Marriage and family therapists are professionals whose main duty involves helping couples diagnose and treat both behavioral and cognitive disorders in the context of their relationships. The field has gotten increasingly popular over the years as individuals recognize its value.
This sustained popularity is expected to continue across the coming years, making it a highly appealing option for individuals nationwide seeking to launch a career in a promising field. The following guide analyzes everything individuals need to consider to become the best marriage and family therapists they can be.
We begin with a brief overview of the responsibilities, duties, and work environments, before moving on to the framework to adopt when entering the profession. We also cover the major licensing and certification steps, specialty options, annual average salary, and career outlook, among other key details.
What are a Marriage and Family Therapist’s Responsibilities?
The responsibilities of a marriage and family therapist include diagnosing and treating disorders in romantic relationships. Their expertise goes beyond behavioral disorders, however, as they also have the tools to understand cognitive and historical biases that often contribute to the troubles most people experience in their relationships.
During the course of their day-to-day activities, marriage and family therapists will find themselves doing the following:
- assessing the emotional and psychological needs of their clients,
- asking relevant questions with the aim of understanding the client’s emotions and experiences,
- helping couples understand their reactions, process them, and make the necessary adjustments that will lead to positive results when it comes to their relationship and family dynamics,
- coming up with a treatment plan,
- helping clients facilitate the best coping strategies,
- nudging clients in the right direction when it comes to their decision-making,
- making recommendations for couples who need to utilize other resources or meet with other specialists,
- keeping necessary files and records, and making sure that these remain confidential.
Marriage and family therapists may also need to draw on a wealth of knowledge that encompasses other fields. For instance, they can help with nutrition, cognitive behavioral therapy, and even assist in planning fun activities.
Marriage and Family Therapist Work Environment
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there are more than 77,000 marriage and family therapists in the United States. Of these, approximately 30% are employed in the offices of health practitioners, while 24% provide individual and family services.
It is possible to work as a self-employed marriage and family therapist, managing clients and running a business simultaneously. Data shows that 13% of all marriage and family therapists adopt this approach.
Marriage and family therapists can also be found working in outpatient care centers or with state governments. These make up 11% and 6% of the total dataset, respectively.
One thing to keep in mind as a prospective marriage and family therapist is that, although it is possible to work full-time, many professionals do so.
It is also possible for marriage and family therapists to offer telehealth options. This way, they can communicate with clients on the phone or through other virtual platforms.
How to Become a Marriage and Family Therapist
Below are the main considerations necessary to become a marriage and family therapist.
Soft Skills
Perspective marriage and family therapists need strong communication skills and compassion. They also need to possess significant interpersonal skills to develop a connection with their clients, as well as organizational skills, which will be necessary for record-keeping and other administrative duties.
Proper Education
Proper education for an aspiring marriage and family therapist includes completing high school and eventually having a master’s degree in psychology. Although some programs offer accelerated and combined coursework that allows candidates to earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree simultaneously, it is typically common for candidates to complete an undergraduate bachelor’s degree program in psychology or a related field first.
During their training, students are expected to acquire skills in marriage and relationship dynamics, the impact of relationships on mental health, and the effects on emotional well-being.
Real-World Experience
As with most fields that require both theoretical and practical skills, students in marriage and family therapy programs must consolidate their classroom training with real-world practice. For this, students are expected to participate in a supervised practicum or an internship.
At this juncture, they will also have the opportunity to learn directly from practicing professionals, who will be conducting family therapy, psychotherapy, group therapy, and more.
Licensing & Certification
All marriage and family therapists are expected to be licensed. The specific licensing requirements that a candidate will go through depend largely on the state in which they are practicing.
Generally, however, a master’s degree and post-degree supervised clinical experience are the primary requirements for obtaining a license. Even after becoming licensed, professionals are expected to keep on improving through continuing education classes.
Specializations
Apart from specializing based on work environment — including outpatient work and working with the state government — marriage and family therapists can specialize in a few areas of the field, like providing grief and trauma counseling, divorce, and childhood developmental disorders.
Some professionals also choose to work mainly with couples who suffer from mental health challenges ranging from anxiety and depression to schizophrenia.
Salary & Career Outlook
The annual average salary figures for marriage and family therapists, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, include $63,780 for candidates in the median bracket, $42,610 for professionals who fall among the lowest 10 percent, and $111,610 for those in the highest 10 percent.
Sorting by work environments, marriage and family therapists in state government manage an annual average salary of $89,030; those in outpatient care centers earn around $73,230; while professionals in individual and family services manage an annual average salary of $59,550.
Career Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the employment rate of marriage and family therapists to increase by 13 percent from 2024 to 2034. This rate is significantly higher than the average for all occupations.
During this period, approximately 7,700 openings for marriage and family therapists are expected to occur each year. Some of these positions will open as a result of workers who move to different occupations, and a great deal will also arise thanks to the increase in integrated care – an approach through which a group of specialists treats multiple issues at once.
