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Marriage & Family Therapists

Also called: Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Therapist, Psychotherapist

What they do:
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.
On the job, you would:
  • 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, and financial difficulties.
  • Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.

Knowledge

Health
  • therapy and counseling
  • medicine and dentistry
Math and Science
  • psychology
  • sociology and anthropology
Business
  • customer service
Arts and Humanities
  • English language

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Social
  • understanding people's reactions
  • looking for ways to help people

Abilities

Verbal
  • listen and understand what people say
  • communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
Attention
  • pay attention to something without being distracted
Visual Understanding
  • quickly know what you are looking at

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Concern for Others
  • Integrity
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Cooperation
  • Dependability
  • Persistence

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Medical software
  • Anasazi Software Client Data System
  • Blueberry Harbor Software Clinical Record Keeper
Spreadsheet software
  • Microsoft Excel
Electronic mail software
  • Microsoft Outlook

Education

Education: (rated 5 of 5)
master's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Bright Outlook
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
Salary
$46,240
per year, on average
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about marriage and family therapists.