What Marriage and Family Therapists Do
Marriage and family therapists help people manage and overcome problems with family and other relationships.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq2ylfyP9VY
Work Environment
Marriage and family therapists work in a variety of settings, such as private practice and mental health centers. Most work full time.
How to Become a Marriage and Family Therapist
Marriage and family therapists are required to have a master’s degree and a license to practice.
Pay
The median annual wage for marriage and family therapists was $49,610 in May 2019.
Job Outlook
Employment of marriage and family therapists is projected to grow 22 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth is expected due to an increasing use of teams for treatment, in which these therapists work with other counselors to address patients’ needs.
Marriage and family therapists help people manage problems with their family and other relationships.
Duties
Marriage and family therapists typically do the following:
- Encourage clients to discuss their emotions and experiences
- Help clients process their reactions and adjust to difficult changes in their life, such as divorce and layoffs
- Guide clients through the process of making decisions about their future
- Help clients develop strategies and skills to change their behavior and to cope with difficult situations
- Refer clients to other resources or services in the community, such as support groups or inpatient treatment facilities
- Complete and maintain confidential files and mandated records
Marriage and family therapists use a variety of techniques and tools to help their clients. Many apply cognitive behavioral therapy, a goal-oriented approach that helps clients understand harmful thoughts, feelings, and beliefs and teaches how to replace them with positive, life-enhancing ones.
Many marriage and family therapists work in private practice. They must market their practice to prospective clients and work with insurance companies and clients to get payment for their services.
Marriage and family therapists work with individuals, couples, and families. They bring a family-centered perspective to treatment, even when treating individuals. They evaluate family roles and development, to understand how clients’ families affect their mental health. They treat the clients’ relationships, not just the clients themselves. They address issues, such as low self-esteem, stress, addiction, and substance abuse.
Marriage and family therapists coordinate patient treatment with other professionals, such as psychologists and social workers.
Marriage and family therapists held about 66,200 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of marriage and family therapists were as follows:
| Individual and family services | 31% |
| Offices of other health practitioners | 21 |
| Outpatient care centers | 12 |
| Self-employed workers | 8 |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 8 |
Marriage and family therapists work in a variety of settings, such as mental health centers, substance abuse treatment centers, and hospitals. They also work in private practice and in Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), which are mental health programs that some employers provide to help employees deal with personal problems.
Work Schedules
Marriage and family therapists generally work full time. Some therapists work evenings and weekends to accommodate their clients’ schedules.
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of marriage and family therapists.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Physicians and Surgeons |
Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses. |
Doctoral or professional degree | This wage is equal to or greater than $208,000 per year. |
|
|
Psychologists |
Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how individuals relate to one another and to their environments. |
See How to Become One | $80,370 |
Rehabilitation Counselors |
Rehabilitation counselors help people with physical, mental, developmental, or emotional disabilities live independently. |
Master’s degree | $35,950 | |
School and Career Counselors |
School counselors help students develop the academic and social skills needed to succeed. Career counselors help people choose a path to employment. |
Master’s degree | $57,040 | |
Social and Community Service Managers |
Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise programs and organizations that support public well-being. |
Bachelor’s degree | $67,150 | |
Social and Human Service Assistants |
Social and human service assistants provide client services in a variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, and social work. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $35,060 | |
Social Workers |
Social workers help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives. |
See How to Become One | $50,470 | |
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors |
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors provide treatment and advise people who suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction, or other mental or behavioral problems. |
Bachelor’s degree | $46,240 | |
Health Educators and Community Health Workers |
Health educators teach people about behaviors that promote wellness. Community health workers collect data and discuss health concerns with members of specific populations or communities. |
See How to Become One | $46,910 | |
Genetic Counselors |
Genetic counselors assess individual or family risk for a variety of inherited conditions, such as genetic disorders and birth defects. |
Master’s degree | $81,880 |
For more information about accredited programs, visit
Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education
Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs
Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council
For more information about marriage and family therapists, visit
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards
For general information about counseling and for information about counseling specialties, visit
American Counseling Association
For information about contacting state regulating boards, visit
National Board for Certified Counselors
O*NET
Marriage and Family Therapists
Suggested citation:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Marriage and Family Therapists,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/marriage-and-family-therapists.htm (visited ).
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