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Marriage and Family Therapists

  • Bright Outlook
  • Rapid Growth

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.

What you’d do

  • Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
  • Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
  • Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
  • Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
  • Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
  • Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
  • Supervise other counselors, social service staff, and assistants.
  • Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.

Skills that matter

  • Active Listening
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Speaking
  • Service Orientation
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Judgment and Decision Making

How to get there

Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher

Also called

  • Family Therapist
  • LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist)
  • Marriage and Family Counselor
  • Therapist
  • Clinical Therapist
  • Couple and Family Therapist

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