Become A Family Therapist
Where do you want to work?
Working As A Family Therapist
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Getting Information
Deal with People
Unpleasant/Angry People
Mostly Sitting
Stressful
$40,493
Average Salary
What Does A Family Therapist Do
How To Become A Family Therapist
Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists are typically required to have a master’s degree and a license to practice.
EducationTo become a mental health counselor or a marriage and family therapist, applicants typically need a master’s degree in psychology, clinical mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, or a related mental health field. A bachelor’s degree in most fields is acceptable to enter a master’s program.
Counseling programs prepare students to recognize symptoms of mental and emotional disorders and to use effective counseling strategies. Marriage and family therapy programs teach students about how marriages, families, and relationships function and how these relationships can affect mental and emotional disorders.
Many employers prefer to hire counselors who have graduated from programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs.
TrainingCandidates gain hands-on experience through postdegree supervised clinical work, sometimes referred to as an internship or residency. In training, they learn to provide family therapy, group therapy, psychotherapy, and other therapeutic interventions, under the supervision of a licensed counselor.
LicensesAll states require mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists to be licensed in the state in which they practice. Licensure requires a master’s degree and 2,000 to 4,000 hours of postdegree supervised clinical experience, sometimes referred to as an internship or residency. In addition, counselors and therapists must pass a state-recognized exam and complete annual continuing education classes.
Contact information for state boards regulating mental health counselors is available through the National Board for Certified Counselors.
Contact and licensing information for marriage and family therapists is available through the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards.
Important QualitiesCompassion. Counselors and therapists often work with people who are dealing with stressful and difficult situations, so they must be compassionate and empathize with their clients.
Interpersonal skills. Being able to work with different types of people is essential for counselors and therapists. They spend most of their time working directly with clients and other professionals and must be able to encourage good relationships.
Listening skills. Good listening skills are essential for mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists, both of whom need to give their full attention to their clients to understand their problems, values, and goals.
Organizational skills. Good organizational skills are especially important for counselors and therapists in private practice, who must keep track of payments and work with insurance companies.
Speaking skills. Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists need to be able to communicate with clients effectively. They must express ideas and information in a way that clients can understand easily.
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Family Therapist jobs
Family Therapist Career Paths
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Family Therapist 3.0 years
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Mental Health Therapist 3.0 years
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Counselor/Art Therapist 3.0 years
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Lead Therapist 2.9 years
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Clinical Therapist 2.9 years
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Marriage And Family Therapist 2.8 years
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Child And Family Counselor 2.7 years
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Mental Health Clinician 2.7 years
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Out-Patient Therapist 2.7 years
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Clinical Counselor 2.6 years
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Child And Family Therapist 2.6 years
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Therapist 2.6 years
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Outpatient Physical Therapist 2.5 years
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Group Therapist 2.4 years
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Child And Adolescent Therapist 2.3 years
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Health Therapist 2.3 years
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Family Specialist 2.3 years
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Play Therapist 2.3 years
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Mental Health Professional 2.3 years
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Primary Therapist 2.3 years
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Family Counselor 2.3 years
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Day Treatment Clinician/Art Therapist 2.0 years
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Family Caseworker 2.0 years
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In Home Therapist 2.0 years
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Community Music Therapist 1.8 years
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Family Intervention Specialist 1.7 years
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Internship 15.5%
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Therapist 11.7%
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Case Manager 9.8%
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Counselor 8.5%
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Social Worker 8.0%
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Counselor Internship 5.3%
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Clinician 3.0%
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Research Assistant 2.8%
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Program Director 2.7%
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Volunteer 2.6%
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Teacher 2.5%
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Program Coordinator 2.5%
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Supervisor 2.4%
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Therapist 15.6%
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Social Worker 7.8%
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Clinical Supervisor 6.5%
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Clinician 6.1%
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Counselor 5.7%
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Clinical Director 5.4%
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Program Director 5.4%
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Case Manager 5.3%
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Program Manager 3.5%
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Internship 3.1%
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Psychotherapist 3.1%
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Clinical Therapist 2.9%
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Adjunct Professor 2.9%
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Program Coordinator 2.7%
Average Length of Employment
Top Careers Before Family Therapist
Top Careers After Family Therapist
Family Therapist Demographics
Gender
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Female
73.2% -
Male
24.6% -
Unknown
2.2%
Ethnicity
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White
81.7% -
Hispanic or Latino
9.5% -
Asian
6.7% -
Unknown
1.5% -
Black or African American
0.6%
Languages Spoken
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Spanish
74.6% -
French
7.4% -
Russian
2.5% -
Hindi
1.6% -
Hebrew
1.6% -
Urdu
1.6% -
Italian
1.6% -
Swedish
0.8% -
Indonesian
0.8% -
Chinese
0.8% -
Mandarin
0.8% -
Ukrainian
0.8% -
German
0.8% -
Japanese
0.8% -
Greek
0.8% -
Persian
0.8% -
Arabic
0.8% -
Cebuano
0.8%
Family Therapist
Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.
