How to become A Marriage And Family Therapist

Marriage and Family Therapists help individuals, couples, and families understand that love is a constant process of tuning in, connecting, missing, and misreading cues; of disconnecting, repairing, and finding deeper connection. They help their clients appreciate life as a dance of meeting and parting and finding each other again...minute to minute...day to day.

• Family Therapist
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
• Family Systems Therapist
• Marriage and Family Counselor
• Family Counselor
• Couple and Family Therapist
• Couples Therapist

What do Marriage and Family Therapists do?

A Marriage and Family Therapist would typically need to:

• Offer guidance to individuals, couples, and families dealing with issues that affect their mental health and well-being
• Bring a family-centered perspective to treatment, even when treating individuals
• Establish a relationship of trust and respect with clients; agree on a counseling contract to determine terms of confidentiality and what to cover in sessions; work towards agreed targets
• Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussing, and observing, to help them identify and discuss detrimental emotions and behaviors
• Actively listen to the concerns expressed by clients and empathize with their position; accept without bias the issues raised while challenging any inconsistencies; help clients towards a deeper understanding of their concerns
• Evaluate and help clients resolve relationship problems; address issues such as low self-esteem, stress, addiction, and substance abuse
• Use a ‘wellness’ model to help clients process their reactions and navigate transitional crises, such as divorce and layoffs
• Use goal-oriented techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy to help clients understand and replace dysfunctional behavior with healthy alternatives
• Complete and maintain mandatory records and confidential case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations
• Confer with clients to develop plans for post-treatment activities; if essential, refer them to medical, psychiatric, psychological, and legal experts or support groups, social workers, and inpatient treatment facilities:
• Liaise with other agencies and professionals to help resolve client issues

Marriage and Family Therapists usually work in an office environment but may need to travel during the workday. The option to work from home is becoming increasingly common. With phone and internet counseling services growing, there is considerable scope for self-employment and freelance work. Many therapists have a portfolio career combining part-time, voluntary, and private work. Jobs are available in most areas, but the concentration is more massive in cities, while some rural areas are poorly served. Counseling is often one-to-one with couples, families, or groups. Group counseling, however, is becoming more common with an increase in demand for marriage and family therapy.

Marriage and Family Therapists generally work full time from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some work evenings and weekends to accommodate the schedules of their clients.

Some professional organizations recommend a maximum of 20 hours of client contact time per week.

Marriage and Family Therapists can choose to work with a specific population, such as teenagers, incarcerated, families, and the elderly. They may also work in private practice and in programs offered by some employers to help employees deal with personal problems.

Jobs are available in most areas, but the concentration is higher in cities. Some rural areas are poorly served. There is plenty of scope for self-employment and freelance work, too. The career can involve part-time, voluntary, and private work.

 Marriage and Family Therapists are generally employed by:

• Social Service Agencies
• Family Service Centers
• Youth Service Centers
• Outpatient Mental Health Centers
• Substance Abuse Centers
• General Counseling Services
• Offices of Other Health Practitioners
• Hospitals
• Government Agencies
• Educational Institutions
• Citizens’ Advice Bureaus
• Human Resource Departments of Large Corporations
• Specialized Telephone Helplines
• Faith-based Organizations

Professional associations and organizations are crucial for Marriage and Family Therapists interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks excellent on your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Painful and sometimes contentious nature of the personal problems experienced by clients
• Scarce employment opportunities in rural locations

Some employers may expect aspirant Nanotech Engineers to have or be working towards a PhD. You usually need experience working in a laboratory environment. It may help to study for a degree that includes a placement year or a year out to acquire experience in the industry you want to work in. Experience in product development and quantum optics and spectroscopy would be useful.

Internships and work placements related to nanotechnology will help you find out more about the role and start to develop a network of contacts. There may also be some opportunities to undertake a summer internship or a summer research project.

An accredited bachelor’s degree in psychology, philosophy, humanities, liberal arts, sociology, anthropology, social work, or family and child sciences will ease an aspiring Marriage and Family Therapist’s way into a master’s degree in psychology, marriage & family therapy or a related field in mental health.

