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The people with whom we live-our spouses, significant others, children, and parents-all have an impact on our mental well-being. A marriage and family therapist understands this, and it is from this perspective that he or she approaches therapy whether his or her clients are couples, families or individuals. That is why, in addition to treating clients, he or she attends to their relationships as well.

Like other mental health professionals, marriage and family therapists help their clients overcome or manage their disorders or illnesses which can include anxiety, low self-esteem, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and substance abuse. They take into account the effect a client's family has on his or her mental health by evaluating family roles. They also help clients resolve interpersonal problems within relationships.

Quick Facts

Marriage and family therapists earned a median annual salary of $48,790 (2017).

41,500 people work in this field (2016).

Jobs are typically in mental health centers, hospitals, colleges, and private therapy practices.

Most marriage and family therapists work full time. Hours sometimes include weekends and evenings.

The outlook for this occupation is excellent. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics classifies this as a "Bright Outlook" occupation because they predict employment will grow much faster than the average for all occupations between 2016 and 2026.

A Day in a Marriage and Family Therapist's Life:

If you are considering this career, you should know about some typical job duties. These are from employment announcements on Indeed.com:

"Provide strength-based, intensive (depending on client program) mental health services to families, couples, individuals, and children utilizing the principles of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy complemented with Solution Focused Therapy"

"Independently conduct intake and needs assessment of Veterans and their significant others and establish helping relationships with their clients"

"Maintain accurate, thoroughly documented client records with a quality of documentation that meets facility and licensing standards"

"Engage in planning, implementation, and evaluation of therapeutic treatment programs for each client"

"Provide in-service training as needed"

"Cooperate with staff and other community agencies in carrying out treatment plans"

"Attend and participate in weekly scheduled Clinical Team meetings and Reflective Supervision"

How to Become a Marriage and Family Therapist

A master's degree in marriage and family therapy is required to practice in this field. To be admitted to a program, first earn a bachelor's degree, which can be in any area of study. In your graduate school coursework you will learn how marriage, families, and relationships function and affect mental and emotional disorders. Participation in a supervised practical learning experience, such as an internship, is required.

In addition to a degree, you will also need a license to practice marriage and family therapy. It requires getting two years of clinical experience under a licensed therapist's supervision and passing a state-recognized exam. To maintain licensure, you will need to complete continuing education courses annually. State regulatory boards issue licenses. Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards website for a list of state-recognized boards.

What Soft Skills Do You Need?

You will learn about conducting therapy through your formal training, but you won't acquire all the soft skills -personal qualities one is either born with or acquires through life experiences-needed to succeed in this field. They are:

Communication Skills: You need excellent verbal communication skills to clearly convey information to clients. Strong listening skills will allow you to understand the information they are sharing with you.

Interpersonal Skills: It is essential for a therapist to be able to establish rapport with his or her clients and understand the sentiments behind their actions.

Service Orientation: The desire to help others is essential for anyone who wants to work in this field.

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking: It is imperative to be able to recognize problems and identify possible strategies to solve them. You must be able to critically evaluate each of these strategies to choose the most promising one.

What Will Employers Expect From You?

To find out what requirements employers have, we looked at some actual job announcements on Indeed.com:

"Remain current with best practice standards and related research"

"Enjoys collaborating with a team"

"Keeps appropriate professional boundaries"

"Must demonstrate a commitment and ability to serve a diverse community"

"Skill in the use of computer software applications for drafting documents, data management, maintaining accurate, timely and thorough clinical documentation, and tracking quality improvements"

Is This Occupation a Good Fit for You?

When choosing a career, first learn about your interests, personality type, and work-related values by doing a self assessment. The occupation you pick must be a good match for your traits. Consider becoming a marriage and family therapist if you have the following ones:

Interests (Holland Code): SAI (Social, Artistic, Investigative)

Work-Related Values: Relationships, Independence, Achievement

Occupations With Similar Tasks

Description

Median Annual Wage (2017)

Minimum Required Education/Training

Mental Health Counselor
Helps people who have mental or emotional disorders

$46,740

Master's Degree in a Mental Health Field

Child, Family, and School Social Worker
Diagnoses and treats people with emotional, behavioral or mental conditions

$44,389

Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW)

School Counselor
Helps students overcome academic and social problems

$55,410

Master's Degree in School Counseling

Clinical Psychologist
Assesses, diagnoses, and treats individuals' mental disorders

$75,090

Doctorate or Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology (Varies by State)

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook; Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET Online (visited December 22, 2018).

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What Is It Like to Be a Marriage and Family Therapist

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The people with whom we live-our spouses, significant others, children, and parents-all have an impact on our mental well-being. A marriage and family therapist understands this, and it is from this perspective that he or she approaches therapy whether his or her clients are couples, families or individuals.

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Resource- (famous people with this career)

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Resource- (famous people with this career)

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By Brenda Rufener
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The field of psychology covers research and applied work in broad and various domains, one of which is counseling psychology. This area of specialty unifies themes of career development, prevention and health, and education. Counseling psychologists work in a variety of settings including academia, organizational psychology, private counseling practices, psychotherapy, consultation, and assessment services.

Counseling psychology is a fast-growing field, gaining popularity and momentum as counseling psychologists across the globe conduct groundbreaking studies and innovative research. Many psychologists publish articles and books available to the mainstream population, making them an influential force outside the science realm. Today's counseling psychologists work as professors, therapists, best-selling authors, and expert researchers within the fields of science and psychology. They are innovators and educators designed to teach, train, and counsel.

Below are the 30 most influential counseling psychologists alive today. Individuals selected for the list are worldwide leaders in the field, global thinkers, and influential philosophers aimed at shedding light on the psychology field. The psychologists chosen as influential leaders have offered extensive insight to the field based on research and publication, have received recognition with awards and honors, and have actively educated the counseling psychology community.

30. Susan Blackmore
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Susan Blackmore began her career in psychology as an advocate of the paranormal. Her work has transitioned over the years and her current research interests include evolutionary theory, consciousness, meditation, and memes. Blackmore is a visiting professor at the University of Plymouth and holds degrees in psychology and physiology from Oxford University. While her PhD from the University of Surrey is in parapsychology, Blackmore no longer works on the paranormal. She writes for the Guardian newspaper, Psychology Today, and is the author of over eighty book contributions.

29. Michael Posner
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Michael Posner is Professor Emeritus at the University of Oregon and an Adjunct Professor at the Weill Medical College. A graduate of both University of Washington and University of Michigan, Posner's research interests include neural mechanisms and structures underlying selective attention. Current research includes the exploration of brain development and the interaction of genes and experience within normal and atypical development. Posner combines the work of psychology and neuroscience, making him a leader and innovator in the study of brain development.

28. Martin Seligman
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Martin Seligman is best known for his theory of learned helplessness and innovation in the study of depression. Seligman is the director of the University of Pennsylvania's Positive Psychology Center where he also oversees the Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology. Aside from authoring twenty books and 250 scholarly publications, Seligman is the leading authority in fields of resilience, depression, optimism, and pessimism. Seligman is the recipient of the American Psychological Society's William James Fellow Award and the James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award. He lectures worldwide to educators, mental health professionals, and parents.

27. Howard Gardner
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Known as the developer of the theory of Multiple Intelligences, Howard Gardner is the John H. and Elisabeth A. Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He also works as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. Dr. Gardner has won numerous awards for his research and has received honorary degrees from twenty-nine universities. Over the past two decades, Gardner and close colleagues have been involved in the education sector, designing performance-based assessments.

26. Philip Zimbardo
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Psychologist and professor emeritus at Stanford University, Philip Zimbardo has spent fifty years educating and studying the field of psychology. Zimbardo received his doctorate in psychology from Yale University with areas of research in shyness, madness, terrorism, and evil. He is most recognized by his controversial Stanford Prison Experiment, which showcased the ease with which high-performing college students cross the grey line between good and evil. Today, Zimbardo teaches at Palo Alto University and lectures worldwide. His current research focuses on the hero within, and what pushes individuals to become either evil or heroic.

25. Robert Trivers
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A notable Rutgers University faculty member and Crafoord Prize award winner, Robert Trivers is one of the most influential evolutionary theorists actively researching today. Graduating from Harvard University and heavily influenced by Charles Darwin and W.D. Hamilton, Trivers has spent his career studying social theory in all organisms. Trivers has published numerous books and journal articles. The most well known book, The Folly of Fools, focuses on the logic of deceit and self-deception in human life.

24. Steven Pinker
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Experimental psychologist and recognized as one of the global leaders on human nature, Steven Pinker is a Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology at Harvard University. Pinker has taught at MIT and Stanford and his research on visual cognition has won numerous awards and prizes. He holds eight honorary doctorates and has published many books. His most recognized works include The Language Instinct and How the Mind Works. Pinker was recently named as Time magazine's "The 100 Most Influential People in the World Today."

23. Elizabeth Loftus
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Cognitive psychologist and expert on human memory, Elizabeth Loftus is best known for her research on eyewitness memory and the misinformation effect. She has conducted research in the fields of childhood sexual abuse and recovered memory. Loftus' work has received numerous honors and awards, and she holds six honorary degrees in a variety of fields from universities and colleges. Loftus is currently a distinguished professor of social ecology at the University of California, Irvine.

