What Is a Marriage and Family Therapist?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat They DoConditions They TreatSalariesWhere They WorkTraining RequirementsJob Outlook

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What They Do

Conditions They Treat

Salaries

Where They Work

Training Requirements

Job Outlook

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Couples and families face unique problems, which is why they often seek out help from marriage and family therapists. These professionals are trained to deal specifically with interpersonal issues that arise in couples, families, and groups.

Professionals who work in this field often use a variety of psychotherapeutic techniques. They may work with individuals, couples, or families to treat illness, improve communication, and strengthen relationships.

Marriage and family therapists assess, diagnose, and treat mental illness and psychological distress within the context of marriage and family systems, including couples and other romantic relationships, parents and children, and extended families. They may provide premarital counseling, relationship counseling, child counseling, and separation and divorce counseling.

Some of the typical tasks that a marriage and family therapist might perform on a regular basis include:

Completing paperwork and dealing with insurance companies also takes up a significant portion of any therapist’s time, including marriage and family therapists. When working with a client, therapists need to maintain accurate caseprogress notes, keep a record of evaluations, and note any recommendations for further treatment.

Marriage and family therapists treat a wide range of issues and conditions. Some of these include:

Marriage and family therapists provide psychotherapy and attend to mental health issues, but they tend to focus more on how family dynamics impact psychological health.

As of May 2023, the median annual salary for marriage and family therapists was $58,510. Salaries can vary depending on the sector of employment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest-paying industries for this profession include:

Family therapists work in a range of employment areas including outpatient care centers, individual and family services, local and state governments, and the offices of other healthcare providers. Other common work settings include private practices, inpatient mental health facilities, schools, universities, and health clinics.

Since marriage and family therapists often have to adapt to their clients' schedules, working evening and weekend hours is not uncommon.

Training and Educational Requirements

TheAmerican Association for Marriage and Family Therapy(AAMFT) suggests that the minimum training to become a marriage and family therapist includes a master’s degree plus two years of supervised clinical experience.After completing these educational requirements, therapists must also pass state licensing exams.

In addition to the basic training and educational requirements, it is important for professionals to have the characteristics that will allow them to succeed in the job.

Comfort with different technologies can also be helpful. Marriage and family therapists often use a range of technology tools including video conferencing, accounting software, multi-line telephone systems, spreadsheet software, email, and medical software.

The increased use ofonline therapyhas also made it more important to be comfortable using technology to deliver treatment.

A Word From Verywell

Marriage and family therapists play an important role in mental health. The American Association of Marriage for Marriage and Family Therapy reports that nearly 90% of people who receive marriage and family therapy report improvements in their emotional health.

If you are interested in working with a marriage and family therapist, online therapy directories, where you can search for specific types of therapists and therapeutic approaches, can help you find one. If you are interested in becoming a marriage and family therapist, speak to an academic counselor about your educational options and check the licensure requirements in your state.

The 10 Best Online Couples Therapy Services We Tried and Tested

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wetchler JL, Hecker LL.An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy. Routledge; 2015.Metcalf L.Marriage and Family Therapy : A Practice-Oriented Approach. Springer Publishing Company, Llc; 2019.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 3).Marriage and family therapists.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes211013.htmAmerican Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.About marriage and family therapists.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Marriage and family therapists: job outlook.

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wetchler JL, Hecker LL.An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy. Routledge; 2015.Metcalf L.Marriage and Family Therapy : A Practice-Oriented Approach. Springer Publishing Company, Llc; 2019.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 3).Marriage and family therapists.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes211013.htmAmerican Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.About marriage and family therapists.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Marriage and family therapists: job outlook.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Wetchler JL, Hecker LL.An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy. Routledge; 2015.Metcalf L.Marriage and Family Therapy : A Practice-Oriented Approach. Springer Publishing Company, Llc; 2019.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 3).Marriage and family therapists.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes211013.htmAmerican Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.About marriage and family therapists.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Marriage and family therapists: job outlook.

Wetchler JL, Hecker LL.An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy. Routledge; 2015.

Metcalf L.Marriage and Family Therapy : A Practice-Oriented Approach. Springer Publishing Company, Llc; 2019.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, April 3).Marriage and family therapists.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes211013.htm

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.About marriage and family therapists.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.Marriage and family therapists: job outlook.

Hannah Owens, LMSW

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