Topics covered in a master’s program should include couples therapy, human sexuality, developmental science, research methods, and systems theory. A well-researched thesis is a mandatory requirement. Marriage and family therapy programs help students appreciate how marriages, families, and relationships function and can potentially cause mental and emotional disorders.

Aspiring Marriage and Family Therapists must take a mandatory licensing exam after completing their master’s degree and clinical practicum. The government conducts the exams to evaluate a candidate’s knowledge in client diagnosis, ethical standards, and the development of treatment interventions.

Generally, Marriage and Family Therapists must renew their licenses every two years by accumulating enough continuing education credits (CECs) through government-approved workshops, courses, or online training programs. Marriage and Family Therapists can also earn CECs for their supervision or teaching activities.

Performance, experience, and acquisition of professional qualifications drive career progression. The demand for Family and Marriage Therapy is increasing in areas such as employee counseling, adoption, education, and addictive behaviors, but competition for full-time paid positions is high. Many paid posts are part-time or combined with other duties, such as teaching, nursing, or advisory work.

Under the present circumstances, there tends to be little room for promotion as many therapists work part-time at a similar level. Management opportunities exist in health or educational settings, but these usually mean less time spent with individual clients and more on strategy and policy implementation.

You can take on increased responsibility in training or supervision or choose to specialize in areas such as grief, family therapy, mental health, sexual health, and substance abuse. Gaining experience in more than one setting can be advantageous for career development as it broadens your experience.

You could also establish yourself as a self-employed counselor once you have gained enough experience. Self-employment could increase your flexibility and income, though it may take time to build your client base, and your income could be erratic at the start. Although not essential, accreditation from nationally recognized organizations would prove advantageous.

Working overseas is another option if you seek new and varied opportunities, and can be possible through an international charity. A parallel career path is mental health counseling in which Family and Marriage Therapists can work with individuals and groups on many of the same issues.

Based on the projected increase in the number of jobs over the next ten years, coupled with the expected need to fill positions vacated by separating employees, job prospects appear good for Marriage and Family Therapists.

Meeting the accrediting body requirements means that you can access the full range of its membership benefits while proving to potential employers and clients that you adhere to high standards of ethical practice.

Once registered, you must engage in continuing professional development (CPD) to upkeep or renew membership. CPD includes short courses on new therapeutic approaches and possible progression to higher qualifications at the postgraduate level. You will need to plan, record, and reflect on your CPD activities with support from the professional body.

CPD allows Marriage and Family Therapists to upskill continually, regardless of their age, job, or knowledge level. It prevents practical and academic qualifications from becoming outdated, allows individuals to identify any knowledge gaps, and allows professionals the opportunity to progress to a new specialism.

Many private, voluntary, and charitable counseling organizations run in-house training schemes that focus on the particular needs of the client group with which they are concerned. They are generally aimed at Family and Marriage Therapists already working in these fields or those who wish to add a specialization to their counselor training.

Counseling Married Couples

A Marriage and Family Therapist’s clientele mainly comprises married couples experiencing problems in their relationship. Couples tend to view marriage therapy as a last resort before considering divorce. Some of the most common marital issues are extramarital affairs, jealousy, intimacy/sexual problems, communication breakdowns, financial matters, and child-rearing conflict.

Counseling Engaged Couples

Sometimes, engaged couples proactively opt for marriage therapy seeking advice in general or to work through any specific issues they may have before their wedding. Some people think this makes for higher chances of leading a successful married life.

The therapist talks to these clients individually and in group settings, identifying any problems that marriage may aggravate. For example, if needed, the therapist may help the bride or the groom address past relationship issues and resolve them before the wedding.

Studies show that 93 percent of patients who worked with a Marriage and Family Therapist reported improved physical health and said they had more effective tools for dealing with their problems.

The best security blanket a child can have is parents who respect each other. Marriage and Family Therapists ensure that every child has access to this security blanket by helping their clients understand the true nature of love. Although love makes us vulnerable, we feel safe and strong when we are sure we are loved.

Success as a therapist is not found in doing something for, but rather in being someone for the client.