Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 65,300 people employed as marriage and family therapists in the United States. The median annual salary is $49,880. Entry level employees earn approximately $37,050 per year and senior employees earn approximately $96,520 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
• Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
• Provide instructions to clients on how to obtain help with legal, financial, and other personal issues.
• Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
• Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
• Provide public education and consultation to other professionals or groups regarding counseling services, issues, and methods.
• Follow up on results of counseling programs and clients' adjustments to determine effectiveness of programs.
• Supervise other counselors, social service staff, and assistants.
• Gather information from doctors, schools, social workers, juvenile counselors, law enforcement personnel, and others to make recommendations to courts for resolution of child custody or visitation disputes.
• Write evaluations of parents and children for use by courts deciding divorce and custody cases, testifying in court if necessary.
• Provide family counseling and treatment services to inmates participating in substance abuse programs.
• Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
• Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
• Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
• Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
• Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities.

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