Quote:
“It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
“A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold.” -Ogden Nash
Definition of Profession:
Marriage and family therapists apply principles, methods, and therapeutic techniques to individuals, families, couples, or organizations in order to resolve emotional conflicts. In doing so, they modify people’s perceptions and behaviors, enhance communication and understanding among family members, and help to prevent family and individual crises. Marriage and family therapists also may engage in psychotherapy of a nonmedical nature, make appropriate referrals to psychiatric resources, perform research, and teach courses about human development and interpersonal relationships.
About the Field:
School counselors must be certified, and other counselors must be licensed to practice in all but two States. A master’s degree generally is needed to become a licensed counselor. Job opportunities for counselors should be very good because job openings are expected to exceed the number of graduates from counseling programs. State and local governments employ about 4 in 10 counselors, and the health services industry employs most of the others.
How To Get There:
To meet the professional education requirement for licensure as a marriage and family therapist, you must complete one of the following: a master’s or doctoral degree from a program in marriage and family from an accredited program; a master’s or higher degree from a program in an allied mental health field (including but not limited to social work, psychology and mental health counseling) and additional graduate level coursework, if needed, to provide the substantial equivalent professional education of a licensure qualifying program in marriage and family therapy; completion of a program located outside the United States and its territories that prepares individuals for the professional practice of marriage and family therapy.
On The Job:
Counselors assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career decisions and problems. Their duties depend on the individuals they serve and on the settings in which they work.
Salary Range:
Median annual earnings of marriage and family therapists in May 2004 were $38,980. The middle 50 percent earned between $30,260 and $49,990. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,460, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $65,080. Median annual earnings in May 2004 were $33,620 in individual and family social services, the industry employing the largest number of marriage and family therapists.
State of the Art:
Employment of mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists will grow as more people become comfortable with seeking professional help for a variety of health, personal, and family problems. Employers are also increasingly offering employee assistance programs that provide mental health and alcohol and drug abuse counseling. More people are expected to use these services as society focuses on ways of developing mental well-being, such as controlling stress associated with job and family responsibilities.
Tools of the Trade /Lifestyle:
Both mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists also often work flexible hours to accommodate families in crisis or working couples who must have evening or weekend appointments.Counselors must possess high physical and emotional energy to handle the array of problems that they address. Dealing daily with these problems can cause stress. Although the risk of litigation is relatively low, it is still prudent for counselors in all fields to hold some form of personal liability insurance. Because privacy is essential for confidential and frank discussions with clients, counselors usually have private offices.
You are:
• the ability to establish trusting relationships with clients
• the ability to put clients at ease, listen attentively, reflect and clarify their needs
• strong communication skills, including active listening, challenging, and goal-setting
• patience, tolerance, and sensitivity regarding service users
• empathy and a non-judgmental approach
• the ability to work with people from a wide variety of backgrounds
• an awareness of issues surrounding confidentiality
• self-awareness and the ability to examine your own thoughts and values
Related Professions:
Counselors help people evaluate their interests, abilities, and disabilities and deal with personal, social, academic, and career problems. Others who help people in similar ways include teachers, social and human service assistants, social workers, psychologists, physicians and surgeons, registered nurses, members of the clergy, occupational therapists, and human resources, training, and labor relations managers and specialists.