22. Richard Wiseman
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The only person to hold Britain's Professorship in Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire is Richard Wiseman. His research and publications has given him the recognition as the "most interesting and innovative psychologist" alive today. He is the most popular counseling psychologist on Twitter with over 130K followers. His current research includes a range of topics spanning from luck to the psychology of deception and persuasion. He is a consultant to the television show The MythBusters.

21. Vilayanur S. Ramachandran
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A neuroscientist and psychologist known for his work in the fields of visual psychophysics and behavioral neurology, Vilayanur S. Ramachandran is one of the leading counseling psychologists of today. His work includes autism, phantom limbs, and visual perception. He is currently a professor at the University of California, San Diego, where he is also the Director of the Center for Brain and Cognition. His books have grabbed worldwide attention, particularly his 2010 release of The Tell-Tale Brain.

20. Alison Gopnik
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Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, Alison Gopnik is a world-renowned counseling psychologist known for her work in cognitive and language development. Her writing regularly appears in Slate and The New York Times, and she is a columnist for The Wall Street Journal. Gopnik regularly appears on television, and is known for her presence on The Colbert Report. Her work at the Berkeley Child Study Center focuses on children and the development of mathematical models to help them learn.

19. Kurt Fischer
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As the leader of an international movement connecting biology and cognitive science to education, Kurt Fischer is a Harvard University professor and founding president of the International Mind, Brain, and Education Society. His research focuses on student learning and problem solving, as well as the concepts of self when forming and maintaining relationships. Fischer is a visiting professor and scholar at the University of Gronigen, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Geneva. His primary office is stationed at Harvard University.

18. Brenda Milner
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Still actively working at the age of 95, Brenda Milner is recognized as the pioneer and founder of neuropsychology. She is a professor at McGill University's Department of Neurology and a visiting professor of psychology at Montreal Neurological Institute. Her life's work has earned her the prestigious Gairdner Award and more than twenty honorary degrees. Her current research includes brain region identification and the association of spatial memory and language. In 2014, Milner was awarded the Kavli Prize in Neuroscience.

17. Geoffrey Beattie
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Psychologist and minor celebrity, Geoffrey Beattie is recognized for his numerous appearances on British television and studies in nonverbal communication. Beattie is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge. His research has covered the psychology behind sports, focusing heavily on the lives of boxers both in and out of the ring. Beattie is active in boxing and sports, training most of his life. Beattie regularly broadcasts on radio and created a documentary series for BBC entitled Home Truths.

16. Theodore Burns
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Theodore Burns is the Chair of Section Chairs for the Society of Counseling Psychology and American Psychological Association. An Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Alliant International University in Los Angeles, Dr. Burns has received multiple awards, grants, and fellowships. In 2010, he was awarded the Association for LGBT Issues in Counseling Service honor. He actively serves the LGBT community and those living with HIV/AIDS, bringing awareness to the population. In 2014, Burns accepted a Core Faculty position at Antioch University in Los Angeles.

15. Amelio D'Onofrio

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A clinical professor and director of the Psychological Services Institute at Fordham University, Amelio D'Onofrio is the founder of the Institute of Psychoanalytic-Existential Psychotherapy at Fordham. His work delves deeper into the patient understanding, focusing on unconscious processes and how they play a significant role in therapy. D'Onofrio operates a part-time private practice in Westchester and New York City, and offers consultation to numerous schools and agencies on clinical practice and patient well being. He graduated from Fordham University in 1995.

14. Robert Cialdini
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Regent's Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Arizona State University and theories of influence are among Robert Cialdini's most recognized accomplishments. His 1984 book entitled, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, has sold over two million copies and put him on the New York Times best seller's lists for decades. His current research includes the effects of social norms on decisions to conserve energy. Cialdini is a graduate of the University of North Carolina and leader in such topics as altruism, favorable self-presentation tactics, and compliance.

13. Barbara L. Fredrickson
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A social psychologist, counselor, and professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Barbara L. Fredrickson researches emotions, positive psychology, and social relationships. After earning her doctorate degree from Stanford University, Fredrickson taught at the University of Michigan for ten years before taking an appointment at UNC-Chapel Hill. Frederickson has received numerous awards and honors, including the American Psychological Association's Templeton Prize in Positive Psychology - an award that earned the professor and counselor a $100,000 grant to assist with future work.

12. Thalia Eley
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A graduate of Cambridge University and University College London's Institute of Child Health, Thalia Eley is a professor of developmental psychology at King's College in London. Her publications include over 140 academic articles, with extensive research on genetic and environmental factors and their relation to the treatment of anxiety and depression. She has conducted studies surrounding cognitive behavior therapy for child anxiety and exposure therapy in treating adult phobias. In 2011, Eley was awarded the Macquarie University Research Excellence Award for her study on childhood anxiety.

11. Brian Knutson
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Currently on staff as an Associate Professor at Stanford University's Department of Psychology, Brian Knutson's area of focus lies in the neural basis of emotion. A 1993 graduate of Stanford University, Knutson focuses his study on the neurochemical and neuroanatomical mechanisms responsible for emotional experience. His research covers clinical disorders, addiction, and economic behavior. His publications include over eighty peer-reviewed articles and recognition for over 8,000 citations of his work.

10. Peter McGuffin
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A practicing psychiatrist and geneticist from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Peter McGuffin is recognized as a pinnacle leader in psychiatric disorders and schizophrenia. His psychiatrist training was completed at the Maudsley Hospital in London, where he was awarded the Medical Research Council Fellowship to pursue studies in genetics. He has been the acting president of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics since 1995. McGuffin has been heavily involved in research on twins and the link between psychiatric disorders and depression among this population.

9. Stephen Kosslyn
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Stephen Kosslyn is a counseling psychologist, author, and educator specializing in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. Formerly the John Lindsley Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, Kosslyn has won notable honors such as the Guggenheim Fellowship and Cattell Award. His research includes the study of mental imagery, visual display design, and how people exhibit individual differences when performing particular tasks. Kosslyn has published over 300 scientific papers and authored and co-authored fifteen books. His work is used to universities and college settings throughout the world.

8. Andrew Meltzoff
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Appearing on PBS and ABC regularly, as well as other media outlets, Andrew Meltzoff has gained international attention for his long-term research on young children and memory. He is the author of two books about learning in early stages of development, and has received numerous honors for his selected works on the imitative brain and social cognition. A graduate of Oxford University, today Dr. Meltzoff teaches at the University of Washington and is a co-director of the university's Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences.

7. Elizabeth Spelke
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Elizabeth Spelke is a cognitive psychology at Harvard University's Department of Psychology. She is also the director of the Laboratory for Developmental Studies, where she studies and defends the debate on cognitive differences between males and females. After attending Radcliffe College and Yale University, Spelke received her doctorate from Cornell University. She has received numerous honors and awards, including the National Academy of Sciences Prize in Psychological and Cognitive Sciences honor in 2014. She has written for the New York Times and New Yorker.

6. Uta Frith
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Most recognized for her research and insight on autism spectrum disorders, Uta Frith is a Fellow of the Royal Society and Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Development at the University College London. A graduate of King's College London, where she completed her PhD on autism, Dr. Frith has spent her career investigating the cognitive processes involved with dyslexia and autism. She believes in research that is relevant to understanding autism and providing a better quality of daily life for those affected. She is an advocate and leader supporting women in science and co-founded the UCL Women Network.

5. Susan Carey
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Harvard University graduate and current professor for the Department of Psychology at Harvard, Susan Carey is a world-renowned psychologist and counselor. Known throughout the globe as an expert in language acquisition, she was the first woman to receive the Rumelhart Prize in 2009, giving way to women thought leaders in the field. Before joining the faculty at Harvard, Carey taught at MIT and NYU. She is the author of numerous journal articles and a book entitled Conceptual Change in Childhood. The work reconciled Piaget's research on animism.

4. Hans-Werner Gessmann
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Known for his work on the causation factors of dyslexia, Hans-Werner Gessmann is a German counseling psychologist, university professor, and psychodramatherapist. He is currently recognized for being the only empirical researcher in the psychodrama field, offering over 140 articles in publication pertaining to the subject. Gessmann founded the prestigious training center in Duisburg in 1973, known as the Psychotherapeutic Institute Bergerhausen. To date, it has trained over 1,500 psychotherapists. At the beginning of 2013, Gessmann was named appointed as a visiting professor at State University Smolensk.

3. Carol Dweck
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Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, Carol Dweck has become recognized for her research in the fields of motivation and social psychology. Her research focuses on origins of social, personality, and developmental psychology and how they bridge together with self-regulation and mindsets. Dweck is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including Distinguished Scholar Award in 2013 for the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Her key contribution to social psychology focuses on her theories of intelligence, showcased in her 2006 book entitled Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

2. Roy Baumeister
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A Francis Eppes Professor of Psychology at Florida State University, Roy Baumeister is known for his research on the self, irrationality and self-defeating behavior, self-regulation, and the need to belong. His current research focuses on self-control and decision-making. Baumeister received his doctorate from Princeton University and has focused his interests in sociology and social networks, sexual orientation, and the self and identity. He is the author of six books and numerous journal articles. He is active in social media and known for his provocative studies in erotic plasticity.

