Marriage and Family Therapists

The work

Core tasks

1. 01Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
2. 02Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
3. 03Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
4. 04Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
5. 05Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
6. 06Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
7. 07Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities.
8. 08Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
9. 09Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
10. 10Provide instructions to clients on how to obtain help with legal, financial, and other personal issues.
11. 11Provide public education and consultation to other professionals or groups regarding counseling services, issues, and methods.
12. 12Follow up on results of counseling programs and clients' adjustments to determine effectiveness of programs.

Capabilities

Essential skills

Employment outlook

Where the role is heading