Marriage and Family Therapists
Marriage and family therapists diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioural, within the context of marriage and family systems. They apply psychotherapeutically 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 and family therapists are psychological health professionals trained in psychotherapy and family systems. They diagnose and treat internal and emotional complications within the environment of marriage, couples and family systems.
Marriage and family therapists' job descriptions include treating not just marital issues, they offer consultations on many serious clinical issues including depression, anxiety, individual psychological problems, and child-parent problems.
Family therapists can help with many mental health problems like mood disorders, adult alcoholism and drug abuse, children's conduct disorders, adolescent drug abuse, anorexia in young adult women, and marital distress and conflict.
Family therapists have a master's or doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy with two years of clinical experience. They require interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, the ability to build trust, organisation skills, and communication skills, and should be familiar with computer and internet technology, word processing, spreadsheets and databases.
They work in outpatient care centres and offices of other healthcare providers. They also find jobs at inpatient mental health facilities, schools, universities, and health clinics. Some may work in private practice and earn a marriage therapist salary accordingly.
A successful marriage and family therapist is someone who can make marriages work “happily ever after”.
Qualifications
Every career requires an element of study and academic qualification, and there can be several study routes and pathways you can take. In following any academic pathway you will study subjects that contribute to the specialised knowledge required to achieve your career goals. These qualifications provide a future employer with the evidence that you have the desired knowledge, understanding and experience of their industry, so it’s important to consider the various types of qualifications available to you and to understand how they can boost your career and create opportunities for you.
- M.Phil Psychology
- M.Sc. Psychology
- B.A. Psychology
- B.Sc. Psychology
Tasks
- Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
- Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
- Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
- Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
- Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
- Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
- Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities.
- Follow up on results of counseling programs and clients' adjustments to determine effectiveness of programs.
- Provide instructions to clients on how to obtain help with legal, financial, and other personal issues.
- 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.
Progression Routes
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