1. Albert Bandura
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The most cited counseling psychologist alive is Albert Bandura, a David Starr Jordan Professor Emeritus of Social Science in Psychology at Stanford University. Bandura's contribution to the field of psychology spans nearly six decades and includes areas of specialty in therapy, personality, social cognition, and behaviorism. Bandura is recognized as the most influential psychologist of the twentieth century and was awarded the Grawemeyer Award at the age of 82. He remains a critical influence in the fields of social learning, aggression, and social behavior.
Sources About the Author
Brenda Rufener is an internationally published freelance writer and journalist living in North Carolina. She holds a graduate degree in Communications and undergraduate degrees in Biology and English.

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30 Most Influential Counseling Psychologists Alive Today - Best Counseling Degrees

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By Brenda Rufener Image Source The field of psychology covers research and applied work in broad and various domains, one of which is counseling psychology. This area of specialty unifies themes of career development, prevention and health, and education. Counseling psychologists work in a variety of settings including academia, organizational psychology, private counseling practices, psychotherapy, [...]

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What is Marriage and Family Therapy?

A family's patterns of behavior influences the individual and therefore may need to be a part of the treatment plan. In marriage and family therapy, the unit of treatment isn't just the person - even if only a single person is interviewed - it is the set of relationships in which the person is embedded.
Marriage and family therapy is:

brief

solution-focused

specific, with attainable therapeutic goals

designed with the "end in mind."

Marriage and family therapists treat a wide range of serious clinical problems including: depression, marital problems, anxiety, individual psychological problems, and child-parent problems.
Research indicates that marriage and family therapy is as effective, and in some cases more effective than standard and/or individual treatments for many mental health problems such as: adult schizophrenia, affective (mood) disorders, adult alcoholism and drug abuse, children's conduct disorders, adolescent drug abuse, anorexia in young adult women, childhood autism, chronic physical illness in adults and children, and marital distress and conflict.

Marriage and family therapists regularly practice short-term therapy; 12 sessions on average. Nearly 65.6% of the cases are completed within 20 sessions, 87.9% within 50 sessions. Marital/couples therapy (11.5 sessions) and family therapy (9 sessions) both require less time than the average individuated treatment (13 sessions). About half of the treatment provided by marriage and family therapists is one-on-one with the other half divided between marital/couple and family therapy, or a combination of treatments.

Who are Marriage and Family Therapists?

Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are mental health professionals trained in psychotherapy and family systems, and licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders within the context of marriage, couples and family systems.

Marriage and family therapists are a highly experienced group of practitioners, with an average of 13 years of clinical practice in the field of marriage and family therapy. They evaluate and treat mental and emotional disorders, other health and behavioral problems, and address a wide array of relationship issues within the context of the family system.

Marriage and Family Therapists broaden the traditional emphasis on the individual to attend to the nature and role of individuals in primary relationship networks such as marriage and the family. MFTs take a holistic perspective to health care; they are concerned with the overall, long-term well-being of individuals and their families.

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MFTs have graduate training (a Master's or Doctoral degree) in marriage and family therapy and at least two years of clinical experience. Marriage and family therapists are recognized as a "core" mental health profession, along with psychiatry, psychology, social work and psychiatric nursing.

Since 1970 there has been a 50-fold increase in the number of marriage and family therapists. At any given time they are treating over 1.8 million people.

Why use a Marriage and Family Therapist?

Research studies repeatedly demonstrate the effectiveness of marriage and family therapy in treating the full range of mental and emotional disorders and health problems. Adolescent drug abuse, depression, alcoholism, obesity and dementia in the elderly -- as well as marital distress and conflict -- are just some of the conditions Marriage and Family Therapists effectively treat.

Studies also show that clients are highly satisfied with services of Marriage and Family Therapists. Clients report marked improvement in work productivity, co-worker relationships, family relationships, partner relationships, emotional health, overall health, social life, and community involvement.

In a recent study, consumers report that marriage and family therapists are the mental health professionals they would most likely recommend to friends. Over 98 percent of clients of marriage and family therapists report therapy services as good or excellent.

After receiving treatment, almost 90% of clients report an improvement in their emotional health, and nearly two-thirds report an improvement in their overall physical health. A majority of clients report an improvement in their functioning at work, and over three-fourths of those receiving marital/couples or family therapy report an improvement in the couple relationship. When a child is the identified patient, parents report that their child's behavior improved in 73.7% of the cases, their ability to get along with other children significantly improved and there was improved performance in school. Marriage and family therapy's prominence in the mental health field has increased due to its brief, solution-focused treatment, its family-centered approach, and its demonstrated effectiveness.

Today more than 50,000 marriage and family therapists treat individuals, couples, and families nationwide. Membership in the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) has grown from 237 members in 1960 to more than 25,500 in 2015. This growth is a result, in part, of renewed public awareness of the value of family life and concern about the increased stresses on families in a rapidly changing world.

How can I find a Marriage and Family Therapist?

AAMFT Clinical Fellow members meet stringent training and education requirements that qualify them for the independent practice of marriage and family therapy. AAMFT requires Clinical Fellow members to abide by the AAMFT Code of Ethics, the most stringent ethical code in the marriage and family therapy profession. This code delineates specific ethical behavior and guidelines for members to follow to ensure the ethical treatment of clients. Clinical Fellow membership in AAMFT signifies an MFT's dedication to his or her ongoing professional development. Each month, AAMFT Clinical Fellow members receive important updates on current clinical and research developments in the field, as well as numerous opportunities throughout the year to attend professional development conferences.
Marriage and Family Therapist
What are the qualifications to be a Marriage and Family Therapist?

Marriage and family therapy is a distinct professional discipline with graduate and post graduate programs. Three options are available for those interested in becoming a marriage and family therapist: master's degree (2-3 years), doctoral program (3-5 years), or post-graduate clinical training programs (3-4 years). Historically, marriage and family therapists have come from a wide variety of educational backgrounds including psychology, psychiatry, social work, nursing, pastoral counseling and education.

The Federal government has designated marriage and family therapy as a core mental health profession along with psychiatry, psychology, social work and psychiatric nursing. Currently all 50 states support and regulate the profession by licensing marriage and family therapists.

The regulatory requirements in most states are substantially equivalent to the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists Clinical Fellow membership standards. After graduation from an accredited program, a period - usually two years - of post-degree supervised clinical experience is necessary before licensure or certification. When the supervision period is completed, the therapist can take a state licensing exam, or the national examination for marriage and family therapists conducted by the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB). This exam is used as a licensure requirement in most states.

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A family's patterns of behavior influences the individual and therefore may need to be a part of the treatment plan. In marriage and family therapy, the unit of treatment isn't just the person - even if only a single person is interviewed - it is the set of relationships in which the person is embedded.

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Median Annual Salary

Marriage and family therapists focus on how people interact within marriage and family units, rather than the traditional emphasis on the individual. A marriage and family therapist generally takes a holistic, or mind-body, approach to his or her duties, working together with clients to solve issues and establish a plan of action for resolution of domestic problems. Here are some statistics on salaries, job growth and employers.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) current Occupational Outlook Handbook, the median national annual salary for marriage and family therapists is $49,170. Actual salaries may vary greatly based on specialization within the field, location, years of experience and a variety of other factors.

How does a marriage and family therapist's salary compare to other counseling careers?
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2018-19 Occupational Outlook Handbook; *The salary information listed is based on a national average, unless noted. Actual salaries may vary greatly based on specialization within the field, location, years of experience and a variety of other factors. National long-term projections of employment growth may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth. Marriage and Family Therapists.
What is my earning potential?

Marriage and family therapists in the top 10 percent may earn more than $81,960 annually according to the BLS. Those working in private practice generally earn a higher income than their counterparts, but the BLS reports that most MFTs are employed within individual and family services industries and organizations.

Is there demand for this career?

According to the BLS, career employment for marriage and family therapists is expected to grow much faster than average as more people turn to professionals to help them cope with relationship and family issues and the stress of daily obstacles such as depression, substance abuse, behavioral problems and infidelity, among others.
Job Outlook Comparison Through 2026
What is the job growth for the field?

Employment of marriage and family therapists is expected to grow 20 percent through 2026, which is much faster than the national average for all occupations. National long-term projections of employment growth may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth. Take a look at what some of the other counseling occupations can expect as far as job growth:

School and Career Counselors-11 percent

Mental Health Counselors-20 percent

Substance Abuse Counselors-20 percent

Rehabilitation Counselors-10 percent

All Other Industries and Occupations-7 percent

How much competition will I face for a job?

U.S. News and World Report named marriage and family therapist as one of its top careers (the #35 profession in its 2015 survey of top 100 jobs). Although states such as California have suffered layoffs and budget cuts in health care, the Veteran's Administration has been hiring MFTs. So finding a job may largely depend on where you seek employment.

