Marriage and Family Therapists

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Community & Social Service
• O*NET-SOC code: 21-1013
• O*NET job zone: 5 — extensive preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
• Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
• 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.
• Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
• Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities.
• Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
• Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
• Provide instructions to clients on how to obtain help with legal, financial, and other personal issues.
• Provide public education and consultation to other professionals or groups regarding counseling services, issues, and methods.
• Follow up on results of counseling programs and clients' adjustments to determine effectiveness of programs.

Tools and technology

Intuit QuickBooks, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Word, Zoom, Advantage Software Psych Advantage, American Medical Billing Software PMA, Anasazi Software Client Data System

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
• Mental Health Counselors
• Child, Family, and School Social Workers
• Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
• Healthcare Social Workers
• Rehabilitation Counselors
• Social and Human Service Assistants
• Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 5 (extensive preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Marriage and Family Therapists — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.