There are any number of counseling psychology programs that lead to qualification as a marriage family therapist. We have a lot of students who go into these programs each year. Many students come back and tell me that they are getting a lot out of their training in these programs and that they are looking forward to careers as counselors.
For a small number of students these programs are very good. However, for others, they will find on graduation that they are ill prepared to enter private practice without more training and/or the very few jobs available for MFTs are very low paying and have little security. In general, MFT programs may be better suited for older students who already have some life or career experience in the helping professions. The MFT license serves to formalize to some degree what they are already doing. I have had students who previously had careers in mental health/social work, law enforcement, law, and nursing do quite well as MFTs. Still, it is my belief that even these students would have been better served by pursuing a doctorate and a clinical psychology license.