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The differences between child and family therapists and mental health therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a child and family therapist and a mental health therapist. Additionally, a child and family therapist has an average salary of $55,339, which is higher than the $50,259 average annual salary of a mental health therapist.
The top three skills for a child and family therapist include social work, diagnosis and mental health. The most important skills for a mental health therapist are social work, patients, and mental health.
| Child And Family Therapist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $55,339 | $50,259 |
| Hourly rate | $26.61 | $24.16 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 120,152 | 114,386 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Child and family therapists are therapists who specialize in treating traumatized children due to neglect or abuse. They always formulate various techniques and activities to treat their patients and help improve the affected family's quality of living while maintaining confidentiality and following HIPAA laws and agency policies and procedures. During treatment, they monitor the progress of their patients and adjust the treatment accordingly. They also train youth counselors to maintain open communication with their families to know the cause and resolve problems faster.
The job of mental health therapists is to guide individuals, groups, couples, and families with problems that are impacting their well-being and mental health. Their duties and responsibilities include encouraging clients to talk about their experiences, examining issues that may affect mental health such as substance abuse and bullying, and assisting clients in defining their goals and action plans. Mental health therapists are also responsible for developing therapeutic processes, referring clients to other services or resources like psychologists, and helping them adjust to life changes.
Child and family therapists and mental health therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child And Family Therapist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Average salary | $55,339 | $50,259 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $81,000 | Between $35,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Everymind (formerly Mental Health Association Of Montgomery County) | Tykes And Teens |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a child and family therapist and a mental health therapist in terms of educational background:
| Child And Family Therapist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between child and family therapists' and mental health therapists' demographics:
| Child And Family Therapist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8% | Male, 23.3% Female, 76.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 15% |