What kinds of companies hire MFTs?

According to the BLS, marriage and family therapists are most frequently employed by the following types of industries or offices:

Individual and family services

State Government

Outpatient Care Centers

Offices of Other Health Practitioners

How do I advance in my MFT career?

Some MFTs go on and earn a Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) degree. This allows them to move past therapy-only practice and attain the flexibility to become an administrator.

Other MFTs may decide to earn a Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy (DMFT), which is similar to a PhD but is a practitioner-oriented program that differs in that it prepares professionals to contribute to their chosen specialty in the clinical rather than academic arena. Degree-holders can then work as top-level practitioners, agency administrators, clinical supervisors or senior clinicians.

To learn more about the education required before becoming a therapist, read more about marriage and family degrees.

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Marriage and Family Therapy Salary | What You'll Earn

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Marriage and family therapists focus on how people interact within marriage and family units, rather than the traditional emphasis on the individual. A marriage and family therapist generally takes a holistic, or mind-body, approach to his or her duties, working together with clients to solve issues and establish a plan of action for resolution of domestic problems. Here are some statistics on salaries, job growth and employers.

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Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.

Sample of reported job titles: Clinical Therapist, Counselor, Family Therapist, Human Relations Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Marriage and Family Counselor, Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT), Outpatient Therapist, Play Therapist

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21-1013.00 - Marriage and Family Therapists

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Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.

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You may have heard the phrase, "No man is an island." That especially rings true when families face trouble. Sometimes even the strongest family unit may need support and guidance in dealing with unexpected circumstances such as illness, death or unemployment. Other times, they may require that same support from an impartial observer in order to manage personal conflicts.

Those in romantic relationships and marriages may seek guidance through all stages of their relationship, from dating to engagement to the many years of building a life together. They may need help breaking patterns and forming more positive habits.

Your strong sense of compassion and commitment to helping people are the most necessary qualities for a successful career as a marriage and family therapist. You'll help clients to make informed and healthy decisions about their relationships, and build promising futures together.

What does a marriage and family therapist do?

Marriage and family therapists offer guidance to couples, families and groups who are dealing with issues that affect their mental health and well-being. Many therapists approach their work holistically, using a "wellness" model (as opposed to an "illness" one) which highlights and encourages client's strengths.

Some types of issues that marriage and family therapists treat include:

Child and adolescent behavioral problems

Grieving

Depression and anxiety

LGBTQ issues

Domestic violence

Infertility

Marital conflicts

Substance abuse

On the job, marriage and family therapists:

Observe how people interact within units

Evaluate and resolve relationship problems

Diagnose and treat psychological disorders within a family context

Guide clients through transitional crises such as divorce or death

Highlight problematic relational or behavioral patterns

Help replace dysfunctional behaviors with healthy alternatives

Take a holistic (mind-body) approach to wellness

What education or certification will I need to become a marriage and family therapist?

Typically, earning an undergraduate degree in counseling, psychology, sociology or social work is the first step in becoming a marriage and family therapist. Then, you'll earn a master's degree in counseling or marriage and family therapy.

You can pursue the necessary master's degree with an undergraduate degree in another field. Your master's will usually take one to two years to earn. Learn more about What You'll Study.

Most states require that marriage and family therapists complete two years of post-graduate supervised work, totaling between 2,000 and 4,000 hours of clinical experience. In addition, counselors must pass a state-recognized exam and complete annual continuing education courses. The learning is never done-and your hard work will be rewarded with greater skills and understanding.

Licensing and certification guidelines for psychologists vary by state; be sure to check the guidelines for the region in which you plan to study.

What career paths can I take in marriage and family therapy?

As a marriage and family therapist, you can work in social service agencies, family services, outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers, hospitals, government, schools and even your own private practice. You can choose to work with a specific population, such as with teenagers, the incarcerated, families and the elderly. A parallel career path is mental health counseling, in which you can work with individuals in addition to groups, on many of the same issues.

If you'd like to seek more education after earning your master's and working in the field of marriage and family therapy, you can pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology or one of its many specializations. This will require a time commitment of an additional five to seven years, and will broaden your employment opportunities to include academic research, consulting and more.

Learn about Pay & Job Projections for marriage and family therapists.

Are you interested in helping others, but unsure if pursuing marriage and family therapy is for you? Other careers that focus on human services include mental health counseling, social work, specialized care and nursing.

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Marriage and Family Therapy Job Description | What You'll Do

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You may have heard the phrase, "No man is an island." That especially rings true when families face trouble. Sometimes even the strongest family unit may need support and guidance in dealing with unexpected circumstances such as illness, death or unemployment. Other times, they may require that same support from an impartial observer in order to manage personal conflicts.

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You may have heard the phrase, "No man is an island." That especially rings true when families face trouble. Sometimes even the strongest family unit may need support and guidance in dealing with unexpected circumstances such as illness, death or unemployment. Other times, they may require that same support from an impartial observer in order to manage personal conflicts.

Those in romantic relationships and marriages may seek guidance through all stages of their relationship, from dating to engagement to the many years of building a life together. They may need help breaking patterns and forming more positive habits.

Your strong sense of compassion and commitment to helping people are the most necessary qualities for a successful career as a marriage and family therapist. You'll help clients to make informed and healthy decisions about their relationships, and build promising futures together.

What does a marriage and family therapist do?

Marriage and family therapists offer guidance to couples, families and groups who are dealing with issues that affect their mental health and well-being. Many therapists approach their work holistically, using a "wellness" model (as opposed to an "illness" one) which highlights and encourages client's strengths.

Some types of issues that marriage and family therapists treat include:

Child and adolescent behavioral problems

Grieving

Depression and anxiety

LGBTQ issues

Domestic violence

Infertility

Marital conflicts

Substance abuse

On the job, marriage and family therapists:

Observe how people interact within units

Evaluate and resolve relationship problems

Diagnose and treat psychological disorders within a family context

Guide clients through transitional crises such as divorce or death

Highlight problematic relational or behavioral patterns

Help replace dysfunctional behaviors with healthy alternatives

Take a holistic (mind-body) approach to wellness

What education or certification will I need to become a marriage and family therapist?

Typically, earning an undergraduate degree in counseling, psychology, sociology or social work is the first step in becoming a marriage and family therapist. Then, you'll earn a master's degree in counseling or marriage and family therapy.

You can pursue the necessary master's degree with an undergraduate degree in another field. Your master's will usually take one to two years to earn. Learn more about What You'll Study.

Most states require that marriage and family therapists complete two years of post-graduate supervised work, totaling between 2,000 and 4,000 hours of clinical experience. In addition, counselors must pass a state-recognized exam and complete annual continuing education courses. The learning is never done-and your hard work will be rewarded with greater skills and understanding.

Licensing and certification guidelines for psychologists vary by state; be sure to check the guidelines for the region in which you plan to study.

What career paths can I take in marriage and family therapy?

As a marriage and family therapist, you can work in social service agencies, family services, outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers, hospitals, government, schools and even your own private practice. You can choose to work with a specific population, such as with teenagers, the incarcerated, families and the elderly. A parallel career path is mental health counseling, in which you can work with individuals in addition to groups, on many of the same issues.

If you'd like to seek more education after earning your master's and working in the field of marriage and family therapy, you can pursue a doctoral degree in clinical psychology or one of its many specializations. This will require a time commitment of an additional five to seven years, and will broaden your employment opportunities to include academic research, consulting and more.

Learn about Pay & Job Projections for marriage and family therapists.

Are you interested in helping others, but unsure if pursuing marriage and family therapy is for you? Other careers that focus on human services include mental health counseling, social work, specialized care and nursing.

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Marriage and Family Therapy Job Description | What You'll Do

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You may have heard the phrase, "No man is an island." That especially rings true when families face trouble. Sometimes even the strongest family unit may need support and guidance in dealing with unexpected circumstances such as illness, death or unemployment. Other times, they may require that same support from an impartial observer in order to manage personal conflicts.

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Depending on your psychology career goals, and the time and financial commitment you're able to make, you can pursue either undergraduate or graduate degrees in marriage and family therapy. Explore your options.

Earning an undergraduate degree is the first step in your education toward becoming a marriage and family therapist. Next, a master's degree in counseling or marriage and family therapy is required in most states in order to begin practicing. Earning a doctorate is not required to practice marriage and family therapy. However, both online and traditional PhD programs are available.

Bachelor's Degree Programs

Most undergraduate degree programs require a blend of science and liberal arts courses. By junior year you will have chosen your track-whether that's counseling, psychology, sociology or social work-and begun taking electives. If you're confident that you'd like to go into graduate school for counseling, this is also the best time to start making those plans.

As long as you complete the basic electives in your track, you don't necessarily need to have a bachelor's in psychology or counseling to be accepted into a graduate program in counseling. Be sure to verify this with the graduate programs you plan on applying to.

To outline common classes on this page, we'll use the example of a four-year psychology degree. University of Phoenix offers the following program of undergraduate lecture and lab courses for a Bachelor of Science in Psychology:
Examples of Core Courses

General Psychology: An introduction to the major topics in scientific psychology as applied to human behavior.

