More Information About Family & Marriage Therapy
Families are one of the greatest influences on an individual's life. Not only do they help to shape the direction an individual's life may take, they are also a source of love and support in difficult times. However, when serious difficulties arise within the family unit, they are often difficult to resolve without outside assistance. During these challenging times, an increasing number of people are turning to marriage and family therapists to provide this assistance. Marriage and Family Therapy provides counseling assistance to individuals, couples, and multiple family members to help them deal with a wide range of psychological, emotional, behavioral, and physical concerns. Such concerns include: marital disorder, child and adolescent behavior problems, substance abuse, health problems, depression, psychological problems, and grief.
Marriage and Family Therapy focuses on the problem as it relates to family as a whole, not only as it affects a single individual. Counselors identify but do not dwell on the problem. It is a solution and action-based field that emphasizes patient responsibility for and control over decisions and outcomes. Using this successful approach, marriage and family therapist continue to help improve the lives of thousands of people each year. According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), clients report a 90% emotional improvement, over 73% improvement in child behavior and 66% report an improvement in their physical condition. The number of prescribed treatment sessions can vary but usually averages about twelve sessions. During visits, the counselor, once the underlying problem has been identified, will assess the client's established roles, strengths, weaknesses and goals. He or she may bring any observed patterns or tendencies to the client's attention, and suggest an alternative to help clients reach their goals. Marriage and Family Therapists employ a number of different techniques. Among these are: role playing, reality therapy, cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy.
Role-Playing
The goal of role-playing is to make the client aware of a particular behavior or attitude that they do not realize they are displaying. By causing individuals to assume the point of view opposite their own, role-playing seeks to reduce or eliminate the undesirable qualities.
Reality Therapy
Reality therapy helps the client to place their energy and focus on their short and long-term goals as opposed to dwelling on the past. This approach emphasizes the positive and negative impact that their actions can have on reaching them.
Cognitive Therapy
The emphasis of cognitive therapy is on altering destructive thought patterns that are causing or contributing to the client's problem. Clients are encouraged to reinforce positive thought patterns that re intended over time to replace the negative ones.
Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy is similar to cognitive therapy, but is used to alter physical states. This technique requires clients to practice a variety of physical actions such as visualizing or breathing to correct problems such as anger, phobias, and behavior problems in children. There are more organizations that use the services of marriage and family therapists. They may work for employee assistance programs, hospitals, health centers, prisons and universities. Many decide to go into private practice. The work environment is usually an office setting, 40 hours a week. Most counselors work evenings and weekends so that they will be available for clients who work full-time.
Education Required
To ensure the high level of expertise of its practitioners, the marriage and family therapy profession, unlike many other fields, requires an advanced marriage and family therapy degree for entry-level positions. Potential students should search for programs that are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) These programs are highly competitive and a degree of preparation should be applied during the application process. Most graduate programs require a statement of purpose, references, demonstrated clinical experience, and a rigorous personal interview.
Once accepted into a graduate degree program, students can expect to receive two to three years of specialized training and research. Curricula will vary by university but generally consist of courses in eight core areas. These include: vocational development, assessment techniques, human development, multi-cultural issues, research methods, counseling theory, relationships, and group intervention.
Many recipients of a master's degree in marriage and family therapy go on to pursue a Ph.D. At the doctoral level, even further emphasis is placed on research. These three to five year programs arm students with the skills they need to obtain positions in supervision, university teaching, and upper-level administration.
Licensing and Certification
Practitioners of marriage and family therapy are required by law to become licensed by the state before they are permitted to practice. Licensing requirements vary by state but generally consist of receiving: a master's degree, two years of post-graduate supervised experience, and passing the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE). This exam is administered by The Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB).
In addition to the licensing requirements, professionals have the option to become a National Certified Counselor. This is a voluntary certification credentialed by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). In order to gain certification, candidates must possess an advanced degree, have completed the required years of supervised experience, and pass the NCE exam.
Earning Potential
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage for marriage and family therapy of $43,210, with $25,280 being the lowest and $69,050 being the highest. Those in private or group practices, and those who were self-employed tended to earn higher wages.
Although employment prospects depend largely on employment facility and location, a growth of 30% is expected to continue through 2016.
Type of Person Who Will Succeed in This Career
Since helping people forms the core of marriage and family therapy, practitioners should derive personal satisfaction from knowing that they are making a difference in the lives of their clients. They should possess excellent communication skills and enjoy working with people. They must, at the same time, be professional so as to inspire the client's confidence, yet personable so that the client is comfortable enough to talk. Counselors must also possess a great deal of internal strength. Although marriage and family therapy can be an extremely rewarding field, being faced with the problems of other people each day–some heart-breaking or disturbing–can become emotionally draining for some.
References
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
http://www.aamft.org
The Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB)
http://www.amftrb.org
National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
http://www.nbcc.org
The Bureau of Labor Statistics
http://www.bls.gov
What are the leading schools offering programs in Family & Marriage Therapy ?
- Liberty University Online With more than 40 online degrees offered, Liberty University is a convenient, flexible, and affordable way to earn an accredited degree from a solid, Christian perspective. ( More Info )
- Walden University Walden University, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, offers Ph.D., master's and bachelor's degrees in management and doctoral and master's degrees in psychology, education and health and human services to meet the specific needs of adult learners. Walden University has over 30 years of experience delivering programs from a distance while maintaining its student-centered focus on quality and integrity. ( More Info )
- Northcentral University Northcentral University is an accredited online university that offers students graduate degrees in programs including business and technology management, education and psychology. ( More Info )
- Abilene Christian University Since 1906, Abilene Christian University has provided a four-year private education to students desiring a Christian-based focus. Students have a variety of undergraduate majors to choose from, including healthcare, business, human services, criminal justice, and education. Online education allows busy working adults to take advantage of an ACU education. ( More Info )
- Argosy University (Graduate) Argosy University, with 18 metropolitan campus locations throughout U.S., offers Masters, MBA, Doctorate, and Specialized programs in Business, Counseling, Education, and Psychology. ** Not an online school. ( More Info )
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