Life As a Marriage and Family Therapist
Career Description Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.
Marriage & Family Therapist Responsibilities
- Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
- Follow up on results of counseling programs and clients' adjustments to determine effectiveness of programs.
- Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
- Gather information from doctors, schools, social workers, juvenile counselors, law enforcement personnel, and others to make recommendations to courts for resolution of child custody or visitation disputes.
- Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities.
- Supervise other counselors, social service staff, and assistants.
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What a Marriage & Family Therapist Should Know
When polled, Marriage and Family Therapists say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Types of Marriage and Family Therapist
- Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT)
- Psychotherapist
- Marriage Therapist
- Couple and Family Therapist, Staff Therapist
- Clinician
Is There Job Demand for Marriage and Family Therapists?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 41,500 jobs in the United States for Marriage and Family Therapist. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 23.4% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 9,700 new jobs for Marriage and Family Therapist by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 5,700 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Marriage & Family Therapist are Utah, Arizona, and North Dakota. Watch out if you plan on working in New Jersey, South Dakota, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Marriage & Family Therapist Salary
The typical yearly salary for Marriage and Family Therapists is somewhere between $31,850 and $82,240.
Marriage and Family Therapists who work in Maine, Hawaii, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.
How much do Marriage and Family Therapists make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $40,540 |
| Alaska | $64,200 |
| Arizona | $48,390 |
| Arkansas | $48,610 |
| California | $51,950 |
| Colorado | $74,900 |
| Connecticut | $61,750 |
| Delaware | $51,540 |
| District of Columbia | $49,750 |
| Florida | $50,680 |
| Georgia | $68,470 |
| Hawaii | $79,660 |
| Idaho | $52,150 |
| Illinois | $47,200 |
| Indiana | $47,110 |
| Iowa | $54,030 |
| Kansas | $42,390 |
| Kentucky | $41,280 |
| Louisiana | $37,530 |
| Maine | $75,460 |
| Maryland | $49,650 |
| Massachusetts | $57,020 |
| Michigan | $53,680 |
| Minnesota | $57,770 |
| Mississippi | $38,910 |
| Missouri | $50,840 |
| Montana | $45,310 |
| Nebraska | $48,850 |
| Nevada | $54,290 |
| New Hampshire | $43,400 |
| New Jersey | $72,380 |
| New Mexico | $49,500 |
| New York | $49,420 |
| North Carolina | $54,320 |
| North Dakota | $45,210 |
| Ohio | $46,180 |
| Oklahoma | $54,850 |
| Oregon | $58,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,400 |
| South Dakota | $40,000 |
| Tennessee | $39,920 |
| Texas | $45,820 |
| Utah | $70,960 |
| Virginia | $54,250 |
| Washington | $47,470 |
| West Virginia | $43,460 |
| Wisconsin | $51,070 |
| Wyoming | $63,690 |
What Tools & Technology do Marriage and Family Therapists Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Marriage and Family Therapists:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Anasazi Software Client Data System
- DocuTrac QuicDoc
- Mdansby The PsychReport
- TheraManager
- eMDs Medisoft
- Blueberry Harbor Software Clinical Record Keeper
- Advantage Software Psych Advantage
- PracticePRO Software Systems QuickPractice
- Beaver Creek Software The THERAPIST
How to Become a Marriage & Family Therapist
Education needed to be a Marriage and Family Therapist:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Marriage and Family Therapists Are Employed
The table below shows the approximate number of Marriage and Family Therapists employed by various industries.
Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Marriage and Family Therapist might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Army Medicine via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Reusing_content_outside_Wikimedia
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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