History and Systems of Psychology: Learn about the modern era of psychology and its use. Topics include structuralism, functionalism, Gestalt, behaviorism, psychoanalysis and phenomenological/existential approaches.

Statistical Reasoning in Psychology: Students are introduced to applied statistics (descriptive and inferential), with psychology as an emphasis.

Biological Foundations of Psychology: Studying physiological psychology, which explores the relationship between our biological systems and behavior.

Life Span Human Development: Personality, social, intellectual and physical development and the major theories used to explain how people change throughout their life span.

Theories of Personality: Explore the general approaches to understanding personality.

Abnormal Psychology: Addresses the incidence of abnormal behavior of various types; how abnormal behaviors are classified into various diagnostic categories; the causes of psychological disorders; and the variety of methods used in their treatment.

Psychological Tests and Measurements: Covers the basic principles, research, and theories on testing and measurement of psychological constructs.

Elements of Clinical Psychology: Provides an overview of the theory and practice of clinical and counseling psychology. Explores major theories of personality, assessment and psychotherapy.

Additionally, senior-year students may be required to complete a thesis or take a Capstone Course, which creates an integrative project that combines the cumulative learning of their 4-year program into a "senior project."

Master's Marriage and Family Therapy Programs

Different schools offer different types of master's in marriage and family therapy. Each will take two to three years to complete. Ideally, the learning environment will offer a combination of in-class and community experience.

The not-for-profit, accredited Chicago School of Professional Psychology prepares candidates for a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Marital and Family Therapy Specialization. Mount St. Mary's College, a small private liberal arts college in Los Angeles, offers a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy.

As an example of typical courses, below is a sampling from the MS program at Mount St. Mary's:

Examples of Core Courses

Life Span Development and Long-Term Care: Examines the developmental stages from birth to death, focusing on the development of perceptual and cognitive processes, psychosocial crisis and familial interpersonal relationships. Students will research varied theoretical viewpoints and develop as a diverse and ethical professional.

Couples' Counseling and Domestic Violence: Provides an overview of current trends in couples' therapeutic treatment. Presents concepts of divorce, remarriage, blended families, domestic partnerships, domestic violence and non-traditional families.

The Theory and Practice of Marital/Family Therapy: Focuses on various therapeutic modalities in the practice of marriage and family therapy. Discusses indirect methods for initiating and sustaining change in family systems. Examines research related to theory and practice.

This Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Marital and Family Therapy Specialization requires between 48-60 credit hours and 250 hours of fieldwork. This will be completed as supervised clinical experience in a mental health environment. Licensing works differently in different states, but graduates of this California-based program will be qualified to sit for the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) MFT licensure exam.

Doctoral Programs

A doctoral degree isn't necessary to work as a marriage and family therapist, although you may pursue it to increase your opportunities in academia or specific work environments. For instance, you may choose to further your career after a few years of working in the field.

If you choose to pursue a doctorate, you have more options than ever before. The aforementioned Chicago School of Professional Psychology offers a PsyD in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis on Marital and Family Therapy.

The online school Northcentral University offers a PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy. Northcentral is currently the first distance-based program to be under official consideration for accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE).

What certification will I need to practice marriage and family therapy?

All marriage and family therapists must be licensed. Licensure requires a master's degree and two years of supervised clinical experience. Marriage and family therapists must also pass a state-recognized exam and complete annual continuing education classes. Learn more about requirements in the state you plan to study and work in through the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards.

What will I learn in my courses?

For example, graduates of the Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, Marital and Family Therapy Specialization program at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology will:

Learn a foundation of therapeutic, diagnostic and consultative skills

Work with individuals, couples and families on issues such as depression, anxiety, marital and relationship struggles and child-parent conflict

Assist clients in understanding how their behavior patterns influence the behavior of others

Help clients find new ways of thinking and relating

How long will it take?

Depending upon your level of dedication, the education necessary to work as a school counselor can take the following time to complete:

Four-years in a bachelor's degree in psychology, education or other field

One-two years in a master's degree program

Programs may require a one-year internship

Two years of supervised experience prior to licensing

Are online programs available?

There are many options for earning your master's and doctorate in marriage and family therapy online. One popular online program is available through Argosy University. The course outlines differ for each school, so check for information on the differences and how they pertain to your goals in earning your degree.

How much will my education cost?

The cost of bachelor's degree programs varies depending upon the type of institution you attend. According to College Board's Trends in College Pricing 2017-2018, the average annual cost* for a four-year, public institution runs around $9,970 for in-state tuition and $25,620 for out-of-state tuition.

The average annual cost for a four-year private non-profit school is $34,740 and $16,000 for a private for-profit school.

Master's degree program tuition at in-state public institutions costs an average of $8,670 per year, and doctorate program tuition costs $10,830 per year at in-state public institutions.

Attending an accredited school may allow you to apply for financial aid, whether the school you select is a traditional classroom or an online program.

*Cost of tuition only. Prices do not reflect other fees, books, room and board

Are there prerequisites?

Undergraduate: A strong college preparatory high school education is a good start for your psychology or counseling degree program. Courses in science, math, English, history, social studies, and a foreign language are important. Science and math are especially critical because they provide the necessary skills for research and analysis in college psychology and education courses.

Graduate: A completed, four-year bachelor's degree in psychology, education or another field will prepare you for graduate school. Any electives you've taken in psychology and/or education will be valuable in your graduate work.

Some programs, like the Marriage and Family Therapy master's at Pacific Lutheran University, require a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in family studies, human services, psychology, sociology, social work or the equivalent. If you earned a bachelor's in another field, 15 semester hours in those fields can be taken.

GRE: Check with the institution and program you plan to apply to, to find out whether the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required for admission. If it's not, but you've taken the test and have good scores, you may submit them for review with your admission materials.

What accreditation is there for my program?

The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) established the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) in 1978. It is recognized by the Department of Education as the agency for accreditation of clinical training programs in marriage and family therapy at the master's, doctoral and postgraduate levels. COAMFTE accreditation is a required element in enabling programs to establish eligibility to participate in Federal programs.

You can also choose to pursue your undergraduate degree at an accredited institution. Accreditation shows that an institution or program meets standards of quality set forth by an accrediting agency, and that it is committed not only to meet those standards but to continuously seek ways in which to improve the quality of education and training provided. Also, attending an accredited school may allow you to apply for financial aid, whether the school you select is a traditional classroom or online program.

There are two types of educational accreditation: institutional and specialized. The Higher Learning Commission conducts institutional accreditation. Institutional accreditation is provided by regional and national associations of schools and colleges. There are six regional associations, each named after the region in which it operates (Middle States, New England, North Central, Northwest, Southern, Western).

Attending an accredited school may allow you to apply for financial aid, whether the school you select is a traditional classroom or online program.

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Marriage and Family Therapy Degrees | What You'll Study

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Depending on your psychology career goals, and the time and financial commitment you're able to make, you can pursue either undergraduate or graduate degrees in marriage and family therapy. Explore your options. Earning an undergraduate degree is the first step in your education toward becoming a marriage and family therapist.

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-work full time
-make a good income
-help people all around the community
-get to work with kids
-form of health care

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-Susan Blackmore
-Micheal Posner
-Stephan Kosslyn
-Susan Carey

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-help less people be sad in community
-help with family issues so more families are brought together
-brings more people together for a overall happy community

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-30-80k a year depending on your experience

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-toys and nic nacs for children to help distract
-for adults many therapists use their mind to kind of get a theory past their patient
-books

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-social service agencies
-family services
-mental and substance abuse centers
-hospitals
-government
-schools
-private office

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-observe and take notes on how people are interacting with different topics
-help relationships and give advice on how to fix them
-treat physiological disorders within a family context
-guide and comfort people going through relationship or family crises such as divorce
-keep patients healthy and happy

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-have to have a license
-masters degree
-two years of supervised training
-final government exam

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-development of family therapy  started in the 1940s and early 50s
-1942 marriage therapy was founded by the AAM

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Family therapy, also referred to as couple and family therapy, marriage and family therapy, family systems therapy, and family counseling, is a branch of psychotherapy that works with families and couples in intimate relationships to nurture change and development. It tends to view change in terms of the systems of interaction between family members.

The different schools of family therapy have in common a belief that, regardless of the origin of the problem, and regardless of whether the clients consider it an "individual" or "family" issue, involving families in solutions often benefits clients. This involvement of families is commonly accomplished by their direct participation in the therapy session. The skills of the family therapist thus include the ability to influence conversations in a way that catalyses the strengths, wisdom, and support of the wider system.[citation needed ]

In the field's early years, many clinicians defined the family in a narrow, traditional manner usually including parents and children. As the field has evolved, the concept of the family is more commonly defined in terms of strongly supportive, long-term roles and relationships between people who may or may not be related by blood or marriage.

The conceptual frameworks developed by family therapists, especially those of family systems theorists, have been applied to a wide range of human behavior, including organisational dynamics and the study of greatness.

