
If you're an LMFT supervisor or AAMFT Approved Supervisor providing supervision to trainees working toward marriage and family therapy licensure, Guidara is built for the specific demands of MFT supervision. Here's how it works.
MFT Supervision at a Glance
Marriage and family therapy supervision guides pre-licensed MFTs (often called MFT Associates, MFT Interns, or MFT Trainees depending on the state) through at least two years of supervised clinical experience. Many states set 3,000 hours, California and Texas among them. Others count only direct client contact: 1,500 hours in Florida and New York, 1,000 in Michigan and Ohio. MFT supervision has requirements that set it apart from LPC and LCSW supervision: many boards set a minimum of hours with couples and families, several want part of supervision based on live observation or recordings of the supervisee's work, and many accept the AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation as a supervisor qualification.
These additional requirements mean more categories to track, more documentation to maintain, and more opportunities for records to fall through the cracks. A supervision management platform designed for this complexity saves hours of administrative work each month.
What Makes MFT Supervision Different
Relational Therapy Hour Requirements
Many MFT boards require supervisees to accumulate a minimum number of hours specifically with couples and families, not just individuals. California requires at least 500 hours with couples, families and children, and Texas at least 500 hours with couples or families. Each state defines the category its own way. Tracking these subcategories in a spreadsheet is manageable at first but becomes difficult to reconcile over a multi-year supervision period.
Guidara's timesheets keep individual direct hours and group direct hours in separate columns, alongside indirect hours and supervision, with running totals for each. Guidara does not split direct hours by client type, so if your board asks for couples and family hours, keep that count alongside your Guidara timesheets.
Live Observation Requirements
Some MFT boards require part of supervision to be based on direct observation of the supervisee's clinical work, often called raw data. Utah, for example, requires at least 25 hours of direct observation. This can mean sitting in on a client meeting (with the client's consent), observing through a one-way mirror, or reviewing video recordings. These observations need to be documented as part of the supervision record: what was observed, what feedback was given, and what developmental goals were addressed.
Guidara's supervision notes record the methods used in each meeting (including live observation and audio or video review), the feedback provided, and the competency areas addressed. This creates a documented record of your observational supervision that boards can review.
AAMFT Approved Supervisor Credential
Many LMFT supervisors hold the AAMFT Approved Supervisor designation, which has its own requirements for supervision training, mentorship, and ongoing professional development. While Guidara doesn't manage your AAMFT credential for you, it provides the structured documentation that reflects the quality of supervision the AAMFT credential represents.
If you also hold the ACS credential, Guidara supports both frameworks through its competency goal tracking and structured documentation.
How Guidara Handles MFT Supervision
Clear Hour Categories
Direct, indirect, and supervision hours are tracked separately, with direct hours split into individual and group work. The system computes totals by category, so when your state's verification form asks for those totals, you have them.
Multi-Year Record Keeping
MFT supervision typically runs 2 to 4 years. Guidara maintains the full supervision history: every meeting, every timesheet, every signed document. No risk of losing records when you switch computers or email providers.
Supervision Plans and Goals
MFT supervision benefits from structured supervision plans and competency goals that address the specific skill domains of marriage and family therapy: systemic thinking, relational interventions, family dynamics assessment, and multicultural considerations in family work.
Group Supervision
Group supervision is common in MFT training. Guidara tracks individual and group supervision hours separately, ensuring the correct breakdown for states that cap group supervision hours as a percentage of the total.
Board-Ready Exports
Export organized PDFs with hour summaries, category breakdowns, supervision meeting records, and signed documentation. Ready for licensure applications, board audits, or AAMFT credential verification.
Common LMFT Supervisor Designations by State
- Texas: LMFT-S (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist-Supervisor)
- California: No separate designation. The supervisor meets BBS rules (licensed 2 of the past 5 years, 15 hours of supervision training)
- Florida: Qualified Supervisor (QS) status, approved by the Board
- New York: No supervisor credential. An LMFT, LCSW, psychologist, physician, PA, RN or NP competent in MFT can supervise, and the supervisor is named on the limited permit
- AAMFT: AAMFT Approved Supervisor (national designation, recognized by many states)
Check our state-by-state requirements for your state's specific MFT supervision rules.
Pricing
$29/month with 1 team seat included. Additional team members $25/month each. Supervisees are always free. No contracts, cancel anytime.
Supervision Requirements by State
Each state's licensing board sets its own hour totals, supervisor qualifications, and documentation rules, so check the state where the license will be issued.
Frequently Asked Questions
Built for LMFT supervisors and their trainees
Guidara handles the hour tracking, documentation, signatures, and compliance that marriage and family therapy supervision requires. Supervisees are always free.
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