What does a Marriage and Family Therapist do?

A Marriage and Family Therapist helps individuals, couples and families experiencing conflict and challenges. The individuals cannot resolve their issues themselves and hope professional help can improve the situation so that everyone can have a better relationship.

An individual might seek the help of an MFT to work on their own mental health issues or feelings toward themselves. When treating an individual patient, the MFT will focus on how the issues being discussed impact the individual’s relationships.

Alternatively, couples or families work with a Marriage and Family Therapist when dealing with interpersonal conflict or mental health issues causing problems in relationship dynamics.

Marriage and Family Therapist Skills and Qualifications

A successful Marriage and Family Therapist will be compassionate and caring, have good judgment and have strong decision-making skills.

Some of the essential skills a person needs to excel at being an MFT are:

• Communication skills (listening and responding to clients)
• Organization (to maintain client records and deal with insurance claims)
• Empathy and compassion
• Interpersonal skills

Marriage and Family Therapist experience requirements

A Marriage and Family Therapist can begin to take clients after successfully acquiring their license. MFTs may charge more or take more complex cases as they gain experience and time in their field. When hiring a recently graduated MFT, employers may want to check with their clinical supervisor on how they performed, where they excelled and what kind of patients they specialize in.

Marriage and Family Therapist education and training requirements

Individuals who want to become a Marriage and Family Therapist must have a master’s degree in a relevant field (such as psychology or marriage and family therapy) from an accredited school and be licensed to work in your state. Students gain hands-on experience through post-degree supervised clinical work, which means they already have practical experience when entering the workforce.

Look for candidates who have degrees from institutions accredited by:

• The Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• The Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)
• The Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC)

Job description samples for similar positions

If this Marriage and Family Therapist job description sample isn’t what you’re looking for, you may want to look at these relevant job description samples instead:

• Counselor
• Psychologist
• Psychiatrist

Marriage and Family Therapist FAQs

Can you ask for a reference when reviewing a Marriage and Family Therapist?

A Marriage and Family Therapist should always be able to provide references. Even if they’ve never worked in a clinic or private office and have always taken clients independently, they should have a reference from their years of completing supervised clinical work.

What makes a great Marriage and Family Therapist job description?

Marriage and Family Therapists can always work for themselves, so a great Marriage and Family Therapist job description should clearly highlight the benefits of joining your clinic. Your job description should be concise, include daily responsibilities and have a salary (or hourly) range.

What should you look for in a Marriage and Family Therapist resume?

When hiring a Marriage and Family Therapist, only review licensed candidates. An applicant’s resume should have the relevant, necessary school degrees as well as the details of their supervised clinical experience.