Family and Marriage Therapy

Family & Marriage Therapy Career Overview

Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) are highly-trained mental health professionals who bring a family-oriented perspective to health care to help individuals, families, and couples to resolve emotional conflicts. These professionals evaluate and treat mental and emotional disorders and other health and behavioral problems, as well as address a variety of relationship issues within families. In doing so, they alter people’s perceptions and behaviors, improve communication and understanding among family members, and help to prevent further family and individual crises. Some of the many duties marriage and family therapists perform include:

• use psychotherapy of a non-medical nature
• make appropriate referrals to psychiatric resources
• perform research
• teach courses about human development and interpersonal relationships

Family & Marriage Therapists use the family context to understand personal and group issues . Marriage and Family Therapists work to understand the problem as it exists now, and they then turn their attention to solutions and/or actions which can help to fix the problem. Usually, they ask about family roles patterns, rules, goals, and stages of development. Marriage and Family Therapists can work in many settings including inpatient facilities, employee assistance programs, schools, courts and prisons and private practices. Some also take part in family research and public policy analysis from a family perspective.

Family & Marriage Therapy Education & Training

There are two generally recognized options for becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist. One option is to complete an accredited Master’s or Doctoral program in Marriage and Family Therapy. Master’s degree programs usually take two to three years, and they provide students with broad areas of theory and practice in marriage and family therapy. Doctoral degree programs require three to five years to complete, depending on whether or not the Master’s is already completed, and these degrees prepare students and professionals for more academic careers in research, advanced clinical practice and supervision.

The second recognized way to become a family and marriage therapist is to earn a graduate degree in another mental health field such as psychiatry, psychology, clinical social work or psychiatric nursing. Students can then choose to study Marriage and Family Therapy at an accredited post-graduate degree clinical training program. Afterwards, usually two years of post-degree supervised clinical experience is necessary before you are eligible for licensure or certification.

Regardless of which path students choose, they are expected to be trained in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and nervous disorders and in such areas as human growth and development, behavioral patterns, marital and family relationships, sexual dysfunction, parent-child relationships, and the dynamics of family systems. Students are also trained in a number of therapeutic methods and techniques.

Family & Marriage Therapy Career & Salary

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Marriage and Family Therapist jobs are expected to grow about 30% faster than average for all careers through 2014.This is partly due to the fact that the profession is receiving more recognition, and more people are seeking help for marital and family problems than in the past.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics sites that median earnings for family and marriage therapists were $43,210 in May of 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $32,950 and $54,150. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,280, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $69,050. Median annual earnings were $36,020 in individual and family social services, which is the industry employing the largest number of marriage and family therapists.

Career Fields/Specializations

Family Counselor Career

Family and marriage counselors help couples and families to resolve emotional conflicts before they lead to damaging family or individual crises. As a family and marriage counselor, you will use a variety of therapeutic techniques in order to enhance communication and understanding between family members, as well as modify their perceptions and behaviors.

Common problems addressed by family and marriage counselors include arrogance, jealousy, anger and greed. Marriage and family counselors must also take into account different value systems which they might not agree with. Because they usually deal with sensitive and emotionally taut situations, family and marriage counselors must keep strict confidentiality.

School Family Counseling Career

When students have behavioral or personal problems, the school counselor is there to help. School counselors provide students with advice on subjects ranging from drug prevention, academic problems, conflicts with classmates and abuse at home. When a problem is identified, they consult parents, teachers, school administrators or other appropriate officials in order to develop a strategy for solving the issue at hand.

The role a school counselor plays changes depending on the ages of the students. Elementary school counselors observe children during classroom and play activities to evaluate potential problems or special needs they might have. A High school counselor help freshmen set academic and career goals, and assist seniors with their college applications and job resumes. Colleges also employ counselors to perform similar duties with their students.