Formal interventions with families to help individuals and families experiencing various kinds of problems have been a part of many cultures, probably throughout history. These interventions have sometimes involved formal procedures or rituals, and often included the extended family as well as non- kin members of the community (see for example Ho'oponopono). Following the emergence of specialization in various societies, these interventions were often conducted by particular members of a community - for example, a chief, priest, physician, and so on - usually as an ancillary function.

Family therapy as a distinct professional practice within Western cultures can be argued to have had its origins in the social work movements of the 19th century in the United Kingdom and the United States. As a branch of psychotherapy, its roots can be traced somewhat later to the early 20th century with the emergence of the child guidance movement and marriage counseling. The formal development of family therapy dates from the 1940s and early 1950s with the founding in 1942 of the American Association of Marriage Counselors (the precursor of the AAMFT), and through the work of various independent clinicians and groups - in the United Kingdom ( John Bowlby at the Tavistock Clinic), the United States ( Donald deAvila Jackson, John Elderkin Bell, Nathan Ackerman, Christian Midelfort, Theodore Lidz, Lyman Wynne, Murray Bowen, Carl Whitaker, Virginia Satir, Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy), and in Hungary, D.L.P. Liebermann - who began seeing family members together for observation or therapy sessions. There was initially a strong influence from psychoanalysis (most of the early founders of the field had psychoanalytic backgrounds) and social psychiatry, and later from learning theory and behavior therapy - and significantly, these clinicians began to articulate various theories about the nature and functioning of the family as an entity that was more than a mere aggregation of individuals.

The movement received an important boost starting in the early 1950s through the work of anthropologist Gregory Bateson and colleagues - Jay Haley, Donald D. Jackson, John Weakland, William Fry, and later, Virginia Satir, Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy, Paul Watzlawick and others - at Palo Alto in the United States, who introduced ideas from cybernetics and general systems theory into social psychology and psychotherapy, focusing in particular on the role of communication (see Bateson Project). This approach eschewed the traditional focus on individual psychology and historical factors - that involve so-called linear causation and content - and emphasized instead and homeostatic mechanisms and "rules" in here-and-now interactions - so-called circular causation and process - that were thought to maintain or exacerbate problems, whatever the original cause(s). (See also systems psychology and systemic therapy.) This group was also influenced significantly by the work of US psychiatrist, hypnotherapist, and brief therapist, Milton H. Erickson - especially his innovative use of strategies for change, such as paradoxical directives (see also Reverse psychology). The members of the Bateson Project (like the founders of a number of other schools of family therapy, including Carl Whitaker, Murray Bowen, and Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy) had a particular interest in the possible psychosocial causes and treatment of schizophrenia, especially in terms of the putative "meaning" and "function" of signs and symptoms within the family system. The research of psychiatrists and psychoanalysts Lyman Wynne and Theodore Lidz on communication deviance and roles (e.g., pseudo-mutuality, pseudo-hostility, schism and skew) in families of people with schizophrenia also became influential with systems-communications-oriented theorists and therapists. A related theme, applying to dysfunction and psychopathology more generally, was that of the " identified patient" or "presenting problem" as a manifestation of or surrogate for the family's, or even society's, problems. (See also double bind; family nexus.)

By the mid-1960s, a number of distinct schools of family therapy had emerged. From those groups that were most strongly influenced by cybernetics and systems theory, there came MRI Brief Therapy, and slightly later, strategic therapy, Salvador Minuchin's Structural Family Therapy and the Milan systems model. Partly in reaction to some aspects of these systemic models, came the experiential approaches of Virginia Satir and Carl Whitaker, which downplayed theoretical constructs, and emphasized subjective experience and unexpressed feelings (including the subconscious), authentic communication, spontaneity, creativity, total therapist engagement, and often included the extended family. Concurrently and somewhat independently, there emerged the various intergenerational therapies of Murray Bowen, Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy, James Framo, and Norman Paul, which present different theories about the intergenerational transmission of health and dysfunction, but which all deal usually with at least three generations of a family (in person or conceptually), either directly in therapy sessions, or via "homework", "journeys home", etc. Psychodynamic family therapy - which, more than any other school of family therapy, deals directly with individual psychology and the unconscious in the context of current relationships - continued to develop through a number of groups that were influenced by the ideas and methods of Nathan Ackerman, and also by the British School of Object Relations and John Bowlby's work on attachment. Multiple-family group therapy, a precursor of psychoeducational family intervention, emerged, in part, as a pragmatic alternative form of intervention - especially as an adjunct to the treatment of serious mental disorders with a significant biological basis, such as schizophrenia - and represented something of a conceptual challenge to some of the "systemic" (and thus potentially "family-blaming") paradigms of pathogenesis that were implicit in many of the dominant models of family therapy. The late-1960s and early-1970s saw the development of network therapy (which bears some resemblance to traditional practices such as Ho'oponopono) by Ross Speck and Carolyn Attneave, and the emergence of behavioral marital therapy (renamed behavioral couples therapy in the 1990s; see also relationship counseling) and behavioral family therapy as models in their own right.

By the late-1970s, the weight of clinical experience - especially in relation to the treatment of serious mental disorders - had led to some revision of a number of the original models and a moderation of some of the earlier stridency and theoretical purism. There were the beginnings of a general softening of the strict demarcations between schools, with moves toward rapprochement, integration, and eclecticism - although there was, nevertheless, some hardening of positions within some schools. These trends were reflected in and influenced by lively debates within the field and critiques from various sources, including feminism and post-modernism, that reflected in part the cultural and political tenor of the times, and which foreshadowed the emergence (in the 1980s and 1990s) of the various "post-systems" constructivist and social constructionist approaches. While there was still debate within the field about whether, or to what degree, the systemic-constructivist and medical-biological paradigms were necessarily antithetical to each other (see also Anti-psychiatry; Biopsychosocial model), there was a growing willingness and tendency on the part of family therapists to work in multi-modal clinical partnerships with other members of the helping and medical professions.

From the mid-1980s to the present, the field has been marked by a diversity of approaches that partly reflect the original schools, but which also draw on other theories and methods from individual psychotherapy and elsewhere - these approaches and sources include: brief therapy, structural therapy, constructivist approaches (e.g., Milan systems, post-Milan/collaborative/conversational, reflective), Bring forthism approach (e.g. Dr. Karl Tomm's IPscope model and Interventive interviewing), solution-focused therapy, narrative therapy, a range of cognitive and behavioral approaches, psychodynamic and object relations approaches, attachment and emotionally focused therapy, intergenerational approaches, network therapy, and multisystemic therapy (MST). Multicultural, intercultural, and integrative approaches are being developed, with Vincenzo Di Nicola weaving a synthesis of family therapy and transcultural psychiatry in his model of cultural family therapy, A Stranger in the Family: Culture, Families, and Therapy. Many practitioners claim to be " eclectic", using techniques from several areas, depending upon their own inclinations and/or the needs of the client(s), and there is a growing movement toward a single "generic" family therapy that seeks to incorporate the best of the accumulated knowledge in the field and which can be adapted to many different contexts; however, there are still a significant number of therapists who adhere more or less strictly to a particular, or limited number of, approach(es).

The Liberation Based Healing framework for family therapy offers a complete paradigm shift for working with families while addressing the intersections of race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation and other socio-political identity markers. This theoretical approach and praxis is informed by Critical Pedagogy, Feminism, Critical Race Theory, and Decolonizing Theory. This framework necessitates an understanding of the ways Colonization, Cis-Heteronormativity, Patriarchy, White Supremacy and other systems of domination impact individuals, families and communities and centers the need to disrupt the status quo in how power operates. Traditional Western models of family therapy have historically ignored these dimensions and when white, male privilege has been critiqued, largely by feminist theory practitioners, it has often been to the benefit of middle class, white women's experiences. While an understanding of intersectionality is of particular significance in working with families with violence, a liberatory framework examines how power, privilege and oppression operate within and across all relationships. Liberatory practices are based on the principles of Critical-Consciousness, Accountability and Empowerment. These principles guide not only the content of the therapeutic work with clients but also the supervisory and training process of therapists. Dr. Rhea Almeida, developed the Cultural Context Model as a way to operationalize these concepts into practice through the integration of culture circles, sponsors, and a socio-educational process within the therapeutic work.

Ideas and methods from family therapy have been influential in psychotherapy generally: a survey of over 2,500 US therapists in 2006 revealed that of the 10 most influential therapists of the previous quarter-century, three were prominent family therapists and that the marital and family systems model was the second most utilized model after cognitive behavioral therapy.

Family therapy uses a range of counseling and other techniques including:

Structural therapy - identifies and re-orders the organisation of the family system

Strategic therapy - looks at patterns of interactions between family members

Systemic/Milan therapy - focuses on belief systems

Narrative therapy - restoring of dominant problem-saturated narrative, emphasis on context, separation of the problem from the person

Transgenerational therapy - transgenerational transmission of unhelpful patterns of belief and behaviour

IPscope model and Interventive Interviewing

communication theory

psychoeducation

psychotherapy

relationship counseling

relationship education

systemic coaching

systems theory

reality therapy

the genogram

The number of sessions depends on the situation, but the average is 5-20 sessions. A family therapist usually meets several members of the family at the same time. This has the advantage of making differences between the ways family members perceive mutual relations as well as interaction patterns in the session apparent both for the therapist and the family. These patterns frequently mirror habitual interaction patterns at home, even though the therapist is now incorporated into the family system. Therapy interventions usually focus on relationship patterns rather than on analyzing impulses of the unconscious mind or early childhood trauma of individuals as a Freudian therapist would do - although some schools of family therapy, for example psychodynamic and intergenerational, do consider such individual and historical factors (thus embracing both linear and circular causation) and they may use instruments such as the genogram to help to elucidate the patterns of relationship across generations.

