Family Therapy Counselor

You are a living lifeline to the families that come to you in desperation. The sessions can be explosive.

Spousal abuse. Child abuse. Job loss, loss of self-esteem. Addiction. Violence. You know the cycles, the syndromes, only too well.

In earning your degree, you studied them all. And every day you learn more. The more you do, the more you know, and the more you know, the more you can help.

When economies are ripped apart, families are torn apart. Family counselors like you have never been more in need.

And you work all the issues— helping solve personal, family relationships, mental health, and career problems— everything that is negative.

Marriage and family therapists like you apply family systems theory, principals and techniques to individuals, families, and couples to resolve emotional conflicts. In doing so, you modify people’s perceptions and behaviors, enhance communication and understanding among family members, and help to prevent family and individual crises.

Sometimes you engage in psychotherapy of a non-medical nature— you make appropriate referrals to psychiatric resources, and even perform research. You teach courses about human development and interpersonal relationships.

Family counseling is very subjective, and emotionally powerful.

Sometimes you set it up with all members of the family unit present. Sometimes you split them up. A family member who suffers from alcoholism or drug addiction might not attend sessions, and might actually be the reason why other family members seek out family counseling.

Part of your goal is to observe interactions between family members. Another part is to observe the perception of non-interacting family members.

You know that if two family members get into an argument in a session, you need to know how the other family members are dealing with the disagreement… or the way in which the two fighting members comport themselves.

In addition to observation, you, the therapist, often helps the family reflect on better ways of communicating with each other.

Your family counseling is part instruction, and part encouragement. You family members new and more positive ways to communicate to replace old, negative communication patterns.

You very often point out how poor communication, fueled with bad emotions, affects the behavior and happiness of children.

You love the way children benefit from the safe forum of a session. With you there, guiding things, the kids get to discuss issues they don’t like— about behavior of caregivers and/or siblings.

You make sure each family member contributes to the conversation. You work hard to identify personal issues of all the family members.

Family counselors like you may work in a private practice, community health organization, or hospital. Many counselors work in an office where they see clients throughout the day. Because privacy is essential for confidential and frank discussions with clients, counselors usually have private offices.

Marriage and family therapists also often work flexible hours— to accommodate families in crisis, or working couples needing evening or weekend appointments.

Education requirements vary, based on State licensure and certification requirements.

A master’s degree is usually required to be licensed as a counselor. Some States require counselors in public employment to have a master’s degree; others accept a bachelor’s degree with appropriate counseling courses.

Courses are often grouped into eight core areas: human growth and development, social and cultural diversity, relationships, group work, career development, assessment, research and program evaluation, and professional identity.

In an accredited master’s degree program, 48 to 60 semester hours of graduate study, including a period of supervised clinical experience in counseling, are required. Often counselors must participate in graduate studies, workshops, and personal studies to maintain their certificates and licenses.

Licensure requirements differ greatly by State, occupational specialty, and work setting. Some counselors elect to be certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc., which grants a general practice credential of National Certified Counselor.

To be certified, a counselor must hold a master’s degree with a concentration in counseling from a regionally accredited college or university; have at least 2 years of supervised field experience in a counseling setting (graduates from counselor education programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs are exempted); provide two professional endorsements, one of which must be from a recent supervisor; and must have a passing score on the board’s examination.

Other counseling organizations also offer certification in particular counseling specialties. Usually, becoming certified is voluntary, but having certification may enhance job prospects.

Some marriage and family therapists, especially those with doctorates in family therapy, become supervisors, teachers, researchers, or advanced clinicians in the discipline. Counselors may also become supervisors or administrators in their agencies.

Some counselors move into research, consulting, or college teaching or go into private or group practice. Some may choose to pursue a doctoral degree to improve their chances for advancement.

A growing number of counselors are self-employed and work in group practices or private practice. New laws allow counselors to be paid for their services by insurance companies.

Overall employment of counselors is expected to increase by 21 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.

However, marriage and family therapists will experience even much higher growth— projected at 30 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations! (This is due in part to an increased recognition of the field. It is more common for people to seek help for their marital and family problems than it was in the past.)

Median annual earnings of wage and salary marriage and family therapists in May 2006 were $43,210.

The middle 50 percent earned between $32,950 and $54,150.

The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,280, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $69,050.

Median annual earnings were $36,020 in individual and family social services, the industry employing the largest number of marriage and family therapists.

(Self-employed counselors who build up well-established practices, as well as counselors employed in group practices, can have MUCH higher earnings.)

So… do you have a strong desire to help others?

Are you able to inspire respect, trust, and confidence? Do you want to fill a desperate need, to help repair the cracks in our society?

Do you have the high physical and emotional energy necessary, to handle, every day, the stress of so many personal problems?

Then family and marriage counseling and therapy can be your path through life. A well-rewarded career path— of helping others, every day.

Get the degree, gain the educational empowerment… and make it so!

For general information about counseling, as well as information on specialties such as college, mental health, rehabilitation, multicultural, career, marriage and family, and gerontological counseling, contact:

• American Counseling Association, 5999 Stevenson Ave., Alexandria, VA 22304. ttp://www.counseling.org

For information on marriage and family therapists, contact:

• American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 112 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 http://www.aamft.org

For information on accredited counseling and related training programs, contact:

• Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, American Counseling Association, 5999 Stevenson Ave., 4th floor, Alexandria, VA 22304. http://www.cacrep.org

For information on national certification requirements for counselors, contact:

• National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc, 3 Terrace Way, Suite D, Greensboro, NC 27403. http://www.nbcc.org

State departments of education can supply information on colleges and universities offering guidance and counseling training that meets State certification and licensure requirements. State employment service offices have information about job opportunities and entrance requirements for counselors.

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