Guide to Health Careers

Marriage and Family Therapist

from: http://www.communityhealthcareers.com/careers_marriage.htm

Therapists help spouses and family members develop healthy relationships by counselling and providing guidance on issues of communication and behaviour. Therapists often focus their practice on specific groups of patients, such as substance abusers, victims of abuse or those with behaviour problems.

The Cool Things They Do:

Assess patients’ needs and history through interviews and various testing methods
Create a therapy plan for patients with specific objectives
Provide counselling and mediation services
Provide consulting services to the judicial system and to other professionals
Provide public education by addressing therapy methods or specific issues such as addiction

Working Conditions:

Therapists usually work in a comfortable office environment and keep normal business hours. However, therapy itself is often a highly stressful occupation. Patients can be angry, abusive or uncooperative initially and therapy may take a long time to achieve its goals.

Most Marriage and Family Therapists Work In:

Government and social service agencies
Hospitals and clinics
Private practice

Personal Characteristics/Skills:

Patience and compassion
Excellent listening and verbal communication skills
Strong interpersonal skills
Maturity
Leadership skills

Education and Training Required:

Master’s Degree in Social Work or Counselling disciplines

Length of Study/Training : 5-7 years post-secondary

Certification (s): Registration with Ontario Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

Helpful High School Courses:

English
Social Studies
A second language
Psychology

Employment Prospects - GOOD

A tightening of government healthcare budgets over the past decade has reduced the number of family therapists employed and openings for therapists created by retirements from the field roughly match the number of graduates seeking positions.

Earnings:

Average annual salary: $40,000.

More Information:

Ontario Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
http://www.oamft.on.ca

Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists
http://www.oaccpp.ca

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
http://www.aamft.org/index_nm.asp

Registry of Marriage and Family Therapists in Canada
http://www.marriageandfamily.ca

Therapist Locator.Net
www.TherapistLocator.net

Canadian Therapists.Com
www.CanadianTherapists.com

Job Futures:

Family, Marriage and Other Related Counsellors
http://jobfutures.ca/noc/4153p1.shtml