The distinctive feature of family therapy is its perspective and analytical framework rather than the number of people present at a therapy session. Specifically, family therapists are relational therapists: They are generally more interested in what goes on between individuals rather than within one or more individuals, although some family therapists-in particular those who identify as psychodynamic, object relations, intergenerational, or experiential family therapists (EFTs)-tend to be as interested in individuals as in the systems those individuals and their relationships constitute. Depending on the conflicts at issue and the progress of therapy to date, a therapist may focus on analyzing specific previous instances of conflict, as by reviewing a past incident and suggesting alternative ways family members might have responded to one another during it, or instead proceed directly to addressing the sources of conflict at a more abstract level, as by pointing out patterns of interaction that the family might have not noticed.

Family therapists tend to be more interested in the maintenance and/or solving of problems rather than in trying to identify a single cause. Some families may perceive cause-effect analyses as attempts to allocate blame to one or more individuals, with the effect that for many families a focus on causation is of little or no clinical utility. It is important to note that a circular way of problem evaluation is used as opposed to a linear route. Using this method, families can be helped by finding patterns of behaviour, what the causes are, and what can be done to better their situation.

Family therapy has an evolving evidence base. A summary of current evidence is available via the UK's Association of Family Therapy. Evaluation and outcome studies can also be found on the Family Therapy and Systemic Research Centre website. The website also includes quantitative and qualitative research studies of many aspects of family therapy.

According to a 2004 French government study conducted by French Institute of Health and Medical Research, family and couples therapy was the second most effective therapy after Cognitive behavioral therapy. The study used meta-analysis of over a hundred secondary studies to find some level of effectiveness that was either "proven" or "presumed" to exist. Of the treatments studied, family therapy was presumed or proven effective at treating schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anorexia and alcohol dependency.

In a 1999 address to the Coalition of Marriage, Family and Couples Education conference in Washington, D.C., University of Minnesota Professor William Doherty said:

"I take no joy in being a whistle blower, but it's time. I am a committed marriage and family therapist, having practiced this form of therapy since 1977. I train marriage and family therapists. I believe that marriage therapy can be very helpful in the hands of therapists who are committed to the profession and the practice. But there are a lot of problems out there with the practice of therapy - a lot of problems."

Doherty suggested questions prospective clients should ask a therapist before beginning treatment:

1. "Can you describe your background and training in marital therapy?"

2. "What is your attitude toward salvaging a troubled marriage versus helping couples break up?"

3. "What is your approach when one partner is seriously considering ending the marriage and the other wants to save it?"

4. "What percentage of your practice is marital therapy?"

5. "Of the couples you treat, what percentage would you say work out enough of their problems to stay married with a reasonable amount of satisfaction with the relationship." "What percentage break up while they are seeing you?" "What percentage do not improve?" "What do you think makes the differences in these results?"

Family therapy practitioners come from a range of professional backgrounds, and some are specifically qualified or licensed/registered in family therapy (licensing is not required in some jurisdictions and requirements vary from place to place). In the United Kingdom, family therapists will have a prior relevant professional training in one of the helping professions usually psychologists, psychotherapists, or counselors who have done further training in family therapy, either a diploma or an M.Sc. In the United States there is a specific degree and license as a marriage and family therapist; however, psychologists, nurses, psychotherapists, social workers, or counselors, and other licensed mental health professionals may practice family therapy. In the UK, family therapists who have completed a four-year qualifying programme of study (MSc) are eligible to register with the professional body the Association of Family Therapy (AFT), and with the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).

A master's degree is required to work as an MFT in some American states. Most commonly, MFTs will first earn a M.S. or M.A. degree in marriage and family therapy, counseling, psychology, family studies, or social work. After graduation, prospective MFTs work as interns under the supervision of a licensed professional and are referred to as an MFTi.[unreliable medical source? ]

Prior to 1999 in California, counselors who specialized in this area were called Marriage, Family and Child Counselors. Today, they are known as Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT), and work variously in private practice, in clinical settings such as hospitals, institutions, or counseling organizations.

Marriage and family therapists in the United States and Canada often seek degrees from accredited Masters or Doctoral programs recognized by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), a division of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Requirements vary, but in most states about 3000 hours of supervised work as an intern are needed to sit for a licensing exam. MFTs must be licensed by the state to practice. Only after completing their education and internship and passing the state licensing exam can a person call themselves a Marital and Family Therapist and work unsupervised.

License restrictions can vary considerably from state to state. Contact information about licensing boards in the United States are provided by the Association of Marital and Family Regulatory Boards.

There have been concerns raised within the profession about the fact that specialist training in couples therapy - as distinct from family therapy in general - is not required to gain a license as an MFT or membership of the main professional body, the AAMFT.

Values and ethics

Since issues of interpersonal conflict, power, control, values, and ethics are often more pronounced in relationship therapy than in individual therapy, there has been debate within the profession about the different values that are implicit in the various theoretical models of therapy and the role of the therapist's own values in the therapeutic process, and how prospective clients should best go about finding a therapist whose values and objectives are most consistent with their own. An early paper on ethics in family therapy written by Vincenzo Di Nicola in consultation with a bioethicist asked basic questions about whether strategic interventions "mean what they say" and if it is ethical to invent opinions offered to families about the treatment process, such as statements saying that half of the treatment team believes one thing and half believes another. Specific issues that have emerged have included an increasing questioning of the longstanding notion of therapeutic neutrality, a concern with questions of justice and self-determination, connectedness and independence, "functioning" versus "authenticity", and questions about the degree of the therapist's "pro-marriage/family" versus "pro-individual" commitment.

The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy requires members to adhere to a "Code of Ethics", including a commitment to "continue therapeutic relationships only so long as it is reasonably clear that clients are benefiting from the relationship."

Some key developers of family therapy are:

Alfred Adler (individual psychology)

Nathan Ackerman (psychoanalytic)

Tom Andersen (reflecting practices and dialogues about dialogues)

Harlene Anderson (postmodern collaborative therapy and Collaborative Language Systems)

Maurizio Andolfi (interactional, integrative, multigenerational, and relational family therapy)

Harry J Aponte (Person-of-the-Therapist)

Jack A. Apsche (family mode deactivation therapy, FMDT)

Gregory Bateson (1904-1980) (cybernetics, systems theory)

Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy (contextual therapy, intergenerational, relational ethics)

Murray Bowen (systems theory, intergenerational)

Steve de Shazer (solution focused therapy)

Vincenzo Di Nicola (cultural family therapy)

Milton H. Erickson (hypnotherapy, strategic therapy, brief therapy)

Richard Fisch (brief therapy, strategic therapy)

James Framo (object relations theory, intergenerational, family-of-origin therapy)

Edwin Friedman (family process in religious congregations)

Harry Goolishian (postmodern collaborative therapy and collaborative language systems)

John Gottman (marriage)

Robert-Jay Green (LGBT, cross-cultural issues)

Douglas Haldane (Attachment-based couple therapist)

Jay Haley (strategic therapy, communications)

Lynn Hoffman (strategic, post-systems, collaborative)

Don D. Jackson (systems theory)

Sue Johnson (emotionally focused therapy, attachment theory)

Walter Kempler (Gestalt psychology)

Cloe Madanes (strategic therapy)

Salvador Minuchin (structural family therapy)

Braulio Montalvo (structural family therapy)

Virginia Satir (communications, experiential, conjoint and co-therapy)

Mara Selvini Palazzoli (Milan family systems therapy)

Karl Tomm (IPscope model and interventive interviewing, Bringforthism)

Robin Skynner (group analysis)

Paul Watzlawick (brief therapy, systems theory)

John Weakland (brief therapy, strategic therapy, systems theory)

Carl Whitaker (family systems, experiential, co-therapy)

Michael White (narrative therapy)

Lyman Wynne (schizophrenia, pseudomutuality)

Theoretical model

Theorists

Summary

Techniques

Adlerian family therapy Alfred Adler
Also known as " individual psychology". Sees the person as a whole. Ideas include compensation for feelings of inferiority leading to striving for significance toward a fictional final goal with a private logic. Birth order and mistaken goals are explored to examine mistaken motivations of children and adults in the family constellation.

Psychoanalysis, typical day, reorienting, re-educating

Attachment theory
John Bowlby, Mary Ainsworth, Douglas Haldane

Individuals are shaped by their experiences with caregivers in the first three years of life. Used as a foundation for Object Relations Theory. The Strange Situation experiment with infants involves a systematic process of leaving a child alone in a room in order to assess the quality of their parental bond.