Family Therapist Education
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Capella University
9.8% -
Liberty University
7.5% -
Nova Southeastern University
5.6% -
Howard University
5.6% -
Chicago School of Professional Psychology
5.1% -
University of Pittsburgh -
5.1% -
New York University
4.9% -
Walden University
4.9% -
University of Louisville
4.9% -
University of Phoenix
4.9% -
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
4.9% -
Fordham University
4.7% -
University of Denver
4.7% -
Temple University
4.4% -
Syracuse University
4.0% -
Wayne State University
4.0% -
Webster University
4.0% -
Michigan State University
3.7% -
Barry University
3.7% -
Florida State University
3.7% -
Social Work 26.8%
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School Counseling 12.3%
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Counseling Psychology 11.9%
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Family Therapy 11.3%
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Psychology 7.2%
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Clinical Psychology 6.2%
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Education 2.5%
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Human Services 1.8%
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Criminal Justice 1.7%
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Sociology 1.5%
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Business 1.2%
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Human Development 1.2%
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Nursing 0.7%
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Special Education 0.7%
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Elementary Education 0.6%
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Theology 0.6%
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Physical Therapy 0.5%
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Masters
72.4% -
Bachelors
9.1% -
Doctorate
7.9% -
Other
7.4% -
Certificate
2.1% -
Associate
0.6% -
License
0.3% -
Diploma
0.1%
Schools
Majors
Degrees
Family Therapist
Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.
Real Family Therapist Salaries
Job Title
|
Company
|
Location
|
Start Date
|
Salary
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Therapist | Glass & Associates, A Psychological Corporation | CA | Oct 02, 2009 | $125,220 |
| Family Therapist | Ocala Physician Associates | Ocala, FL | Apr 05, 2012 | $72,650 |
| Family Therapist/Organizational Development Specia | Central Iowa Psychological Services | Ames, IA | Sep 15, 2012 | $60,000 - $75,000 |
| Family Therapist/Organizational Development Specia | Central Iowa Psychological Services | Ames, IA | Sep 20, 2012 | $60,000 - $75,000 |
| Family Preservation Therapist | Griffith Centers for Children | Westminster, CO | Mar 23, 2010 | $53,219 - $26 |
| Family Therapist | Seneca Family of Agencies | San Francisco, CA | Aug 22, 2016 | $50,000 |
| Family Therapist | Seneca Family of Agencies | San Francisco, CA | Jul 06, 2016 | $50,000 |
| Functional Family Therapist | Strengthening Foundations Counseling LLC | Longview, WA | Dec 10, 2016 | $48,630 |
| Functional Family Therapist | Strengthening Foundations Counseling LLC | Longview, WA | Dec 10, 2016 | $48,040 |
| Family Therapist | Ujima Family Recovery Services | San Pablo, CA | Sep 15, 2014 | $46,561 |
| Family Therapist | East Bay Family Institute | Oakland, CA | Jun 08, 2012 | $46,300 |
| Family Therapist | Franklin & Associates | Oakland, CA | Feb 01, 2011 | $45,184 |
| Family Therapist | Franklin & Associates | Oakland, CA | Feb 15, 2011 | $45,100 |
| Family and Marital Therapist | University of Rochester | Rochester, NY | Feb 28, 2011 | $43,375 |
| Therapist II-Family | Wesley Spectrum Services | Greensburg, PA | Nov 14, 2014 | $36,998 |
| Therapist II-Family | Wesley Spectrum Services | Greensburg, PA | Feb 02, 2016 | $36,400 - $40,000 |
| Family Therapist | Ujima Family Recovery Services | San Pablo, CA | Sep 15, 2011 | $36,189 |
| Family Therapist | Family Development and Intervention Services, Inc. | Oklahoma City, OK | Oct 01, 2012 | $36,000 |
| Maarriage and Family Therapist | Dallas Sigma Counseling Services | Dallas, TX | Apr 15, 2010 | $35,630 |
| Marraige and Family Therapist | Reinicke Counseling Associates | San Diego, CA | May 28, 2008 | $35,479 |
| Family Based Therapist | NHS Human Services | Kennett Square, PA | May 01, 2012 | $34,978 |
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Top Skills for A Family Therapist
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Top Family Therapist Skills
- Individual Treatment Plans
- Crisis Intervention Services
- Child Abuse
- Developed and completed Individual Treatment Plans with clients participation.
- Provide crisis intervention services when required.
- Perform at least 8 hours of continuing education in child abuse related issues.
- Worked with school staff to increase their understanding of mental health issues and effectiveness managing challenging behavior.
- Provided intensive in-home family therapy to juvenile justice referred youth and their families weekly.
Top Family Therapist Employers
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