Psychoanalysis, play therapy

Bowenian family systems therapy
Murray Bowen, Betty Carter, Philip Guerin, Michael Kerr, Thomas Fogarty, Monica McGoldrick, Edwin Friedman, Daniel Papero

Also known as "intergenerational family therapy" (although there are also other schools of intergenerational family therapy). Family members are driven to achieve a balance of internal and external differentiation, causing anxiety, triangulation, and emotional cutoff. Families are affected by nuclear family emotional processes, sibling positions and multigenerational transmission patterns resulting in an undifferentiated family ego mass.

Detriangulation, nonanxious presence, genograms, coaching

Cognitive behavioral family therapy
John Gottman, Albert Ellis, Albert Bandura

Problems are the result of operant conditioning that reinforces negative behaviors within the family's interpersonal social exchanges that extinguish desired behavior and promote incentives toward unwanted behaviors. This can lead to irrational beliefs and a faulty family schema.

Therapeutic contracts, modeling, systematic desensitization, shaping, charting, examining irrational beliefs

Cultural family therapy

Vincenzo Di Nicola

Key influences: Celia Falicov, Antonio Ferreira, James Framo, Edwin Friedman, Mara Selvini Palazzoli, Carlos Sluzki, Victor Turner, Michael White

A synthesis of systemic family therapy with cultural psychiatry to create cultural family therapy (CFT). CFT is an interweaving of stories (family predicaments expressed in narratives of family life) and tools (clinical methods for working with and making sense of these stories in cultural context). Integrates and synthesizes systemic therapy and cultural and medical anthropology with narrative therapy

Conceptual tools for working across cultures - spirals, masks, roles, codes, cultural strategies, bridges, stories, multiple codes (metaphor and somatics), therapy as "story repair"

Emotion-focused therapy
Sue Johnson, Les Greenberg

Couples and families can develop rigid patterns of interaction based on powerful emotional experiences that hinder emotional engagement and trust. Treatment aims to enhance empathic capabilities of family members by exploring deep-seated habits and modifying emotional cues.

Reflecting, validation, heightening, reframing, restructuring

Experiential family therapy

Carl Whitaker, David Keith, Laura Roberto, Walter Kempler, John Warkentin, Thomas Malone, August Napier

Stemming from Gestalt foundations, change and growth occurs through an existential encounter with a therapist who is intentionally "real" and authentic with clients without pretense, often in a playful and sometimes absurd way as a means to foster flexibility in the family and promote individuation.

Battling, constructive anxiety, redefining symptoms, affective confrontation, co-therapy, humor

Family mode deactivation therapy (FMDT)
Jack A. Apsche
Target population adolescents with conduct and behavioral problems. Based on schema theory. Integrate mindfulness to focus family on the present. Validate core beliefs based on past experiences. Offer viable alternative responses. Treatment is based on case conceptualization process; validate and clarify core beliefs, fears, triggers, and behaviors. Redirect behavior by anticipating triggers and realigning beliefs and fears.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, defusion, validate-clarify-redirect

Family-of-origin therapy James Framo
He developed an object relations approach to intergenerational and family-of-origin therapy.

Working with several generations of the family, family-of-origin approach with families in therapy and with trainees

Feminist family therapy
Sandra Bem Marianne Walters

Complications from social and political disparity between genders are identified as underlying causes of conflict within a family system. Therapists are encouraged to be aware of these influences in order to avoid perpetuating hidden oppression, biases and cultural stereotypes and to model an egalitarian perspective of healthy family relationships.

Demystifying, modeling, equality, personal accountability

Milan systemic family therapy
Luigi Boscolo, Gianfranco Cecchin, Mara Selvini Palazzoli, Giuliana Prata

A practical attempt by the "Milan Group" to establish therapeutic techniques based on Gregory Bateson's cybernetics that disrupts unseen systemic patterns of control and games between family members by challenging erroneous family beliefs and reworking the family's linguistic assumptions.

Hypothesizing, circular questioning, neutrality, counterparadox

MRI brief therapy
Gregory Bateson, Milton Erickson, Heinz von Foerster

Established by the Mental Research Institute (MRI) as a synthesis of ideas from multiple theorists in order to interrupt misguided attempts by families to create first and second order change by persisting with "more of the same", mixed signals from unclear metacommunication and paradoxical double-bind messages.

Reframing, prescribing the symptom, relabeling, restraining (going slow), Bellac Ploy

Narrative therapy
Michael White, David Epston

People use stories to make sense of their experience and to establish their identity as a social and political constructs based on local knowledge. Narrative therapists avoid marginalizing their clients by positioning themselves as a co-editor of their reality with the idea that "the person is not the problem, but the problem is the problem."

Deconstruction, externalizing problems, mapping, asking permission

Object relations therapy
Hazan & Shaver, David Scharff & Jill Scharff, James Framo,

Individuals choose relationships that attempt to heal insecure attachments from childhood. Negative patterns established by their parents (object) are projected onto their partners.

Detriangulation, co-therapy, psychoanalysis, holding environment

Psychoanalytic family therapy Nathan Ackerman
By applying the strategies of Freudian psychoanalysis to the family system therapists can gain insight into the interlocking psychopathologies of the family members and seek to improve complementarity

Psychoanalysis, authenticity, joining, confrontation

Solution focused therapy
Kim Insoo Berg, Steve de Shazer, William O'Hanlon, Michelle Weiner-Davis, Paul Watzlawick

The inevitable onset of constant change leads to negative interpretations of the past and language that shapes the meaning of an individual's situation, diminishing their hope and causing them to overlook their own strengths and resources.

Future focus, beginner's mind, miracle question, goal setting, scaling

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3. ^ DiNicola, Vincenzo F. (1986). "Beyond Babel: Family therapy as cultural translation". International Journal of Family Psychiatry. 7 (2): 179-191.

4. DiNicola, Vincenzo. The strange and the familiar: Cross‑cultural encounters among families, therapists, and consultants. In M Andolfi & R Haber (Eds), ^ Please Help Me With This Family: Using Consultants as Resources in Family Therapy. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1994, pp. 33‑52. ISBN 978-0876307489

5. ^ Di Nicola, Vincenzo (1997). A Stranger in the Family: Culture, Families, and Therapy (1st ed.). New York: W.W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-70228-6. OCLC 36126477.

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7. ^ Bograd, Michele (1999). "Strengthening Domestic Violence Theories: Intersections of Race, Class, Sexual Orientation, and Gender". Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 25 (3): 275-289. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.1999.tb00248.x. ISSN 0194-472X. PMID 10405915.

8. ^ Almeida, Rhea V.; Durkin, Tracy (1999). "The Cultural Context Model: Therapy for Couples with Domestic Violence". Journal of Marital and Family Therapy. 25 (3): 313-324. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.1999.tb00250.x. ISSN 0194-472X. PMID 10405917.

9. ^ "Ten Most Influential Therapists: The Most Influential Therapists of the Past Quarter-Century". Psychotherapy Networker.com. March-April 2007. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014.

10. ^ https://tavistockandportman.nhs.uk/research-and-innovation/research-centres/family-therapy-systemic-research-centre/research/evaluation-and-outcome-studies/

11. INSERM Collective Expertise Centre (2000). "Psychotherapy: Three approaches evaluated". PMID 21348158.

12. Doherty, Dr. William J., "How Therapy Can Be Hazardous to Your Marital Health," Address to Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education conference, Washington, D.C., July 3, 1999.

13. ^ Doherty W (2002). "Bad Couples Therapy and How to Avoid It: Getting past the myth of therapist neutrality". Psychotherapy Networker. 26 (Nov-December): 26-33.

14. ^ DiNicola, Vincenzo F. (1988). "Saying it and meaning it: Forging an ethic for family therapy". Journal of Strategic and Systemic Therapies. 7(4): 1-7.

15. ^ Dueck A (1991). "Metaphors, models, paradigms and stories in family therapy" (PDF). In Vande Kemp H (ed.). Family therapy: Christian perspectives. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House. pp. 175-207. ISBN 978-0-8010-9313-5.

16. Gottlieb, M.C. (1995). ^ Developing Your Ethical Position in Family Therapy: Special Issues. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association (103rd, New York, NY, August 11-15, 1995).

17. "Code of Ethics," American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, July 1, 2012.^ [1]

18. ^ "When Every Session Mattered". Psychotherapy Networker Magazine. 38 (4): 42. July-August 2014.

Deborah Weinstein, The Pathological Family: Postwar America and the Rise of Family Therapy. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2013.

Satir, V., Banmen, J., Gerber, J., & Gomori, M. (1991). The Satir Model: Family Therapy and Beyond. Palo Alto, CA: Science and Behavior Books.

The Systemic Thinking and Practice Series. Routledge

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Family therapy, also referred to as couple and family therapy, marriage and family therapy, family systems therapy, and family counseling, is a branch of psychotherapy that works with families and couples in intimate relationships to nurture change and development. It tends to view change in terms of the systems of interaction between family members.

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Science Career, Marriage and Family Therapist

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Science Career, Marriage and Family Therapist

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Science, period 1
September 1st, 2020